The morning call., 1892-02-12
HEALTH AND POLITICS.
Some Queer Points About the
Market InspectOrShip.
A Lifelong Republican Who Was Removed
by Republican Board of Health in
Favor of an Ex- Democrat.

One of the oldest Republicans in this city
is Jacob Wray, a veteran fireman, and, until
the beginning of the present year, Market
Inspector for the city and county.
At the present time Mr.. WraY is out Of a
situation, and, what is very singular for
veteran in the political arena, he Is without
means in his old age. He is not begging,
however, and certainly asks no fayorS from
the Crimmins- Kelly-De Young faction,
which, through the Board of Health, has
turned him out on the world without
word OF complaint set on record against him.
Wray was Market Inspector under three
Governors-Booth Perkins and Waterman.
He has been voter in the Eighth Ward Tor
thirty years.
1t is claimed by Wray's friends that
after they had been lulled into inactivity by
assurances that the trusted Inspector would
not be disturbed. meeting of the Board Of
Health was held at which DR.. RegensDurger
contriYed with others to accomplish Wrays
downfall and bring about the appointment
of Simon Newman.
DESERTED THE DEMOCRACY.
Newman is claimed by the Democrats as
a deSerter from their fold, in which he bad
been pasruring for a number of years. The
Democracy also claims, in gleeful eXulta-
ton over the situation, that Newman
had until three years ago an interest
in the butcher business of j. SeIig &
Co., in the Sutter-street Market. 1t is a
part of the Market Inspectors duties to
pass on the meat shipped to the public in
situations, and Selig is understood TO be
the purveyor to the City and County Hos
pital and the AlmshOuse. Not only this,
but Louis Rosenberg. doing business on
Mission street, near Montgomery. is New
mans father-in-law and Rosenberg is
said 10 have the contract for supplying the
Industrial School, the City Prison and the
House of Correction.
DR.. Regensburger, when asked by CALL
reporter as to the truth Of the statement
that he had engineered the plan by which
Wray was ouSted, fatty denied it and said
it was so far from being true that he him
self had been quite willing to have WTay
retained. He added that influence of GER
tain character had been brought TO bear on
the other members of the board, and that it
was Dr. Bucknall who had been instru-
mental in ousting WraY and getting Simon
Newman the Job DR.. Regensburger ad-
mitted that he was aware that Wray was an
old Republican and that Newman had voted
the democratic ticket up to the time Of the
last election.
DR.. BUCKNALL's EXCUSE.
DR.. Bucknall, when interviewed by a re-
porter, at once assumed to himself the re-
sp0nsibility of the change by which Wray
was put out and Newman put in. He said
tliub IL was u SCLtlCu lulus WIN VIC bOdl0
that Wray was to go anyhow. There were
several other applications, but he Or.
BucknalD knew that Simon Newman was a
good practical man, a butcher of thirty
years experience, and 1t was considered
that Wray had had a long enough inning.
Asked as 10 the Democratic affiliations of
Newman, DR.. Bucknall said he is now as
good a Republican as any one. and voted
the straight Republican ticket at the last
election.
1t is not denied that both Selig and Rosen-
burg have certain contracts for supply of
meat, but it is urged that the Market Inspect
Ors chief work Is the Inspection OF young
calves on the water front.
The Market Inspector has the appoint
ment OF three deputies, and when Wray was
displaced of course three new deputies were
chosen. One of the new deputies is the
well-knOwn Barron, barber, who got into
dsfavor with the Democracy for some
transaction in the basalt block business IN
the Corporation Yard.
WRAPS QUALIFICATIONS.
The fact is not disputed that Wray is an
exceptionally experienced and able man in
the matter Of meat inspection, having been
a practical butcher for many years, and at
one time a prominent dealer in meats
III the markets OF this city. Ills
friends also claim that. although he has
held office as Market Inspector for a long
time, his salary has been only Sl25 month,
and that he has never made a cent outside Of
it. though he had repeated opportunities at
receiving brides for violating his trust.
When MckIttrick was Market Inspector
under the Democratic regime a few years
ago he consulted WTay time and time again,
with the perfect sanction Of the Democracy.
McKittrick and veterinary surgeon were
once in a sad Quandary about herd OF cat
tie in ButchertOwD said - be diseased.
They called Wray Ia and he at once picked
out all the unhealthy animals, Il task which
the others confessed themselves unable to
perform.
A wel-known Democrat insists that the
Office of Meat Inspector should be taken
out of politics anyhow, on the ground that
the public health is far higher considera-
tion than the filling Of a small office, and
that the Democracy would make no at
tempt to-day to disturb so well-qualified a
man as Wray if the office were held by him.
THE PUBLIC WANTS TO KNOW.
In these days of bOssism, when one set of
bosses assists another set of bosses in the
cOnsummaton OF any scheme or the punish
meut of any political o1ce-holder who, hav-
ing the manhood, refuses to do as bid by the
political clique, people ought not to be sur
prlsed, but IN this case the people are sur
prised at the action Of the Board of Health
in removing Mr.. Wray. What every
citizen and householder wants to
know is what influence was brought
to bear upon 4 Republican board
to remove from Office a man whose
Republicanism has never been questioned,
and who has proved himself a thoroughly
competent man for the position he held, to
make room for man who Is comparatively
unknown, and who has not given proof of
his fitness for the position to which he has
been assigned by the political machine.
The public Is emitted 70 protection to the
fullest extent in the matter of food offered
for sale. and it demands that only a COM
petent man shall pass upon the quality of
the food offered, and a competent man hav-
ing had the inspection OF market products
the public is entitled to know If there was
not some other reason than that given.
that he had been in long enough" for his