Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1919-06-04

More pay OF no Guys, 10 VIZ
cry in the city hall. What little remains
Of the cftys police force threatens 10
walk ont unless wages are increased
Eighty dollars a month is not living
wage. according 10 the police, ana 10
not sufficient to tempt men TO rlsh
their lives to protect residents of the
city and their property.
n +. Adamson, who was given beat
in the business district few days ago,
rendered 7is resignation 10 the couh-
n, Tuesday. and last night Charles
Jacaues was pressed into service as
special police to patrol Adamson's
beat. jacques however, took the )oo
for one night only and efforts were pc
ing made today TO secure someone Tor
the place tonight.
Patrolman Thomas Marley, VINO mas
| been on the force several years, mas
| notified the council that he would quit
the force unless his salary was IN
creased by June Is. 1t was SAID tha'
| Patrolman Freeman Wertenpersel
would follow Markey's example. Shoulu
these men retire, Chief of Police Brech-
! el will find, when he counts noses lhal
| his force consists OF one officer with
weeks experience in The depot district
and a motorcycle cop who has been
on the force only twenty-four hours.
No Applicants For Jobs.
! Altho many men have applied Tor
nIaces or, the force there are none who
| fill the requirements willing to pound
n beat for $50 a month. Councilman
| Good, superintendent Of public safety
! has had applications by the score pu'
! the $50 men are not wanted by the Ci'5'
and those applicants who are fitted for
the jobs will not work for $50.
| The situation is critical. Wages must
! be increased or the city Will be WITH
out patrolmen. but, members or the
| council declare, no provision has been
made in the appropriations for an IN
crease in salaries, and it now is I'M
! possible to find the means to give the
men more money.
Police Force Inadequate?
| There has been complaint in the de-
| partment that the police force is made
| ouate properly to patrol the streets
and it is pointed out that eight years
| ago. when Q. l.. Ingledue retired from
the mayors office, the police force, in
| Cll1lnR the CIlicl, HuiIAbSANN $1,000
and the force at that time was none
| too large. Since then, altho the CITY
has increased greatly in population,
the force has been reduced one-thira'
Saloons We're in operation, however,
during the Ingledue administration,
and police business was much greater
than at present. The men argue. tho.
that the beats are as many and as long
as they were in 1911 and that, in fact
| owing to the growth OF the city, the
patroIled districts should be extended.
In 1911 the pay Of a patrolman was
$50. IN the Intervening eight years
the police say. the cost of living has
virtually doubled while the increase
in pay has been but 500.
Fire Department Affected
Similar conditions exist in the fire
department, three men having left the
service recently because Of the low
wages It is pointed out that the de-
partment at it's full complement is no
larger than It was in 1911, altho the
city has grown and the number OF
alarms responded to in the course or Il
year is much larger than eight years
ago. The department is not, however
I'D to it's full complement and frequent
| changes have been necessary, resulting
in green men constantly coming INTO
service, because of designations due to
failure to secure salary increases.
The men retiring from the fire de-
partment have gone to better paying
| iobs. and others are considering posi-
tions where the pay Is larger. The SIT
uation in the fire department is most
reeretabIe because chief Pigman had
built I'D force of fire fighters from
Younger men and has Instituted a
school Of instruction which could re-
suit only in better service. The Old
clannishness which once existed in the
department has disappeared with the
passing Of the older men and the feet-
ing of brotherhood and service has
grown to an extent which augurs wei
for the future Of the department.
Up to the Council.
As the matter stands the city councl
must provide means to keep the mer
on the payroll or the city is to see boti
police and fire department depleted
and will be confronted with the neces-
sity Of rebuilding both forces.
Institution Of the double platoon sys'
TEN was expected to relieve the stu
alton in the fire department, but the
men are content to work under the ole
system if the pay is sufficient.