784 PARKS 



cent from the monthly salary of each policeman plus a special tax levied 

 by the board of park commissioners. The maximum of the tax for this 

 purpose that can be levied by the South Park Commissioners is two seventy- 

 fifths of a mill on the dollar upon all taxable property in the district; that 

 by the West Chicago Park Commissioners cannot exceed one-fifteenth of 

 a mill; and by the Lincoln Park Commissioners not above two fifty-firsts 

 of a mill. This tax is over and above all other taxes levied for the purposes 

 of the districts. 



Any policeman who has served twenty years and attained the age of 

 fifty years may retire on a pension equal to one-half of the salary he was 

 receiving for one year prior to his retirement; or if through disability incurred 

 in discharge of duty he is forced to retire he will receive a pension of like 

 amount; but in no case shall the pension received be over the sum of eleven 

 hundred dollars or less than six hundred dollars per annum. Upon the 

 death of any pensioned patrolman or upon the death of a patrolman in 

 discharge of duty, his widow, providing the marriage took place one year 

 prior to time pension was granted, shall receive a pension of fifty dollars 

 per month and an additional ten dollars per month for every child under 

 eighteen years of age. If any child ceases to attend school between the 

 ages of fourteen years and eighteen years the allowance for that child will 

 be reduced to five dollars per month. Should a pensioned patrolman leave 

 no widow surviving him or should his widow die before his children arrive 

 at the age of eighteen years, each child shall receive, while regularly attend- 

 ing school, the sum of fifteen dollars per month. Pensions for children cease 

 upon arrival at the age of eighteen years. This act became a law May 19, 

 1917 and in force July I, 1917. 



The act referred to was followed in 1921 by an act to provide for the 

 creation, setting apart, maintenance and administration of a park police- 

 men's annuity and benefit fund, applicable in the South Park, West Chicago 

 and Lincoln Park districts. This act is too long and detailed to present 

 even a synopsis of it here, but the entire act can be found in Illinois Revised 

 Statutes, Cahill, 1925, Chapter CV, Sections 429-484 inclusive, pages 1778- 

 1799. This act became a law June 29, 1921 and in force July I, 1921. 



2. Essex County, New Jersey. A police pension fund was established 

 in the Essex County Park System (New Jersey) in 1910. A pension of one- 

 half of pensioner's wages or salary after twenty years service and reaching 

 the age of sixty years is allowed. A pension for the same amount is allowed 

 for disability incurred in discharge of duty; and in case of death in dis- 

 charge of duty a similar pension is allowed widow and minor children. 

 The pension fund is constituted by funding an amount equal to eight per 

 cent of wages of each member of the police force, three per cent of which 

 is paid by the men and five per cent by the Board of Park Commissioners. 



