The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1868-05-16

1 >~SS
per capita than formerly, we think this moro
| than probable, as the government contr1putes
30 largely to the support Of this class. Wlth
| this confession of the Health Board comes
| greater difficulty in accounting for the large
additional cost Of the Health Department. Inc
| Health Board has inadvertently told the truth,
and thus verified our views, and established @
most clearly the propriety of our protest. The
| expense per capita Of the Board Of Health.f
| this Board controls the expenditure Of the
Health Department-is readily estimated BY
dividing that unexplained expenditure or
s12, 600 by the member Of the Board-e1cluslve
of the present Mayor, who is not responsible
for the past.
we are further charged with ignoring alto
| pether the increase of the number Of pauper
freedmen, and thus placing the administration
in q false light before the community. Let
| our memorial again answer. After an alusion
| to the iberahty Of the government to the reed-
men, the memorial continues "f we are cor
rectly informed, it is in this way (through the
| liberality Of the Bnreaul that the sick OF thls
class are now supported in hospital II you
| 1.-THE Council) are prepared to deny this, we
may be enlightened in regard to your heavy
disbursements to the Health Department" ls
this ignoring the necessary expense OF the
freedmen? On the contrary, is it not most
specially recognizing this expense, and ex-
planning 1ow it is provided for. LIS 1t possible
belief that the sick freedmen account for the
heavy additional expenditure Of s12 600, when
l they know that the Bureau meets almost the
entire cost? Really oun memorial was pro-
phetic when it announced that ssperhaps the
sick freedmen would be designated as the cause
Of the many denominations"
The Board OF Health propagates another
error in connection with the sick freedmen:
ssThe memorialists. they say, sknow full well
that previous to the war slaves were paid for
by their owners II sent to the hospital, and
that it was source Of income and not OF ex-
pense." Our knowledge enables us simply to
affirm that the city never supported or Kept
open any hospital for slaves.
Thus far, then, neither the silence of Coun-
cil nor the reply OF the Board Of Health has
enlightened us in regard to the heavy disburse-
ments for the Health Department. There is
but one conclusion. The explanation OF this
unusual expenditure cannot be made, or it is
designedly withheld.
Such being the fact, We feel obligated to en-
tighten the public to some extent by reporting
such discoveries as We have made on our own
account. The memorial, it appears, gave great
offence by an allusion to extra compensation OF
the. City Registrar for services under the more
recent health arrag ements, or by the remark
that such compensation was not foreshadoWed
when the duties we're accepted. This allusion
was not meant to be offensive. II personal, 1t
was only 80 because, while discussing the ex-
trayagance Of the Health Department, the sal
aries Of officers had to be considered. While
denouncing the extravaganza OF Council, we
could not honestly ignore the expense OF
the Registrar. We trusted that this officer
would at least have put himself right. He has
preferred silecce, or, what is worse, has en-
dorsed the reply of the Board Of Health, the
misstatements and mahgnity of which We have
fully exposed. He is more responsible for
these than any other member of that Board.
for his position enabled him to be better In
formed. We now regret the necessity for
more direct allusion which ii as been rendered
necessary to the substantiation OF opinions, or
injustice to the Council, the Registrar, or to
any individual by an error IT statement, we,
in advance, solicit correction, and most cheer
fully will offer amends.
The Registrar now draws eighteen hundred
dollars salary from the city. Eight hundred
dollars OF this amount is the extra compensa-
ton for connecting the city with the Freed
this connection was before Council for dis
cussion, there was section providing for
special supervisory medical officer, whose sala-
~, would have been about one thousand dol
lars.s Upon the strong ground Of economy,
this section was, upon motion OF an alderman,
stricken out, or 80 modified that the super
visory duties should deyolye upon the City
privilege Of objecting. He accepted the empty
honor, and discharged the extra duties for six
months. The same economist in Council now'I
succeeded in securing the extra compensation
for the Registrar; end what WAS remarkable,
IN view. OF the previous argument, the salary
was made retroactive. The empty honor
proved misnomer. Economy meant expendI-
ture. But this failed to satisfy the supervisor,
and clerk, at salary of seyenty-fiye dollars
,or ,,,ortI poo ouop1ovad IN eeniak with his
arduous duties. This assistant received bis
appointment from the Registrar without the
action Of C~uncil; his name is affixed to ''Pay-
roll for th. Health Department" which paper
is endorsed by the Registrar, then by the
Mayor; and finally the Registrar draws the
amount called for from the City treasurer.
This payroll calls for large amount apart
trust our inquisitiveuess will be excused when
we ask why it is not presented to Council, and
thus allowed to appear in the published pro-
ceedings Of that body2 The plan pursued
may accord with army or government regula-
tions, but certainly is unusual in connection
with city affairs.
But the Connecting link was not yet suf-
ticiently strengthened. 30 the Registrar became
3 contact surgeon OF the United States army.
With the emoluments Of this position, under
bureau or army regulations, We are not
familiar. We are credibly informed that the
Doctor draws no pay except in the form OF
forage and fuel. He can best determine
whether there is any monthly dues remaining
TO his credit upon the Official records OF tho
Quartermasters Department.
Finally, by an Arrangement with the Couec-
tor Of the Port, the seamen when sick are
turned over to the City Hospital. The annual
receipts to the hospital on this account amount
TO some four or five thousand dollars. Only
limited portion Of this amount is necessary for
The Espport of the sick seamen-certaiulS not
more than half The remsinder does not pass
TO TIE city treasury, bat simply into the hands
of the Registrar, to whom attaches Only moral
responsibihty for it's expenditure. ghis money
may, or may not, be spent for TIC benefit OF
the hospital or the Health Department: we
desire to cast no suspicion OF eiay violation OF
the trust o the part OF the Registrar. But we
wish it to be understood chat the sum not
spent on the seamen goes to swell the expenses
Of the Health Department, sadls 30 much addea
to the already unexplained 'disbm sement OF the
public funds.
1t would appear that the Registrars Office
has still greater absorbing power. At recent
meeting OF the Council q bill of the Registrars
for extras for the Health Department, to the
erount Of six hundred and sixty dollars
seven cents, was passed for payment. This has
q secret history. Neither the itemiZeG ac-
count, nor the report af the committee OF two
aldermen who recommended its payment, ever
appeared in the published proceedings OF Coun-
ell. The bill was first presented to the treas-
urer for payment, simply with the Mayors en-
dcrsement. Payment was declined, so the bill
went to the committee OF two. This committee