Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1889-01-08
The Board of Health Still
Under Official Gem
sure.
An Eff ,rt 10 Purge The Council Rec
ords Nests Wi h Defe.t
Yankto Is AIdermanic B ,dy 10
Regu ar Sem'-M onthiy Ses-
sion.

The city council convened last eve
ming in regular session and in the sb
sence of Mayor Teller Alderman McVay
was elected mayor pro tenn.
There were present Aldermen Brauch,
Grove, English, Powers and Scougal.
Absent, Aldermen Edgerton and OIL
man.
TO R THE RECORD.
The minutes of the last meeting
having been submitted for approval, AL
uerman Scougal moved that all that
portion Of the record occurring after the
frat adjournment of the last meeting OF
the council be expunged.
At the last meeting the council, after
tfansactlng a little unimportant busi-
nets, voted affirmatlvely upon a motion
TO adjourn and the meeting was duly
declared adjourned. The aldermen lin
gered and got into OF informal Discus
sion over the action OF the board oil
health in closing the city schools on &C.
oount OF scarlet fever. After a little talk
it was proposed to reopen the session
and this was done, the aldermen and
Mayor Pro Tenn English resuming their
seats and proceeding with municipal
business. At this supplemental session
the motion consuming the board OF health
and ordering the city schools reopened
was adopted. Alderman Scougal's
motion last night declared this action OF
the council illegal and corrected the
record by wlping 1t out.
Upon his motion discussion ensued.
Alderman Scougal, member OF the
board Of health, said he was not present
at the last meeting, but was informed by
on alderman who was present of the ac-
ton of the council as above set forth and
said the council had no right to recon-
vene in that manner after once adjourn
ing.
Alderman English said II was custo-
mary and had been frequently done.
Alderman Powers attacked the subject
directly, saying the council bad no right
to interfere with the board OF health and
was liable to o fine OF fifty dollars for
such interference.
council hadn't interfered with the board
OF health.
Alderman Scougal: The action Of the
CITY council was at least peculiar. The
CITY physician was in attendance on the
lnst meeting for the purpose OF explain
ing che action OF the board OF health. He
remained until adjournment and the sub-
ject was not broaphed. When the conn-
oil adjourned he went away. There was
then no member of the board OF health
present. The council reoonvened and
passed vote of censure against the
boa.d Of health. There is nothing in the
charter requiring the board OF health to
| consult with anybody before taking so-
ton, The board was created to do what
it deemed best for the health OF the som
m1nity. III the board OF health amounts
to anything 1t must be clothed with eu-
ehorlty. I insist that the action OF the
council was illegal.
Mayor Pro TEN McVay: The board
OF health should have consulted with the
board OF education before closing the
schools. 1t was q courtesy due the board
of education.
Alderman Scougal: What has the
board OF health to do with the board OF
education?
Mayor Pro Tenn Mcyay: The board
of education is composed of some OF the
best men in the city. They have the
good OF the community at heart and
should have been consulted as a matter
of courtesy.
Alderman Edgerton TOOK his seat,
Alderman Scougsl: 1t would be cour
tesy then to consult everybody. Where
would the beard Of health draw the line
1t could accomplish nothing il it wen
about consulting people. There was nc
discourtesy intended.
DIR. Etter, phyaician on the board o
health, stated that at the time the orde
was issued closing the schools there
were nine cases OF scarlet fever in tn,
city and had been fouE deaths. Nov
there was not o case. He was satisfied
that had the schools not been closed tn,
disease would now be prevailing. Tw,
OF the cases had been traced directly Il
the oity schools. 1t was his opinion tina
had the board OF education been consult
ed the schools would not have been clos
ed and the result OF the closing wa
Sufficient defence for the board .. ass!..
Alderman Powers: If by closing th,
schools one life was saved the board o
. health is entitled to a vote of thank
. instead OF o vote of censure. Ono Iif
; saved is sufficient compensation for th
act.
alderman Edgerton: I think til
council acted hastily and shall vote
expunge the censure from the record.
The ayes and oas we're called and th
\ motion to eIpunge the alleged iliegi
portion of the record was lost by th
following vote: Ayes-Aldermen Edgel
ton, Powers and Soougal; nays-Alde,
men Branch, Grove, Edgerton and Mi
a yor Pro Tenn MoVay.
!, Alderman Scougal left the counc
;, chamber.
ERRORS N ASSESSMENT.
ommup,oat;cD Dara raca;rad 80,