HomeMy WebLinkAbout02/14/1939 Board of Public Safety Minutes 2�0 �
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Ir:EETII�G--FEBRLT�RY 14, 1939 - -- --- - .�
RegulGr meetin� of the Board of S�_fety ti�ra.s held on luesda�r,
Febru��_ry 14, 1939 , at 11:30 A.:;i. Tnere cJas no rneetinV on iaonda;T,
Februar� l�� 1939� it havint� 'aeen declared a le�al holida�r in cem-
mer�loration of Lincoln' s �airtnda�T. All ?�e�bers vrere present. P�,iinutes
of the �r�revious meetinv ti�rere read and approved. P2;molls of tiZe
v�.rioUS� departments in the sum of `�21,8QJ.10 and cla�r:�!s of '�he fol-
lo��in� suppliers in the a:..cunt of ��67�. Dl �rere approved and orderec� �aid:
� • City s"dater ';�orr�s �p .66 , ,So.Bend "u`lriolesale Dru� Co. ,; 3.23
, • G.E.T;Te�;er & Son, I�}c. . 15 , , The Office En�rir.°ers,Inc. �.59
, � G.E.i,7e�rer °� Son, Inc. .75 , � H. A. ,'7hitmer� 47.90
• � Schillin�� s ?2.4_0 . � �ttsines� s�stes�s, Inc. 4.70
, , SoUth BenaFoundr�r �o. 6.00 , ,r`i.tzsi�ess S��ste~.s, Inc. 3.90�
, . ��Jeisber�er 13ros . 12.50 ,.Business S�-sterns, Inc. 248.23 r
, , Grutn~�ell & Sons 249. 65, , Business S;�stems, Inc. .g5 - ,
, . Scherman-Schaus-I�'reerlGn Co. .8II• , Broadti�ra�r Fharrriacy .35
. ,� The �ibson �'ompa.ry 3.30,� J.E.'l�alz Garage, Inc. 25.05
, , St. Josepn �iospital 6.00 .� Campbell 1'rintin� Co. 7.25 '
Business S��stei::s, Inc. 5. 65 Ir�^ �P� �=�Qr�-��a �^ -�
, .Eptivorth Hospital 3.75 „ En��orth ��os,r,ital 3.75
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Ep;°�orth Hospital 3.75
POLIC� DEPART":iET�TT: Cnief In�;rar:�. �resent.
The Board acl�n.ov�led�ed recei�t of a letter frorr� John S�agnola with
re�ard to a i ifteen-�inute parliin� zone be�_n� established in front of •
his �12ce of bL?s_ness at 2720 �,!isha��ra_l�a Avenue, lhis �:!atter Yras reierred'
to the Traffic r'�ir;ineer for a surve� and report.
� Char�es navin� been filed a�ainst Officer I,Turra`;� Thor�.as for drinkinv
vr'na_le on du�y on the ni�ht oi Februar�r �, 1J59, by �L'rlc Chiei of Folice
and the �oard havin, been infori�ed �y tize C.�ief t��at Gfficer Thomas ���as
suspended from d�.t� on the llth day o� Februar�r, 1939, until the date o�
�zea.r�.ng b�� theBoard, Officer Tho�as `�as served ,�ai�h notice cn the 13th
daJ o f Pebruary, l�)39, to apr�ear beiore t�i� Eoard at 10 t�0 A.i,1, on the •
l�'tth da�T o f Fe'arua_r�-, 1��39, for trial. dn e�ar_:ination, Officer Tho�as
adrlitte� the c�.urge of arinl�in� zS.��ile on dut5�. The �card sus�ended
Officer Tho::�as from service for �. �eriod ef si�ty da�Ts without pa�r, .to�
rerort back fo� c�uty on Anril 12, 1939 . � '
Chief In�ram reported to tne :�oal�d tl1��t l�e nad ��rritten letters�, • _
to certain '�usiness establisYunents inforrl�nL, ther:� t�1a� the practise `
of usin� nolice officers as �uards an.d usin; pol:i_ce oificers in cars
ior the purpose of haulin�; r.:cne�= tivould be discc:ntinued on �:�arch l,
1939 . The Board aplr oved this actin; of the C�iief' of Police in viev�r
of t_ie iact �hat by usin� tcro rlen ut a salar�T of ��3�:�O.C?0. a month in
an ar�;�ored car for t he pLrpose of haulin� money, we believe ti�is to be r
in co��etit_�on i�ritl: private enterprise aru not a rroper function of t he
Police Depart::�ent. Furthermore, t��e Jractise ?�as been preferring cer-
tain ta�.payers and bus�ness nouses over o thers ��ho have not had the
service availa�le and it is ir:�ossible to make it ava�l2ble for all
ci-�izens and bu�inesses.
