The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-08-20
A PETITION FOR PORTER.
He RESIGNS RATHER THAN GO TO
JACKsOS BARRACKS.
The People of the Florida Towns Send

! The People of the Florida Towns SEND
a Monster Petition to Washington
/ Asking That He Be Allowed to Re-
main and Be Placed on the Retired
| List.
JACKSONVILLE, FLA, Aug. 19.-Dr. j.
! G. Porter, state health officer, to-day
Sc It his resignation to President Harrison
as an officer of the marine hospital service,
J because the government insisted on his
, going to Jackson barracks. Louisiana. Dr.
Porter was retired from active service at
BrownvilIe. Tex, in 1855, and had been re-
ceiving half pay as a retired officer
ever since. A few months ago he
was created state health officer at $1,000 a
yelr, and now some influence has been
brought to bear IN Westinghouse deprive
him Of his army income. DR.. Porter is
popular here and a m n Ter petition has
been Forwarded to Washington from all the
0rilcipal cities in the sta, requesting the
President - revoke the .orCier for him TO go
10 louisiana, a retire him on half pay.
DIR. PoRTER's STATEMENT.
DR.. Porter thinks ne has been il-u'ed in the
matter by the COVE nment, and makes the
following state nent: I'm 1884, | was out
on army duty at Brownsville, Texas, and
got very i'll with heart trouble. So bad
was nv attack that my friends
thought | was going to die, and | was
ordered home, surgeon being de allied to
accompany me. recovered and returned
of my own volition 10 my post, but 1t wa'
seen that | was no. able to stand the work
so the army board officers decided that
| shou d be retired. and an especial
order was issuel bv the war depart
ment June Is. 1885, giving me this
leasd. 1t was only a question Of time
before | should be placed on the retired list.
This was the r-lati n | bore to thu army,
AMI although l had never been cal ed on
since my retirement by the govern
me It l have volunteered my SER
vices, and in the Key West, Tam "a
aud jacksonville epidsmics endeavored to d }
my duty, and now think it very unjust,
without q word of wa ming, after all these
years, to order me, with nut a nome is no
uce, away to another state, especially after
! had b zen told was never to go into active
duty again.
NEVER A LAGGARD.
GOT course, mad 10 CO nifty been at war
l would not have hesitlted moment, but
in these times of peace it is different. There
is something about this matter that l ca u
understand. Evide It'll some inf lence has
been at wo k, thougl what and
why l can't imagine. On Saturday l wired
a long teleg am thoroughly explaining
the circumstances to Surgeon General
Moore of the army, but the Secretary of
War refused 10 revoke the order, aud the l,
finding there was no other C )urss and feel
ing that | owed more to my state, which at
the present needed nv watchful services,
| sent in my resignation I'd W
THE REQEsT WILL BE GRANTED.
WASHINGTON, Aug. l9.-An effort is be-
ing made on the part of the people of
Flo ida to secure the revocation of the army
order detailing SdrgeoI POI ter TO proceed
from Jacks nyile, Fla, TO Jackson Bar
racks, La, "if his health would permit. y
DR.. Porter, on account of ill health, is not
held to active service, and is now
having found hun inca ,acitat9d by
reason of heart trou lie. He is
st te health officer of Florid, and the pc =
Pile the have great confidence in his ability
TO deal with Y threatened epidemic of
yellow fever. They are especially DESTROYS
IN he should not be removed at this time,
! as he has had en- ire charge of the precau-
! ton ry me t,ures taken to prevent a reao-
para ice Of yellow fever this season. Mr.
| Go drich, who was one of the repu =
lican candidates for congress from Florida
| In the last election, cane on here to pre-
| sent the matter to the departing It, and it is
said has obtained assurances from Score
| tary Proctor that Surgeon Porter will not be
| DISTURBED. 1t has been suggested that Sur
| geon Starn berg, who Is now il G Iba, mi Iht
| be detailed to proceed to Louisiana In tue
| place of DR.. Porter.