, 1883-09-13
As to Health Officer.

The Seattle Herald is awfully put out
about the recent election of DIR. Seayey
as health officer for Puget Sound, and
says there was no good reason for a
change, etc. 1t also says the Office was
declared vacant, although DR.. Mead held
the appointment. Our neighbor fire.
quently goes off before he get ready;
that Is, he expresses himself without
sufficient knowledge of what he is talk
ing about-and the present instance is
no exception to the rule. In the first
place, DIR. Mead had been selected by
DR.. Minor, the former health officer
(not by the Board of Healthy to serve
temporarily until he (Minor) could as
certain whether his removal to Seattle
should be permanent or not. At the
time of his removal to Seattle, DIR. Minor
came to the members OF the Board of
Health, saying he would like to have DR.
Mead act for him for time, because he
might want to return, and the Office
would be big inducement to him so to
do. DR.. Mead had filed the office tenn
porarily before during DR.. Minors alb
sence in the east, so the Board saw no
reason why he could not do 30 again for
a time, SO consent was given, and written
authority briefly stated was drawn up by
DR.. Minor, signed by two members of
the Board, and given to DIR. Mead, to be
used by him in lieu of commission till
such time as the Board might think fit
to make permanent appointment. Upon
the recent return OF Mr.. Chas. G. Bart
lett from Alaska formal meeting of the
Board was had, and it was decided that
as there was no longer any doubt as to
whether DR.. Minors change of residence
was permanent or not, there could be no
necessity Of extending favors to him any
longer; SO the Office was declared vacant
preparatory to making permanent Sc
lection according to law. Nominations
being in order, Mr.. Eisenbeis named DIR.
Wilson, and Allen Weir named DR..
Seayey, the vote resulting in the selec-
ton OF the latter, whereupon Secretary
Kuhn was instructedi to notify DIR. Sea-
vey Of his appointment and of the re-
quirements of the law as to bond, etc !;
also, to notify the Governor of the Ter
ritory officially OF the appointment, IN
order that commission might be issued
in due form. such in brief is the his
tory of the whole matter It is no re-
Election upon DR.. Mead that he was not
selected permanently for the position.
Authority was given him to act for
time because DR.. Minor had asked it,
and the election of DR.. Seavey ultimate
ly was in no sense a removal of his i'm
mediate predecessor. The law says the
health officer shall reside at Port Town
send, and, as all the members OF the
Board OF Health regarded DIR. Mead as
federal official. liable to be transferred
at any time to duty at some other ma
rine hospital, he was not thought OF In
connection with o permanent appoint
ment as such health officer. He is
most estimable gentleman, standing high
professionally, and enjoying the conf
dence and esteem not only of the Board
of Health but of the community general
ly. The structures INDUCED in by the
Herald have made this explanation nee
essary. Speaking as one officially con-
nected with the matter, We know the de-
tails herein given are correct. It is
hoped the explanation given is ample,
and that it does full justice to all con-
cerned.
We quite agree with the Herald that
the Office is very important one, and
that DR.. Seavey will be (as any other
incumbent should) held to strict ac-
countability for careful and proper
performance OF its duties; but that need
not lead our contemporary TO refer to the
young gentleman at Port Townsend" as
though it doubted his capability He
doubtless has due appreciation of the
responsibility of his position, and we
bespeak for him such attention to its af-
fairs as will be satisfactory even to the
Herald. At least that paper may keep
its vials of wrath corked until there is
some semblance of an occasion for emp
tying them.