Upon the recomr.iendation of t�e C�zief of Police tne Board created `
t�e rank of Lieutenant o� tne Police Department at a salary c� y�187.50
per montlz. Upon the reco�mendation oi C�ief InJr�, the Lc�rd �ro-
r�oted Ser�eant Everetfi.; to the r�.nk o f Captain of the ratrol Division.
CaPtain �-I�nilton, at 11is cv�m rec+,uest, vras reduced to tiZe ranl� of Lieu-
tenant and ;�r�s assi�ned to the Patrol Division in order that he mi�Tht
�;�ork the four to miclni�nt deLail. This re-assi�:iL��en� oi' Captain _.
I�a�lton �Jas �nade at his oti^�rn rec,uest. Seroeant �iuda�i ti�ras rro:?ioted to
the rank of Lieutenant in char�e of the mic�ni���t to ei�llt detail. �
G:��icer �llsti•JOrt.1 Butz ti^ras pror.ic�Led t o the r�nl� oi Ser�e�nt and �vas
assi�ned to �he ratrol Division to �^.�orl> t ne ei�ht to i our det2.il.
Sergeant Leo :`Jilli�ms yra_s prom�oted Lo t�1e ran.'� of C�ptain. l�ctin� ' ���
Captain LaFortune ��a_s appoin�ed to the ranl� cf C�.pta_in. I:11 of the
above officers shall receive pa;r applic�_ble to t'�eir r�n�> on and after
the 15th davr of Februar�y, 1939 .
Ap��licaticns ior pcsitions cn t�e Police D�partr.lent �Jere received
fro::i t_le i ollo:�rin� r�:en and ti-rere orctered pl�_ced on file :
`�'dalter C. �?o�uc�:i A;e 23 502'> '�'Jestern Ave. , , '
Lotzis I�;2. Janko�^rsl:i �ge 22 621 ��d. '��;a�.-ne St. , �
Peter Jchn Lorer_ce A�e 26 112'7 ';'J. `�Vasnint.;t�n Ut. ,
�`Ji11i4�rL Robison 11�e 32 1417 Van Buran St.
Ed�:rard J. ':'Jescic�a:��i A�e 26 1142 �;. Co11e�,e St.
� o..�� °�-..5 � u_,.,.�- �.`� �- r�ru�v,.�;,nA�, ,�� . .G��� �
0 A�\����
, _ � P,Ti;ET�_i�;G--rebrL?�.r;; 1�, 19�9, ccn��nti:ed .
Special Police Co��uli��ions for '�`Jilliam �'.�?osinsl:i and ueorge i��iedbalsl�i,
CitT; ilurip oper�-.tcrs, tvere .apprcved by Lhe Loard, these men to serve �•Tithout
fvrnishin� bond. �
The Board aclrnoy���ledged receipt ef a letter T rc� l�. L. S]�attuc'�,
�'xeclztive S�cretar� oi t_�e Stude:�a�er Lccal T�o. 5 concernin` stop and o0
li�hts at the _ntersection of i�iain and Sariple Streets. In renly, the
follorrin�; letter tivas aadressed �o I�;ir. Shatttac'_L:-
rr.yJe have your letter of rebruar;r 8 addressed to t'_ne �ourcl of
SafetS* in reoard to the stop and �*o li�ht at t:ne intersection
of Sa�pl� and �,Iain Streets. The �oard i s iull�r ati�are o�� the
� nazard that e:�,sts �t �nis _ntersection and recognizes tlie need
. for such a limht. �s a matter of fact, t�iis li�ht ti��as �ncluded
in t'Ze �ener�l �roVra� of over�leac� li�ht eliminat '._on ar_ci instal-
lation o f li,Mhts at certain hazardous in�ersect�ors, ,�rhicn G�reV-r��
". tivas included in the 1938 bud�et. I�oti�rever, the �:,oard, at tnat tir�e,
did not �;urc�lase these li�hts nor eli?�n�nate cert�in onerhead li�'-��s,
, as �rescr�bed in t��a� rrovr�m. for reasons unl�c�^m to u�.
