The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1893-04-18
HOBOKEN HEALTH BOARD.
The Members Handicapped in Their
Work by the Council and
Police Commissioners,

There is considerable feeling among the
members of the Hoboken Board of Coun-
Gil against the local Board of Health. be-
cause the latter body has been taking
from the former the supervision Of
numerous matters affecting the health of
the citizens. When the Board OF Health
was established by ordinance of
the Common Council, the pre-
molers of the measure assured
the Council that it would always
be self sustaining, they taking it for
granted the receipts from licenses and
other fees would be sufficient to maintain
it. But in thus figuring they evidently
did not reckon on the work the Heai1h
Board would be called upon to do. or
course. the Health Board could be self
sustaining did the members deal
with only those matters their
finances allowed them to deal
with, but they have gone further,
and have aggressively taken up all mat
ters affecting the health OF the inhabi-
tants, and with marked success and ben-
eff, too, and to continue this work IL will
be absolutely necessary for the Tax Com
missioDers TO make them an
appropriation for the ensuing year.
the Board of Health will apply for
an appropriation. They will ask the Tax
Commissioners to raise by direct taxation
sufficient money to establish u Board of
Health contingent fund, SO that II an
emergency should arise tney will De pre-
pared TO act.
AT present they are unable to carry out
the precautionary measures they
deem necessary to reduce to
u minimum the possibilities OF
cholera, and this, simply because the
Common Council and other Boards will
1, int OF. r,f
the city are in very dirty condition, far
dirtles than ever before az this time of
year when OF all times they shonld be
clean. The Board OF Health have so
notified the Council, but the latter reply
that IL the streets are dirty, it Is because
the Tax Commissioners did not appTo-
pirate sufficient money to keep them
clean, The members of the Board OF
Healbh say that sufficient money was ap-
p1opriated.
They are now seriously considering the
advtsability of taking to themselves the
supervision of the cleaning cf the streets
and the removal of garbage, as these two
matters more directly affect the health Of
The citizens than any other. It is safe to
say the council will never agree to this
proposition. The Health Board recently
decided to have It's law business looked
after by other than the Corporation At
torney. and engaged Counsellor Alex.
Young. Their Health Inspector is one of
the policemen detailed to duty for the
Health Board. When the Health Board
does anything that offends the Police
Board the latter threaten to recall the
Health Inspector to police duty. Two
weeks ago the Health Board asked
the Police Commissioners to detail
five or six men as sanitary squad.
This matter was referred to the Chief,
but the Health B bard never got the man;
in fact they were told they were lucky to
have the Inspector. The result OF all
this is that The necessary precautions
that should be taken at this time Of the
year are lacking. If an epidemic were to
break out tomorrow, the health autho-
rites would be unable to success
fully cope with it unless the
Council gave them the necessary
means If the Tax Commissioners refuse
them an appropriation, 1t Is more than
likely some of the members will resign.
This would be deplorable. as President
Palmer Campbell aud his colleagues are
doing good work and should be given the
SuDDOrU tneY ask.