Putnam patriot., 1919-03-07
OPPOSITION TO REDUCING
NUMBER OF FIREMEN
WHEN VOTE PASSED BY COUNCIL WAS ABOUT TO DE
FOLLOWED BY AN ORDINANCE TO EFFECT
1T OBJECTIONS WERE OFFERED
Matter of Pay For Water Commissioners Referred-Two o.
Get Salary Increase

When Alderman Padgett introduc-
ed an ordinance in the common eoun-
ell at the regular meeting Tuesday
night to put in effect the vote of the
council at the regular meeting the
preceding month to reduce each com
pany of the fire department by five
men, and fix salaries, John b. Daigle,
a member of Hook 4 Ladder Co. No.
/, arose in opposition, saying that he
was there as a citizen and as a rep
resentative of the companies to pro-
test against such a reduction.
When Alderman Padgett had finish
ed reading the ordinance he had
drawn, Mayor Marcy asked If the
committee had seriously considered
the reduction in the number of men
and wanted to know if, with the re-
duction, there would be sufficient
number He said that he understood
that when there were 25 men in the
company that sometimes only four or
five men responded to an alarm and
he wondered what effect the reduction
would have on the efficiency of the
department.
The vote of the council which was
the reason for the ordinance being
drawn up was that each company of
the department be cut down five
men, This would leave Hose No.
with 20 men and Hose No. 2 and the
Hook & Ladder Co. No with but
10 men each. The vote further car
ried an increase in salary for the
chief from $3.50 to SITE a year; first
assistant chief from $40 to sos; this
second assistant from $S5 to $50. ant
men $40 to $40
Alderman Carroll of the fire com
mittee said that he thought that Il
the reduction was made that men liv
ing the farthest off from the bushes,
center should be the ones to be drop
ped. In reply to a question from thu
mayor, Alderman Carroll said hi
thought there would be enough mer
if the reduction was made.
Chief Boursier said that the best
driver of No. 2 is carpenter and is
apt to be in most any section of the
city. The second driver works nights
and sleeps days and that there is nc
bell in his house and sometimes he
/ doesn't hear the alarm.
1t was then that Mr.. Daigle asked
to be heard. He said he was there AZ
representative of members of the
department who wished to register 8
protest. He said that the department
is a volunteer department, and that il
members feel like leaving the city al
any time they do not hesitate to dc
so and that in this way the companies
memberships might be cut down to q
very narrow margin at any time. He
said he was there to represent the
companies and object to such cut
down.
During his talk Mr.. Daigle said that
there is already too much friction in
the fire department, and that mem
bers criticise each other and create a
feeling that does not tend to har-
mony. He said that this friction
would be enhanced if men were
dropped and, Heaven knows there is
too much friction now" he said.
Mr.. Daigle also minated that the
members who were in favor of the de-
crease in numbers might have had
more consideration for the $40 in
crease in pay than for the interests Of
the department. He said that no man
can say that the number of men can
be reduced without decreasing the