On Friday, August 20, 1886,
Hamilton Police Chief A. D. Stewart, his wife and two young daughters had been
in a row boat on the Hamilton bay when a sudden movement by one of the girls
capsized the boat.
It was almost a major
disaster but at first the chief, and later with the help of two rescuers, everyone
was saved. The very next morning, the chief had to attend a meeting of the
Hamilton Police Commissioners where the budget estimates for the year’s
operations were to be presented for approval.
There were three police
commissioners, the Mayor Alex. McKay, the Police Magistrate Cahill and Wentworth
County Judge Sinclair. Judge Sinclair was unable to attend the meeting, but the
mayor and the police magistrate voted to accept the following budget:
One police
magistrate ……………………. $2,000.00
One chief
constable …...…………………. $1,600.00
Three
sergeants ………………...…………$ 2,175.12
Four
acting sergeants……………….....…$ 2,500.16
Two
detectives..........................................$ 1,450.08
Two acting
detectives ……………….…...$ 1,250.08
Thirty-three
constables…………….……$19, 273.32
One clerk
to the police commissioners…. $150.00
One police
court clerk ……………………...$ 100.04
MISCELLANEOUS
Fuel and
light……………………………..…...$800.00
Keep of
two horses ……..……...……………$250.00
Books and stationery…...............................$200.00
Printing
and advertising……………………...$90.00
Photographing
prisoners ……...…………….$20.00
Clothing…………………………………..….$2,500.00
Telephone
service ……………..…………….$192.00
Incidental
expenses …………………………$500.00
Total…………….$35,050.80
Once the
estimates were accepted, Chief Stewart immediately started to campaign for more
resources:
““The
chief suggested that the force should be increased. More men are wanted badly.
The city is growing so rapidly that the present force cannot begin to meet the
demands upon it. Some of the men are very old and unable to do regular duty.”1
1 “The Police Commissioners.”
Hamilton Spectator August 23, 1886.
There
followed a brief discussion on the chief’s request. The mayor, a frequent
adversary of the chief, argued against the chief’s request :
“The
commissioners decided not to do anything at present. The mayor said the force
was a good one and the citizens are satisfied with it. With the patrol wagon
and telephone facilities the men are managing to keep the city comparatively
free from crime and surely they could continue it for another year. A great
deal of money has to be laid out at once for important public works. This will
increase the taxes, and under the present circumstances it is well to run the
city departments as economically as possible.”1
Very
shortly afterwards, the ongoing hostility between Mayor McKay and Chief Stewart
would boil over.
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