Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-05-03

that A resident OF Manchester, prooaply
fatally injured, il sent TO the hetreet.
The Marine Hospital service quarters tne
sailors from every portion OF the woriu
taken sick here IN our city. strangers VI
non-residents visiting ON business or plea
snre are all subject 10 tho immutable laws
81 mortality. Not less than our own citi-
gems and without being included IN our
population may increase our percentage OF
mortality by fatal disease or accident
while among us. Approaching this tact,
with the concurrence OK the Mayor ana
Health Department (the Committee on
Health aud Board Of HEALTH, an estimate
was made for our floating population and
the percentage Of mortality computed on
the increased population accordingly. put
the reports proved that II did not make
more people die, and IL was not until the
increase in our mortality rather than the
increase of our death rate that induced DIS
content on the part of some OF our citizens;
And lust here let me relate little piece OF
history: When the present Board OF Health
took charge postal was sent TO the pnysi.
cians of this city asking If the estimate OK
population was too high, and il II should
he decreased. The concensus of opinion
was opposed TO any change. but neyerthe-
less the man who raised the population
and lowered the death rate IL condemned
above all others. Yet | believe 1t IL our
duty either to place it where 1t was before
or cease to enumerate non-residents In our
table of mortality.
We ask IN all condor if ii is right that
Richmond should be rated by census
which we all know to be manifestly incor-
rect, and the deaths of strangers computed
in the percentage of our mortality. ana
made part of our population after death
when not included in lifel During the
whole discussion of this subject have re-
NAMED silent. although my name was
once mentioned In letter In your paper,
and | could not but feel that other writers
had reference to me, and l now desire to
state that there is not one act OF my ofn-
cial career that blame myself for. en-
deayored to perform nv duty consclen-
tiously and faithfully, even though l felt
that it would entail loss of my position
for the future. Errors we're no doubt
committed, but they were unintentional.
| M reports ,cere honestly prepared, and tried
| TO prove what we all knew-that Rich
mond was one Of che most healthy cities IN
| the world. In my conduct of the Health
| Department | endeavored to keep 1t in
| that condition, by strict personal super
| vision to every detail of the department;
| by giving my whole time and service 70
| the city and strictly enforcing every ordl-
nance. And in this / was cheertully as
| sisted bv the other members of the board,
who performed every duty allotted them.
and often, at q personal sacrifice, IN
| gpected the wards of the city with
| the writer twice month from
April 20 September and once a month
| the other six months, besides attend
| ing the regular meetings of the board.
| was therefore not little surprised this
| morning at the letter of Mr.. Burr, who
seemed TO be a little hard on MIR. j. Thomas
Fortune and some one else you know the
| old adage about throwing rock IN the
dark, 30. ) for giving 10 the world delu-
aye reports. all evidence going to show
that every assumptive advantage has been
taken TO proclaim a satisfactory health
| condition when il did not exist, and that
| the false premises have been exposed by
the TRUTH Now the only thing that see
exposed by the truth is the fact that the
| mortality for 1890 Is greater than ever be-
fore known in the history of our city $50
as | am aware). AID while the negroes have
| increased their mortality over the previous
wear by 1853, the whites have increased
theirs by 30, a fact unprecedented, as
shown by the reports.
Now let us see whether the above
charges are sustained by the evidence the
| official reports DIR. Cahell prepared the
reports from 1880 to 1885 inclusive. The
mortality of the whites was TAI, SOS, 7y2
TIT, s26, $40; negro mortality, 1909, ,lSS
i05t. i,O62, l,o7S, 573. The reports fol
iBS6Js7, prepared by me: Whites 800, Ss9
| colored, 95S, 1,l36. For 1886 whites de-
crease Of Al; 1887, whites increase Of q
over previous year, but only 10 increase
over 1885. Negroes-lSS8, decrease 10
1887 increase 17S over previous year, 16'
more than mortality of 1885. The veal
1887 was one of unprecedented mortality
throughout the Union considering the fac
that no epidemics occurred; yet 1t Will be
noted that tho increase Of the negro NOR
tally was largely in excess OF that OF Tho
whites-as GO to 40, OF three times greater
/ have nothing to do with the discussion
between Mr.. Burr and Mr.. Fortune. Mr.
Burr knows all about the plug-to tobacco
trade: | nothing. As a son of Richmond
he is TO be commended for upholdlng HI!
native city, nor have l any harsh criticisms
for him or any one else. What has beer
stated are matters Of record, taken from
the official reports published to the world
This is no time for elimination or re
elimination, rather let Us go TO work anc
place our city where she belongs-amons
the healthiest in the world. do not feai
the truth. Into my official acts l havt
always courted the closest scrutiny, and
challenge any one 10 prove that have
been guilty of misfeasance or malfeasanct
in Office or that the health condition o
the city was other than represented by
me. Respectfully,
I. f. SrRArroS, II. D.