The national Republican., 1861-06-11

thanks to the Board, and promised to do his
best TO fulfil the duties of the office.
The Board then went into an election for
Secretary, when the following gentlemen we're
placed in nomination. Messrs. William A.
Kennedy, J. L. Henshaw, John Sess'ord, jun,
J. H. McCutcheon, aud F. L. Harvey.
The first ballot resulted as follows Number
Of votes cast, ls; Of which Mr. Kennedy re.
ceived 8, Mr.. HeLsbaw 3, aud Mr.. Scssford |.
No one having received majority Of the
whole number Of votes cast, second ballot
was then taken, with the following result
Whole number Of votes cast, l9-Mr. Kennedy
receiving 9, Mr.. Henshsw s, Mr.. Ssssford l,
and Mr. McCutcheon |.
There still being no election, third ballot
Was then had, resulting: Whole number Of
votes cast l9; Mr.. Kennedy 10; Mr.. Hen.
shaw, I; Mr.. Sessford, / Mr. Hnrvey,i
Mr.. Kennedy, having received q majority Of
the votes cast, was accordingly declared to be
duly elected.
The Board then proceeded to the election
of Messenger, with the following result Will.
liam Q. Locke, 10; Jacob Kleiber, 8; scatter
ing, |; and Mr.. Locke vas declared elected.
On motion, the Chair then appointed Messrs.
Turton and Wilson to wait on the Mayor, and
notify him that the Board is organized, and
ready TO receive any communication he may be
pleased to make and Messrs. Given and Ed.
mondston to wait on the Board of Aldermen,
and inform them that the Board is ready to
proceed to business.
Mr.. Turton offered resolution directing the
Secretary TO furnish each member Of the B ard
with copy of the City Laws;" passed.
RESPECT TO JUDGE DOUGLAS.
Mr.. Edmonston offered series Of resolutions
Of respect to the memory Of the late Hon.
Stephen A. Douglas, condoling with his fami
ly, and with the country, on the great loss sus.
tanned by his demise, and ordering the usual
badge Of mourning to be worn on the left arm
for the space Of thirty days; adopted unani-
mously.
The committees appointed to wait on the
Mayor and the Board Of Aldermen returned,
and reported that they had performed the duties
assigned them.
On motion Of Mr.. Wilson, the rules Of the
late Board were adopted until otherwise or
dered. -...,. ..
A SEAT CONTESTED. -r.s..
A communication was received from Orator
Powell, claiming to have received Q greater
number of legal votes than were cast for George
I. Raub, and signifying his intention Of con
testing his election as a member Of this Board
laid on the table.
THE MAYOR vEToEs THE RRTRENcHMENT BILLS.
The following communications from the May
or were then read:
MAYoR's OFFICE, June 10, 1861.
To the Board of Common Council:
GENTLEMEN: return to the Board in whict
titled AN act providing for reduction Of til,
expenditures OF the city" for the reasons which
now proceed to state. ~.
r The bill proposes to abolish the Office Of com
missioners Of Improvements, Of which there ar
at this time four, districted as follows One 70
;, the first and second wards, one for the thirt
d and fourth one for the fifth and sixth, and on
for the seventh ward.
d 1t also abolishes the Office Of commissions
e Of health, as we'll as those Of commissioners 9
the western and eastern sections of the Wash
y ington canal, and substitutes in lieu thereof
e one commissioner Of improvements, who is re
quired by the terms Of the act to give bond an
e security, and imposes upon him the duty of pei
y sonal supervision of all the improvements an
h repairs throughout the entire city 1t also n
quires him to protect the interests Of the co.
z poration in the management of the Washing
n ton canal-such, for example, as superintenc
e ing the repair Of bridges, working the dredgin
!. machine, renting the wharves, keeping the a.
e counts, and collecting the rents thereof; an
e. receiving the returns Of the wood measurer
le and collecting the wharfage on the same, whic
,e amounts to between five and eight thousau
dollars.
in The duty likewise devolves upon him Of pr
10 Sc: wing the health Of the city, for among Il
x most important considerations for city, is th
Of making ample provision to secure as far I
x practicable the health of its citizens by inst
Of tuting and executing the proper sanitary reg
n lations. The subject Of sanitary laws and reg
1..:a II and 10,
inquiry Of late years, as the necessity for il
e. provement in this respect has been forced upt
the attention Of the public, by the rapid increa
q. in the number Of large cities in our countr
I'd There are few il any cities, with populate
equal to that of Washington, that have not
o. regularly organized health department and
health officer. For many years the santa
Re. department of this city was exclusively
ID, charge Of the board of health, but experien
it. proved that the duties could not be proper
attended to except by pers on devoting
ct whole attention to that purpose.
re In the report of the president of the board
health Of July 1855, that officer made the (
ne lowing suggestion:
~ "Whilst we claim to have done much for t
w preservation of the health of the city, we ha
'f' been unable, without the neglect Of private bu
-, meas and interests, to attend promptly to all
as complaints of nuisances, and would respectful
w suggest whether it would not be expedient
nS .nS appoint salaried health officer. The city,
eu small cost, would thus have q claim upor
-. competent person, and thus alone, we belle
~, could be remedied the delay so often and jus
VI complained of in the removal Of nuisances a
the enforcement Of the health regulations"
&c. The present health law emanated from Q
er. Of our most prominent physicians, (Dr. Thou
ed. Mler,) who was president Of the board OF hea
ell for many years, and who has probably had M