The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-05-14
SALARY RAISE ASKED BY CITY PATROLMEN
High Cost of Living Given As Reason For Requesting
 Increases

Patrolmen the city police force yes- terday afternoon asked the city commits sion to raise their salaries s15 month. The request was made by Attorney John Altman at the regular meeting of the
 commission. Several patromen made short talks.
 Present salaries of the patrolmen range from $90 to sl00 a month. New men begin on $90 and are advanced $5 after they have served a year.
 MT. Altman gave the commissioners figures on the advance in the cost of liv- ing, saying that the raise is necessary in order that the officers can support their families decently
 'I am not appearing before you as an attorney but a man who Is interested in Birmingham and in these men. They
 want to give their families the necessi- ties of life. While their salaries have been advanced 20 per cent or less in tha last four years, the cost of living has ! advanced over 70 per cent If there is any possible way for them to have the raise give it to them.
 l The matter was referred to Commits sioner John H. Taylor and Dr. N A. Barrett, who will investigate and male d ItpOIt dt an carry udte.
 The commission will meet with the county board of revenue at o'clock this afternoon by request
 A conference will be held at 10 o'clock | this morning at which local delegation will appear before the commission to present some matter, the nature of which | is not yet definitely known. . l At the meeting yesterday the commits | sion voted leave of absence to Fire Chief l Syd Middleton, who will go to Kansas 1 City to the convention of fire chiefs to l be held there May A. His expenses wlil | be paid by the city. | Walter S. Brown of the correction Ga- partment of the city was granted leave, with expenses paid, to the sociological congress to be held at Atlantic City at l an early date.
 | Commissioner H. P. Burrnss called att | tention to the ordinance requiring lights 1 on an automobile to be dimmed when | approaching another automobile or a street car in the city, stating that it is being violated. He made a request thae automobile drivers observe the ordinance | and cooperate with the city in eliminat- I ing as much of danger as possible. | The feasibility of changing the street near Palmer station will be taken up by | the commission as the result of reso- Iution passed yesterday. It is said that | several accidents have occurred at the station where the road crosses the South Ensley car line and that there is room | tc continue the street along the side of 1.-the track to Palmer station. STREET TAG SALES At the morning session Reese Murray, | on behalf of the Serbian Relief committed, with which Dr. Annie Robinson is asso- ciated, presented petition that the com mission allow the committee to hold a | tag day in Birmingham for the benefit os | the Serbians. The request was refused by unanimous vote of the commissioners or the grounds that tag days are pro- | hibited by a city ordinance.
 | MT. Murray pointed out that Birming- ham always has been ready to help such worthy causes and many are glad of an opportunity to contribute small amounts. | He told of the usage of the money tAsa
 would be collected and the need for it. Commissioner Burruss explained that it was contrary to the ordinance to allow the tag day and that the commissioa must stand fast on the ordinance. He
 asked how much the tag which MT. Murray displayed was worth, and being told s1
 bought it, saving that he heartily favors the movement.
 The commission passed resolution en- dorsing the work of the Serbian ResSi | committee.