The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1866-04-16

The Choierg and the Health Com m scion.
The resolutions and declarations Of the
Health Board, denominated the proclamation
of peril, were transmitted to the Governor
with the request that he should make some
public official announcement Of the danger
from cholera. 1t is said that the Governor has
the subject under consideration, and will not
act at once. We believe that the Governor
acts unwisely in this, and that he should issue
such a proclamation without delay. We are
not disposed to be over hasty in the assump-
ton that the.cholera must scourge our city or
to accept every report that il is already here.
The Health Board itself has been incantious
in this respect We expressed upon the FIRST
announcement that the cholera had broken
out on the ship England our doubts of the
truth of that report, and our belief that II was
only virulent ship fever. That has proved to
be the case No cholera is here yet, noe will be
for a month; but still we believe that there
are good reasons why the proclamation should
be put forth.
This proclamation, though 1t might be an
alarrnist measure TO sonse extent viii do good
enough to FAR more than balance that evil in
| forcibly calling the attention Of the commu.
! nifty to, the imminent necessity Of doing al
| that may be done to brcak the power OF the
,pestiIence. II will Also unite the hands OF thu
Health Commissioners in an important way. A
matters now stand, the expenditures of thu
| Commission are fixed by law al a very low
limit, and this renders it impossible for tb,
! Commission. to make all the provision tina
would otherwise be in its power. But In cas-
Of pestilencc the Board is allowed to maxi
extraordinary expenditure, and the procloAma
ton Of the Governor, declaring the necessity
would set free this latent power. The Gov
ernor, therefore, must issue his proclamation q
part Of the machinery OF the law before tn
utmost that is possible can be done to save us
We believe that with this financial power, I,
well as with the new powers likely to be give
to get over some legal difficulties, the Healt
Commission will render us absolutely SAT
from the cholera We should not be surprise,
IL the exertions Of that body of energetic
earnest gentlemen made the mortality 9
the city lighter this year than II has bee
| iof Indny ruuihtf ptr'. nv MI tNtne
everything should be done that is necessar
10 make this possible. 1t would be
the highest degree unjust 10 hold the Con
mission morally responsible, as the public vii
and yet keep their hands tied by limiting the
expenditure to barely enough for commo
department in ordipary tines. Single burea,
in the city government are put in the tax lry
for double the amount allowed to the Boar
that is expected to overhaul entirely the san
tar, condition Of the dirtiest and most "
healthy city in the world.
: The arrangements for quarantine made !
the Legislature win probably be of no bcne
: dis year, since an island sss to be ma,
:. on eer,a,n ,sv ;rs ard then sheds built on q
4 island. But the United States government b
=. an abundance OF old hulks, and these can pr
n badly all be speedily put at the disposal Of o
'. local authorities for use 10 The lower bu
r. Satisfactory arrangement of all this should
/. made, however, before the hulks are-v antcd |
D. Immediate sss :