New-York tribune., 1886-02-13
HEALTH OFFICERS FEES.
A BILL TO GIVE DIR. SMITH A SALARY.
WANTING TO ABOLISH 1HE QUARANTINE c.


WANTING TO ABOLISH 1HE QUARANTINE CON-
MISSION.
IFRoM THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT or THE TPIBuys .
ALBANY, Feb. 12.-Ex United States Senator
Piatt and Health Othcer smith. OF New York. must be
thinking that they the objects of fatterng at
tentIOn from the members of the Legislature. They
have been the subject OF of the heated debates
held the Senate and the object OF attack in
OF the Chief measures before the legislature Moreover
they have been the exciting cause OF hours OF
talk in of the Republican Senator's and
OF many hours of intrigue among politicians
To-day their troubles intensified. RODcrt Ray
Hamilton, OF NewYurk, produced bill in The Assem-
bly, aborhng Mr.. Platts Office. that OF Quarantine
Commissioner. and sweeping away Dr. Smiths Fees
The other Quarantine Cou m!ssOners, John A. Nichols
and David W. JuuG would Oi course out OF office with
Mr.. Platt. The bill provides that all the work OF
the present QuaISEtIne Commissioners shall be
done by the Health hi'er, and that the
latter shall receive a salary of $4,000 year.
Il First Assistant Health Ocer S3,0OO,and the Second
Assistant Htalth Oti,er $1,000. The Health Officer
sBnl BE- allowed IN addition thereto Tor the expense OF
his Office the sum OF 900 year. to be eXpeuded under
ms direction From afel the of the act no
fees change whatever sha he collected by the Health
Officer IN the performance of his duties
Senator Griswold's bill abolIshlng Dr. Smiths fees
AMI giving him n salary OF $4,000 was doubt
less the basis OF that O Mr.. Hamilton. The latter
has simply enlarged its scope by bringing the Quarantine
CommlSs Uhers within it, grasp The GriswOd bill VIII
he cOnsd, red by tie Finance Committee OF the Senate
next Wednesdaa. Mr. Gri .wOd anticipates that large
allegation VIII be present from I'll Chamber of CON-
and the Martnr ENcHIuy tayOrnS the blll. The
he ring VIII takr pace at $3.50 D. M, at tne CaptO
Dr. Smllh, II would seem. lntends to defend his
lees with all the viz r he possesses. In
touay's Albany ErpTesS there appears "a
letter from defending the fee system and an recty
declaring thai persons are mistaken when q ey aege
thdt the fees aIuOunt 10 much az TlOOOOO weary.
lie state The pr"cisr amount he receives but
leaves one t. infer that they are lar less 9ar $looooO
lie quotes report SenHtr committee that ln-
vrsVat-d the operations uf LIS department lu 1850 In
the report he says the committee declares that
the gross receipts Tor 1850 OF thr Heath
Unic,r amounted to only S64. .597 30. The
expenditures in the neghbuIhOod oil $4,000. and
receipts S3922 81. DIR. Smith hinls that
his rcceIpts $50 been less than $4,000
He receipts at tue New lOrkQuarautl tine are
less by thousands dollars since 1850. and ear
since tnry have steadily d mini hen. Steamships We
additional ST amer d>p probably half 4 score OF
sailing In $50 The numner Of vessels from for
ecn ports that entered the port Of N"w-Iork was
1874 In 1883 the nuDuer was o,SoS, "A
adherence of 1919 vessels. making dlneence SlZ4'3
less "a the emOu the Health Ocer iOr the 81
collections made al the Custom House. Tue
shrnkaye n fees from Other sources has necessarily
been IN d corresponding to the decrease IN the
number OF that arrived from foreign ports III
1880 Ibr,~ hun red hinrtytnr vessels les we're
pecird at tn Quarantine lou in the Lower Bay
1883 $50. and O course aprOpOrtoHaiely IS
number hat required To be dSlnicctei ana IOf winch
fc 5 othrr than the regular fees are charged
DT smith that tue charges Tor eXHlnln nR yes
them les than thost maze Dy
any other Health Olic the great srHpoTts. II The
fees are abolished DR. Nth sfyS tEat he state may
~tate may have rXpend SbO,UOO IN supporting the
Quarantine establishment.