' "i�zzre is n-� a.nnropria�ion in tlze 19�9 budvet for tne �urch�.se
, C'_� G.11TT J�l�,l l�tf.'.11�:'::Pil� CL11lA �� .l.'.J -:i1�DUe���� ���11 �J �� ?:1Glli� Ulil�l�
purc��ases :rit�lo�;t an el�i r�;s a�y,ro�,��iation under t_�e Inczi��a 1a��T.
For tha� reascn, it 4�ill be irs_;�osU-�'�1e to do «n�rthin� toti�rarcl
• ?lim-��ti��T t�e ��resent ccliditicn at �?zis intersection until sucn
ti?1e as rncn���;r is� appro�riated for the pvr,,ose of purc'zas'_:n� and
inst�all�n� ecv inrzent.
• r'I?a�r ti•re su���est that �cu �:ee� t�i_s r:atter in ���nd ancl use such
inf luence as ;�cu c�u: to �see t�at ?��oney is, appro�riated and -�ncluded
in next 5 ear �s bL?d�et in oraer tlzat tnis 'iazarc�ous cc:ndi�;�ion can b�
cli��inatea. ;'Je are as an1>ious as �ou are to co-o�erate in �::altiing
such -ntersections sa�e for the c�tizens of tilis corn�nun�ty and �;re
, ;till ay:preciate ��our co-opera�-ion �nd assista_nce in securin� for us
t.i� necessa�?r i�.nds '��i�:� ,;':_ch to ::�a?ie these improve��er_ts, rr
A report :�as received �roi� tlze Tr�ffic Er_�-_neer, as requested by tlie
- �o�rd, c:�ncernin� tne request of t:�e Szandarl �t?to?n��.tive Sunpl�- for es-
tablis;��ent o� a loadin� z���e at 2�6 S. St. Jose�h Street, t^r?�ich report
,: tiras� orclered pl�-:ced on _�ile. i;:r. _:;iller f s recor,rnendation is tha_t such a
�one should nat �e esta�lis.zed. In vie��r cf t��e recc-t�mendation of t�e �
' Trai�ic �n�`ineer, tn° 3oard can�ot �;rant tne -reruest. Tl�1e Cierk of t�ze
3o�,rd ;�as 'nstructed to adv_�e the Standz.rd Autor:�otive Suppl; oi the
decis�on.oi t'_ze 3eard ana t_�e �'�ndinv of ��e Trailic �n�ineer.
, The �'ollotirir, �etter t�r�_s received fr���:_ ;le�L Lan`el, Trustee of rorta:ve
To�r��sni�:
. "lhu.n'is lor �rour '-�ind oifer cf re'.�ru�r�- ?nci. Ai�er careiul
consider�.t�.on, ��re :Zave dec�dad not to acce�t �oLr cionation be-
. cause Z7e "Ct�i?Ct ii2 ',"70?%.lu ?"'_eEu �O �_ii° i011�'' ?i1Z2`lyIOT' �:'l8'tlt�-iOtlY'
'�cui� serv�ce 2?1d -i� r��il be chea�e� ior t'�e To�7nship to cor�tract
- t°r�th ?�r_vG�e cc_2ce�_�s o�:rlZ�n� �:r:�ular�ces �han � o �r�T �o run o�:r o��rn. -
":'le ab�reciate tne fine cooperation v_ven t'�is o ffice b� the
Board of FL.blic Safetr ar�d than�� �-ou �nce a�ain for cansiczerin�
Port�.�;e �l'cs,ns�i� _n �'_lis �::atter. tr
T��e iollo•rr�:�- 1et�er ;-ras addressecz to C.. �{. Svranson concern-n;^: the
traffic situGtion �t �'�e corne�� ef ?,Ii��i and Lt�.r�nV Ave�ues : v
� rrii=is is in ans�:rer t o �ot.r let�er of Janu�ry 14tn in re��rd to
�, rr• �. • �, -
�_ie trGl_ lc situ��.��.on at �^e ccrner of :.iis�!i ar:d Ev�in��.
"`In �-cur lett�r �ou sta�e �_Z�� �rou belizve this matter de-
serves our ir2:.ed�a�e a�te�t`cr_, �?nd -n t'ie event z;re do nct see
i i� t o ins�all a tra�i ic li:_•at at t.i�s 'ntersection, then �*ou
sr�nt to �rno-;r t=i� reason ti•rh�-. As a cit�zen �nci tal�pa-rer of the
c�t�� of �outh �end, �-ou �ave t�e ri�ht to ?�noz7 tn.e reas _n �r�h�
in t'�e eve�t �,te i�.-i1 to i:�s��:ll a traiiic li;_�ht or ��a�_e �1;;
i?nprcve�rnent requested by a� c��tizen.
