The daily gazette. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1874-1883, 1881-05-04
SECOND EDITION
The Board OF Health .
For the Gazette.

For the Gazette.
Mr.. EDIToR:-In reading your paper
was glad to see the notice in your edi-
torial column of the doings of the re-
tiring Board of Health, which system
has been working so WE'LL IN our city for
so many years, and the cost of it has
been so small foe the amount of bust.
uess and attention given by 1t. The sys-
tenn which the city adopted many years
ago, of two members from each ward,
has been, and Is the very best arrange
ment that can be adopted for it com
prises tho who'll city, with q mile out
side OF Its limit; and further the mem
bers OF the Board are easily got at by
the people Ii they have any Complaints
TO make of nuisances which might be in
their neighborhoods. just as you say,
all we want is men of ability, and these
can be got without much trouble, for as
general thing our people are intelligent
and men OF BUSINESS habits; and when
SO many come together, there are some
or all kinds, either professional or me-
chanical; aud indeed all branches seem
to be represented. A better organiza-
ton of Board of Health is not to be
found in any city in this country. This
Is saying good bit, but think 1t Is so,
for have noticed Its workings for many
years. IL Is simple and cffeap way of
getting up Board of Health, but very
often the more simple thing is, If it
answers the purpose, the better it il.
There has been an effort made in the
Council to change this long standing or
der of things, and l am glad to say it has
failed so far. What may yet be done l
know not. | hope no one will be 40
foolish as to move reconsideration for
the purpose of experimenting on the
health of the city and reduce the Board
00wn tn III va tn yUh Qf nndar
arrangement twenty-three members,
scattered all over the city, have DONE
Five, L will admit, cad do the work, If
and will allow them to hire plenty of
help and pay them well for IT, for their
whole time with the duties of the
Board, and this new system will cost
more than the old one, and If they could
they would not attend to 1t as well as
the present one does.
Mr.. Editor, just think for moment
There are three standing committee 8,
besides the committee of each ward, one
committee on Impurities in the Brandy
wine, consisting of three members; one
on garbage, numbering four, with the
President added; and again there are
three on contracts and licenses, and all
appear to have as much as they want to.
Again, there has. been no petition
from the people for this great change
from good system to worse and far
more expensive one, If attended to as
wcll as the present one is. There have
been some few remarks in some of the
papers 1T Is true; their editors spent some
time In writing SOM ething about
change of our present Board. suppose
they had nothing else to do, which |
brings up the old saying, when people
get idle they are very apt to get into
mischief. / don't know as ever heard
any person speak against our present ar
rangement but some editor, until lately,
and and it appears they have made
some converts, and to the great disad-
vantage of the city.
This thought arises in mind now and
the wonder is this: Why wouldn't it do
just as well 30 reduce the City Council
to. five members as well as the Board of
Health, say three doctors ,and two of
som meihing else. / wish SONS of our
learned editors would take up that idea
some time when they have nothing TO
do, and II we were to judge from the
past there would not be one of the
present Council In favor of 1t.
Now, I wish to say in conclusion this |
new idea of our Council is wrong in |
every particular that | can see in; it will |
be more expensive, and harder for the /
citizens to find member of the Board |
Of Health. 1t is anything else than Dem |
Oeratic, and far from being Republican,
10 remove from the people this preroge- |
tive, or the privilege they now enjoy, q |
Board of Health which Is so handy to
get at If wanted for any purpose.
CITIZEN.