The evening world., 1892-01-15
COSBY FOR HEALTH OFFICER.
Mayor Grants Doctor Said to Be
Slated for Smiths Place.
His Alleged Relation to the Surgeon
ship Appointments.

1t was confidently asserted to-day by poll.
ticians who ought to know that DR.. John b.
Cosby. OF this city, will be nominated to sue.
coed DR.. Smith as Health o1ccr OF the Port
position the latter has held since the ad-
ministraton OF New York's last Republican
Governor, Alonzo d. Cornell.
some weeks ago THE EVENING WORLD men,
toned Or. Cosby as the candidate for the
position who seemed TO have the best chance
OF winning the rate. That announcement OF
DR.. Cosby's probable appointment to the
Health Oflicershlp recalls the recent remark
able action Of Mayor Grant In connection
with the corps OF police surgeons
Dr. Cosby Is said to be Mayor Grants ply
sician. lie resides at the Barrett House, and
has an ofllce at 3Os West Forty-eighth street.
He Is at present on the county pay roll for a
salary OF sl, 900 as physician at Ludlow street
Jail. For two or three years DR.. Cosby has
been, It Is said, n candidate for tho position Of
Police surgeon, which commands an annual
salary OF 1920, o very acceptable addition
to the doctors income from private practice.
Dr Cosby participated In m examination
OF candidates for appointment us Police Sur
geons some time ago, but Is said not to have
secured as high rating as some others.
Whether because OF this fact or not, no
eligible list was certified, no appointments
were made and the eligible list lapsed under
the civll-service rule, which preserves 1t
only for year from the date Of the examina-
tiOn.
While the Mayor was on his recent visit to
his sick aunt In ireland and to points OF In
terest In Europe, the Police Board decided
that 1t ought to I'LL three vacancies which
existed on the stan OF police surgeons, and
made u requisition on the Civil Service
Boards for all eligible list OF physicians from
which to appoint them.
secretary Lee Phillips accordingly an
nounced an examination to be held Dec. b,
1891. on the day before the examination
was tC be held, however, Phillips was visited.
It Is said, by commissioner OF Public Works
Glroy, who told him that the examination
must b. postponed In Difference to the wishes
OF Mayor Grant, then on the ocean ON his
way home from the bedside OF his sick aunt
Secretary Phillips demurred, but finally
agreed to postpone the examination for u
week. and "hurry" notices were sent to the
10 applicants OF the postponement.
Mayor Grant arrived In Il day or two, and
one of his nrst Official acts was to summon
Secretary Phillips before him, and the imme-
diate result OF that conference was the an.
nouncement by the Mayor that Mr: Phillips
| had resigned AZ Secretary OF the Municipal
Civil service Boards
strangely, though, that resignation was
not accepted. and has not yet been accepted.
Then came the adjourned date for the ex-
animation OF candidates for Police surgeons,
with the announcement from Secretary Phil
| lips that II had been postponed indefinitely.
! such extraordinary interference with the
/ civil-sorvice administration on the part OF
/ the Mayor occasil Nd great deal OF adverse
comment, much VI which came from the
physicians who had for several years been
can didates for Police surgeons.
fered In behalf OF friend, who would be a
candidate for police surgeon II he could not
work other political strings which he had TO
his bow to his advantage.
That friend, II was generally understood,
was DR.. John ID. Cosby.
Dr. Cosby, It was said, had expected some
appointment ut washington had Representa-
tiye Mils been elected speaker of the House.
Mr. Mills was not elected, and DR.. Cosby, It
was said, waited to pull another string, the
success OF his shot depending on the political
complexion OF the New YORK state Senate,
which has the power to confirm the Govern
ors nomination for Health Uncer or the Port.
The Court OF Appeals decided the contested
election cases, the Democratic majority of
senators was seated, and the Senate was
ti0ns would be confirmed.
Then followed what was considered the
most extraordinary action OF the Mayor in
the matter OF the police surgeonsh!ps.
Although the Police Commissioners had
determined that the extra number was
necessary, and the Board OF Estimate and
Apportionment In the provisional estimates
Of the Police Department had acknowledged
the business OF their position, the Mayor
moved that the provision for salaries OF four
surgeons be stricken from the iinal estimates,
on the ground that fifteen surgeons were
enough to do the work OF the Department.
This action would seem to indicate that his
original Interference to prevent the examina-
| tion was actuated by desire TO economize In
the municipal service, but every body did not
accept this theory.
Many still saw DR.. Cosby as the actuating
cause, and II was suggested that as that
gentlemen might get the Health Orllcershlp,
and as he had no further desire to be chief
surgeon OF the Police Department, there was
no other action which Mayor Grant could
consist emily take, except to move Ior the
abOliShmcnt OF the vacant places ON the sur
gcons staff.
Or. Cosby, who Is expected to succeed In.
Smith at Quarantine, Is a Nirginian.