; � 1fIn the T irst place, the redL?est cov_ld not be �ran�ed because
tne 1J39 bud,-;et inc1L_des �_Za funds at all for t'_�e ��ur��ose of pur-
254 � �?
T,TEETIi�dG, Febru^_ry 14, 1939, c� tu.. �'`"' .
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chasing and installinm traf'fic li�hts in the city of South �3end. �
�n iter.� ti^ras included in the 1938 bud;et for improve�ents of tnis
�ort �t intersect�cns �Jhich needed such improveznents, but �he
equipment yvas not purc��ase�l uncler the budget and the r:lone;r L°�as
not re-a�?propri�_ted for 1939.
"^1he second reason :for not install 'ng a trai�'ic li��t at t�is
intersecticn is that a scientific investi��tien of the facts re-
v�aled that a tratiic li�ht at �his in�ersec�ion is mcre .zazardous
than be�eficial. �tatis�ica shocv that in the t��relve-�onth
' pei�:i�',. �efore the lir�ht, �°rn.ic'� iras iorrzerl;t at i�lzis intersecti��n,
� raas re�noved, th2t there were four accidents ut this intersecticn,
Statistics also s�otiJ that in the fifteen r:1^nths since the lir:'_�t
`���ras re:��oved, there 'r.�ve cnl� been three accidents at t'zis '_nter- ,
section.
'�A st:_rve`; b�r t��e Traffic �nnineer also discicses ti�at t�.�e
traf.fic load over tnis 1ntersection over an eivnt-hour period
is 253 cars per liour frc��1 a_ll directions. Tize �tatienal Con-
ference cn Stree�L and I�i;1��1ay �afet;r and t�ze A.nerican Association
of State i i�h�°aa�, Officials, tir'no h�,ve :r.ade a n�.t�on-ti�r;de studS�.
over several �eurs of traific condit-ions throu�ho�.t t'�e na.tion
and the need for automatic control liVhts at intersections,
recolr.mend t�zat no li,�hts be �nstalled u�, an� intersection unless
�here is an avera�e vehicular trafiic load at tize intersection
of a� least one thousand cars Y,�er hour over an ei�ht-hour period
frori all directions and that at lea�t t�.vo nundred fifty vehicles
per hour rnust be en the minor street. You d��ill note �'_�at the
survey i�lade at th's intersection indicates that the traffic there
does not come an�*��inere near the realt:irem_ents for a stop and �o si�n.
"tiVe did find, as a resu.lt of tlzis investi��ation, t:�at certain
conditions exist �t this corner �:inich contributed to the accidents
s.�rhich occurred there and v�hicn should be elir:lirated. One �:ras ti�e
exister_ce oi advertis�n; s��;ns in :�ront of the fillin;� station
located on the nort�ieast �orner vJ:nich interfered .=rit3� and tended
to decrease t�ze efzectiveness of tlze stop sivn located on that
corner.
t''TJe also found that, _perhaps, the stop s_�ns at this �nter-
section are not of sufficient size �o be sU_ificiently seen in
order �Lo atte?�lpt to improve �;he situation at the :�ntersecticn.
';Je have ordered the si�:ns tivhich in�erfere �r�tn t he vision of the
stop si;;n rer�oved and 'nave also ordered lar�er stop si�;ns to be�
placed at the intersecti�n. These si�ns have not �Tet arrivel
but �rill in a s'zort per�od of tirae and as soon as they are re-
ceived, thef cJill be installed.
"�'Te trus� that this explanat�on ansti-�ers �Tcur inruiry �nd that
the im�-rever�ents i��ade at tlzis intersection `^rill decrease �n.e pos-
�ibilit� ef accic�ents in the iuture. �Je a�preciate �our interest
in this situ�tion and assure �ou that vre, at all t imes, ZRrelcome
su��estions th�t ma� heln us in an attem�t to render service to
the public, r'
FIR� DEP��TiK�Ei�tT: Chief DeVleescno�aer pr�sent.
Chief DeVleescno�°�er vras present and matters �ertainin� to :�zis de-
�art�ent �rere discussed.
`IJLIGF?T� w T:iE�'�.SL��S:
Charles Burns fileci �zis report for �ne �•reel� end-in^; February 13,
1�.�39, s'zovrin}r 203 ins�ections zrhicn z•�r�.s o..rdered nlaced en �"ile.
?rleetin�; adjourned at 4:10 P.rT. _
� ,e%�,c�
CHA=Ri.i��I
AT �S' : '
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CLERK