The sun., 1919-05-24
BRENNAN WILL TRY
TWOPLATOON PLAN
Asks Estimate Board for $780,
600 to Pay $50 Addi-
tiOnal Firemen.
REQUEST Is UNOPPOSED
Borough President Van Name
Attacks tuberculosis Hospi-
tai Staten Island Dislikes.

Fire Commissioner brennan asked the
Board Of Estimate yesterday for an
appropriation of s1O5.ooo in special
revenue bonds to pay $50 additional fire.
men needed to carry out his experiment
with the two platoon system. He ex-
planned that he intended to put the sys-
TEN into effect In a hundred of the busi-
est houses in the city, and asked for
immediate consideration of his request.
Because of the absence Of the Mayor
this was impossible. The matter was
placed on the calendar for next week
and sent to the committee on finance
and budget.
No opposition was expressed, but
some of the members suggested that Il
would be necessary to go to the Board
OF Aldermen first. Borough President
Bowling said that the Board of Alder
men In 1917 had appropriated $4,000
Tor trial of the three platoon system.
put the concurring resolution has been
buried In committee by the Board of
Estimate. 1t was his idea that this
resolution could be revived without the
necessity OF again going to the Board
OF Aldermen. Corporation Counsel Burr
VIII be asked for an opinion.
Would Require HOO More.
Commissioner brennan said II would
DC possible to get $50 men from the out
standing civil service lists and that in
MS 1920 budget he would make pro.
vision for keeping the additional men
TO put the two platoon system in opera
ton In the entire department would
take total of LOO new men, he said.
II Is not proper. to my way OF think.
ing, to keep men housed up for twenty.
one hours at stretch in the fire houses, "
said the Mayor. who by this time had
returned. The men did good work dur
ing the war and most of them have been
very patient. There were few who
did a lot Of agitating. and think, Com.
missioner, 1t would be an excellent idea
II you saw to 1t that they attended "a
their work"
Replying to questions by the Mayor
the Commissioner said that the fire
losses In 1918 had been $1,000, 900 less
than in 1917 and that he hoped there
wuold be another decrease OF similar
proportions this year. He spoke of the
5000 volunteer firemen who had served
during the war, seven to each house
each night. and suggested that the Board
OF Estimate should show It's apprecia
ton in the form OF resolutions, a CODY
| of which. after being suitably engrossed
could be presented to each volunteer
Medals for them are being struck Off
Ell Josephs, who organized the volun.
| teers, had expended $4,000 out OF his
own pocket to equip them. the Commits
sioner said. Much of this equipment
was now being used by the regular men
Borough President VanName of Rich
mond started something when he de.
clared that no one suffering from pull
monary tuberculosis ever recovered al
the Sea View Hospital in Staten Island
This statement was made when he OBJ
jected to a proposition Of Commissioner
Ccler OF the Department OF Charities
for the erection of a bronze tablet in the
hospital containing the names OF the
city officials to take the place OF one al
ready there. and COMMUNICATING the
fact that the hospital was placed In
commission In the Mitchell administra-
ton. He felt that It would be a stigma
on the present officials to have their
| names connected with the institution al
all.
II want to assure you" said President
VanName solemnly, that sooner OF
| later there is going to be an awful rev.
| elation regarding the death rate in thai
| hospital"
THE impression should not 60 abroad
that the city has a hospital where al
the patients die said Borough Presi
dent Connolly.