Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-12-02
council PROVIDES
POLICE PENSIONS
AII-Night Session Also unani-
mousIy Votes Money for
Aged and Crippled Men
CHARITY PLAN IS ENDED

Crippled and aged firemen and police
men, irfcapacitated in the line Of duty,
have been taken out of the charity class.
No longer will the public be called upon
to aid in caring for them for early
today. after an all night session, Coun-
| ell jumped the appropriation for police
pensions tentatively from S80,OOO to
S115.0OO. and that for the firemen s
pensions from S25 900 to 800, 900.
When the police carnival proved a
failure, police officials realized that IL
pensions in the bureau were not kept
up something must be done as the pen
sion fund was due for bankruptcy
within six months. Heretofore the
bureau, through the police carnival
given yearly, had always succeeded in
pension treasury over. The provisions
in the city charter forbidding uniformed
men seeking contributions, spelled
failure for the fund, and in their ex-
tremity both police and fire officials
turned to Council for aid
10 n man the twenty one councilmen
voted for the appropriations. For once
al the Ware members joined in to make
the vote unanimous.
Money for Hose
The police and fire pension funds
were not the only things under consid :
GRAFTON however. The policemen are
virtually assured of q minimum S5-a.
day wage and an appropriation for
money with which to buy extra ply
double strength hose for the fire de-
partment went through without dis
| sension.
The only comment was suggestion
by Councilman Hall that while the an
nual carnival for which the policemen
have been selling tickets, must be abol =
ished, that he favored some outdoor ath =
letic exhibition by the men of the de-
partments, to which the public might be
invited without any charge.
foss Is. Davis, acting fire chief. took
the foor when an item asking $3.50. 900
Tor new hose came up for discussion.
He said:
I've are taking awful chances in
Philadelphia with our present hose
equipment. Most of our hose is of the
two and one half inch variety and with
the nlgh pressure system we now have
a oo0e pound pressure. We need at once
,'o,ooO feet Of three and one half inch
hose. The need is imperative.
That was all the chief said. but in
immediate response six of the council
men jumped to their feet. Councilman
Hall was recognized by the chair, and
he said:
Every time we have a fire in this
city we hear of hose bursting. The de-
partment here must have up- to- date
equipment, and there can be no division
of opinion regarding this. | think I
express the opinion of all in saying give
the department the hose and whatever
else it needs.
Suggests Paymaster
The item was unanimously approved.
While the affairs Of the fire department
were under discussion Councilman
Horn suggested that it might be econ
omy to provide paymaster for the de =
partment. He said that under the pres =
ent system more than eighty men are
, off duty on pay day trying to get the
money for the various tirehouses.
Addresses to Council in favor OF
raising the pay of liremen were made
. by f. A. Il. Palmquist. representing tn,
Federation of Churches, and J. NJ
Simminson, q member of the depart
ment.
! One of the minor items considered BY
Council. an appropriation of $4,000 t
the Morris Refuge FOR Animals. brough
! out the statement that 300. 900 cats ar,
put 10 tnelr nnhl steep annually by tn'
organization. The appropriation wa
approved.
Cut on Electrical Bureau
Council in taking up the budget o
the Electrical Bureau yesterday Gu
SAL 900 out of the amount of SAT- 81;
asked by Chief James F.. Mclaughlin
but paid the chief numerous compli
ments on the management of the bu
reau and promised him more money
he needed it.
The principal discussion wagcd abou
a question Of five automobiles asked fo
inspectors. Several councilmen insiste
that cheap machines would be sufficient
but thee hief urged that better grades o
cars be provided. A compromise wa
reached by allowing $500 for the ney
cars. plus what can be obtained for tn
motors now. in service Of the depart
ment.
Councilman Hall served notice tina
when it came to consideration of ques
tions of supplies, Council should tax
cognizance of the fact that prices ar
| coming down