The Cairo bulletin. [volume] (Cairo, Ill.) 1872-1878, 1875-02-11

Dloy LABOR etc. on It's work NJ prices tiial !
citizens are paying Webelievc the gem
pral expenditures of the city, not above
mentioned. may be reduced annually five
dollars.
Sixth. In conclusion the committee
wish to say, that the reductions recon-
mcnded herein, being fixed upon cash
basis, can only be maintained by strict
adherence to such rule. They there
fore most earnestly recommend the
adoption Of such laws as will absolutely
prevent the purchasing by any officer OF
the city of any material or supplies. or
the contracting OF any debt against the
city. or the issuing of any warrant
for the payment of any such materials,
supplies or debt. unless there be funds in
the treasury to pay the same at the time
of making any such contract or debt.
Your committee believe that the adop-
ton and carrying into full effect OF the
recommendation herein contained, the
general expenditures of the city may be
reduced the sum of ten thousand dol
lars per annum, consistent with good
administration"
THos. W. HALLIDAY, Chairman.
PETER SAuP,
w. p. WRIGHT,
4. ID. MATAUss,
Committee.
ADDRESS IRON THE MAYOR, AND CHAIR
MAN OF THE BOARD or HEALTH.
The mayor arose and addressed the
council as follows
Gentlemen of the City Council
As chairman of the Board of Health, |
was instructed by your honorable body
to examine into and report on the claim
of George Schlamer, for rent of building
and grounds used by the city for pest
house in the years 1872 and 1873.
After careful enquiry, l find that
there Is no contract existing between the
city and the owner Of the property in
question, and that the claim presented tc
your honorable body for rent at the rate
of SO per month for said premises Is not 6
claim based under or by any contract
but one based, in my opinion, upon jus
tice to the party concerned. would beg
leave to report that have made an ar
rangement with the party in question, II
which the city has to pay him the sum o.
SIS in full of all demands to date, and
would therefore recommend that an order
be drawn upon the treasurer In favor Of
said Schlamer for said amount. This, In
my opinion, is just and fair allowance,
considering that there has been but one
case of smallpox in said pest-house dur
ing my administration He, however,
refused the further Use of the ground and
premises for the use of the city rs pest
house, and demands that the city re-
move the building and its
contents at the earliest possible day.
When and where to remove the same Ia
the question for the city to decide. Sec
ton of Ordinance No. 6 states that it
shall be lawful for the Board of Health to
establish hospital for contagious and
infectious diseases, and remove patients
thereto when it shall be necessary In theiI
opinion TO the public safety. Sections T.
), G. and of said ordinance, in my
opinion, only apply to the citizens OF
Cairo, and | find no authority for the
Board OF Health TO establish hospital
for the purpose Of receiving any other
than residents of the city. All men fol-
lowing the river fpr n livelihood, pay
their monthly hospital dues. and by so
doing they are bound 10 be taken care OF
by the general government, and in proof
of this fact contract is now in existence
where the parties agree to take care ofall
the sick. no matter what the disease il.
In view Of these facts is it not asking too
much fiom the city, that they shall open
and maintain hospital for the taking care
Of all contagious diseases, while under the
contract with the government they bind
themselves TO take care of all the sick,
whether they are afflicted with conta-
glous disease or not.
\ point in question: We sent one
marine to the pest house some weeks ago.
because no one else would take care of
him. lie was river man and
was willing to swear TO the fact,
and | believe now that there is no
doubt in the mind of any one, but that he
was that patient cost the city at the rate
OF from SO to SIP per day, while we are
allowed the pittance of 95 cents for each
and every day he was in the hospital; II
it is prejudicial to the health of the city
to have smallpox hospital situated
where the one spoken Of is situated, then
| think 1t II wrong for the contracting
parties to make a contract To take care OF
such cases unless suitable place be pro-
vided where they may be taken care of.
hold that it is the duty of the govern.
ment or its agent to find place for all
such cases, where the health of the city
VIII not be at stake SO far as my opinion
Is concerned, and ii Is based solely upon
the opinion OF one of the best physicians
In the city, there is no danger to the
health OF the city from the pest house in
Its present location. But, gentlemen, to
come to the point much has been said
about the gross carelessness OF the city
authorities In not establishing r hospital
Tor smallpox patients, and right here
comes the time and place TO state that in
our opinion the city has nothing to do