The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1889-07-26
DIR. CAMPBELL SPEAKS
In Defense Of the Council Health
Committee.
THE MORTALITY STATISTICS
OF wheeling Compared With Those
Of Other CIties-The Committee
at Last Shows Some AppFc'
citation OF the Situation.

~ NHAAAEANAh
Terrell, HadIiCh, Pollock and Rumble,
OF the committee, DR.. Garrison, the
Health Officer, and Mr., serig, the crema'
tory keeper, The committee was called
to order shortly before 8 o'clock, and
several bills that were awaiting auditing
and approval were taken up, While
these were under consideration, the
clock struck s and DR., Garrison stated
that he would have to be excused, as
he had an engagement, but that he
would endeavor to be back in a short
time, Soon after his departure the last
Of the bills were disposed oil, and DR..
Campbell stated that he was sorry the
Health Officer had left, as he had some
things to say concerning his actions, and
two resolutions to offer that should be OF
interest TO him.
Dr. Campbell said he had grown tired
Of reading every few days Ia the local
columns OF the morning press reports to
the effect that so many complaints about
the failure Of the contractors to remove
garbage, had been received by the
Health Officer the day before, or that so
many complaints OF the same nature had
been made In the past week, or that a
man on Chapline street had not had his
garbage removed in four weeks, etc, etc.
He was also weary OF the almost daily
comments In the editorial columns di.
rected against the Health Committee, in
connection with the question Of the re-
moval OF the garbage and night soil,
DR.. Campbell was tired OF the local re-
ports referred to, because they were
vague and gave no data by which mem.
beers OF the committee would seek out
and remedy tho evils alleged to exist.
He, for one member OF the committee,
would take II rs a favor II instead oil
speaklnG.indeanltely Of "a man" on such
and such a street who was kicking over
an accumulation Of garbage, the papers
would, II they felt called upon 10 pub.
lish such stuff, state plainly that Mr..
Jones or Nj. Brown, as the case might
be, OF such and such a number and
street, was being neglected. He would
guarantee that CAses 30 reported would
be attended to.
He was tired OF the editorials because
Of their unjust STRUCTURES ap the com:
mittee. He believed II the writers
would take the trouble to investigate for
themselves, the subject on which they
essayed to write, they would not be 50
keen to crltiClse the committee. He sub.
mitted that 1t would be only treating
the committee fairly, II these writer's
would examine carefully both sides oil
the question before committing thep'
selves TO one sidej and that II they
would make such an examination he
thought they would not be so quick To
unjustly charge that 10 this committee
for which II was not 10 blame. He con-
sidered the press unfair in assuming, as
they evidently did at times, that the
members Of this committee were men
Who bad no care for the city's health OF
the duties that ATTACHED 70 the commit.
teei 1t was as intelligent q committee %
any; It's members were reputable citi.
zens and conscientious CouiCilmen, and
had done what they had as members OIL
the committee as we'll Of any others
could have done with the resources pro.
yided and under the rules and ordi.
uapees by which they were governed.
Dir. Campbell continued that he be.
lieved the newspaper articles both local
and editorial, had been inspired by pr,
Garrison, aud this he claimed was unjust
treatment OF the committee by tho
Health Officer. That official was the
commjttee's executive officer and should
make bis reports t9 u before running to
the newspapers with then: pr, CARR
sons course, however, had apparently
been to ignore the committee. What,
therefore, was the committee to do
about remedying an alleged hnhealth.
inl condition and an unsatisfactory re.
nbyal OF garhaReP
originated by lie Health Officer, obtained
from.the press? He thought mott the
right way would DO for Dr.. Garrison to
report to the committee, and as It's exc.
rltiye officer furnish the data on which
10 work,
He referred to an artiele-eyidently an
editorial published In one OF this.Week'g
issues OF the INrELLIuENCRR-comparing
the death rate in Wheeling during the
month Of June with that OF other cities,
and characterized 1t as one Of the most
unfair things towards the city OF Wheel.
Ing that had Leep published, II showed
Wheellng's rate to be IL per thousand,
In round figures, while the rates OF the
cities with which II was compared were
from one to five per thousand less. DR..
Campbell asked why, the other side
Of the situation had not been
published. He presumed the figures
were obtained from the last issue Of the
Sanitary Era, as they C%orresponded with
itb figures. He read from a copy he had
as follows: Lawrence, Mass, popula-
ton 10000; death rate % per thousand;
New BedioSe, Mass, population $1,000;
rats II; Springfield, Mhss., popplatIon
10000; rate IS; Binghamton, N. Y,
population 10000; rate 81; Yonkers, N.
Y, population 10000; rate q; Hoboken,
population $4,000 rate rs; Peoria, pop.
ulation 100000 rate 20i Mobile, popular
ton 100000 rate 20; Pasadena, Cal.y--Wa
place where people go In search OF
health the Doctor remarked-popula.
ton 0,00O; rate IS.
Commenting on these figures, DR..
Campbell stated that the general health
OF Wheeling was Oh On average equal 10
that Of any 1ity Of about her bi7eJp the
country. II. proof Of this assertion, lie
asked how long 1t was since there had
been anything here like an epidemic OF
diphtheria, scarlet fever or any other
disease that has It's origin In the un.
wholesome sanitary condition oil, the
community,
Tie Doctor read two resolutions, one
that the Health Officer be requested 10
furnish 10 the committee once every
week A tabulated statement or report, OF
oil Tic complaints received by him, by
letter or by telephone, giving The name
aud residence Of such complainant i"the
other calling on the Health Officer 10
Furnish tho COMMITTEES with The vital
statistics Of Wheeling for the last eight
years.
bf. Campbell eaId bis idea lin Offering
The lfst resolution was To zee u was
not possible 10 obtain from The Health
Olltor some direct reports 40 10 The al.
legged great complaint about tho uon.fo.
moVal Of garbage and sanitary condition
OF tho town. Heretofore tie only 70.
ports from the Health Officer containing
any data, had been those relating 10 the