The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1889-08-01
HEALTH AND PROTECTION.
The Police Commissioners Meet in
Both Their Capacities.

Aside from appointing Assemblyman
James F. Norton clerk of the First Dis
trict Police Court, the Police Board trans
acted but little business out of the ordin-
ary at its meeting yesterday afternoon.
The Commissioners first met as the City
Board of Health and listened to the re-
ports of the City Physicians and the
Health Inspectors. These showed that
the health of the city is in fair condi-
ton, eight cases of diphtheria and three
of scarlet fever being the extent of the
contagious diseases reported. Drs. Morris
and Straughn were the only City Physi-
clans present, and Commissioner Benson
moved that the resolution adopted by the
old Board requiring the presence of the
City Physicians at all meetings OF the
Board be passed.
This brought DR.. Stranghn to his feet
with the remark that the doctors were
always on hand at the hour fixed for the
meeting, but it was so long before the
Commissioners got to work that they
could not afford to wait and went away.
President Feeney smilingly remarked
that nothing was meant by the reSolu-
tion, but the Board simply wanted to see
the doctors all together once and let them
know that the Commissioners were
around.
Another resolution offered by Commits
sioner Benson was adopted, providing
that no money belonging to the Board
should be paid out, except upon bills pre-
sented to the Board.
The Health Inspectors financial report
shows that he received S4s1.05 during the
month, and expended $173.57.
AS the Police Board, the Commissioners
received a communication from Chief
Murphy, stating that he suspended Patrol
man Peter Whelan on July % for gross
neglect of duty. Commissioner Kelly
moved that the policeman be restored to
duty pay until the charges against him
were tried. He said that the offence was
trivial one and that the patrolman had
been nine days now without pay. The
motion was carried.
Patrolman Frederick Helmer asked that
he be allowed pay for the time from June
is to July 2 when he was confined to his
home by injuries received while in the
dischal ge of his duty.
President Feeney paid high tribute to
Helmer's qualifications as an officer, and
said that on July 16 Helmer attempted to
arrest man at the Pennsylvania ferry,
when the latter got the policeman's finger
in his mouth and injured it permanently.
The matter was referred to the Committee
on Salaries.
j. S. Hoffman's variety show and Hunt
ing's circus applied for licenses to exhibit
under canvas in the city, and the former
was charged $75 and the latter 500 for the
privilege
Residents of West Hamilton place Pc
titioned for an electric light at that
place and Pavonia avenue, in order to
abate the nuisance caused by the gather
ing of young people of both sexes in the
dark and shady places of that neighbor-
hood. Several property owners along
Bostwlck avenue petitioned for oil lamps.
They say in their petition that the street
has been opened for twenty years, is well
built up and at night is in total darkness.
The Committee on Lamps and Lights will
dispose of the petitions.
The July pay rolls were passed and the
quarterly report of Chief Murphy was
submitted. The Chief reports that dur
ing the quarter 1919 was collected for
fines; 100 children were lost, and that
there were III ambulance calls. The po-
lice sent out 20 fire alarms and citizens
IS. There were 101 accidents, 25 persons
were taken sick, ~ people were sent to
the City Hospital. Thirty-two missing
persons were reported, 16 dead bodies
were sent to the morgue and to the
homes of friends. The police made 1858
arrests and 81, ,507 so worth of property was
stolen, of which 1921 worth was recovered.
Patrolmen Michael Clark and O'Neill
were detailed for special duty at the
Grove Street station, and George Doug
lass, who was succeeded by Assembly
man Norton, was detailed for patrolman's
duty at the Bergen Hall station.
Patrolman Russell was transferred from
the Grove Street to the Oakland Avenue
station; Crawford from the Bergen Hall
to Gregory Street, Tooley from Gregory
Street to Grove Street, Richards from
Oakland Avenue to Bergen Hall. Gasman
from Bergen Hall to Oakland Avenue,
and Howell from Grove Street to Webster
Avenue