St. Paul daily globe., 1893-01-24
The Guardians Of the Public
Health Squabble With
Each Other.
9They Decide to Not Spend
Money When 1t Can Be
avoided.
lCorser's Creditors Want an
Assignee, and E. c. Cooke
Is the Man.
EoWker's Home" Stricken
by the Loss Of Six Of Its
Best Directors.


The board of health met yesterday
afternoon, and a very lively session it
turned out to be. The great question
that confronted the board was economy
economy in matters pertaining to the
city health. The leader in the discus
sion. and, IN fact, the father of the
economic issue, was Mayor EuStiS. He
declared himself for the "groanIng"
taxpayer, and, though he did not say he
was for making the needs and wishes OF
the sick SubSerYient to those OF the So
called taxpayers, lie eVinced that such
were his sentiments by the manner III
which he voted He was the one who
voted against giving the department an
other sanitary inspector at the first
meeting, making a total of eight 10
cover territory Of ftty-four square
miles. and he was the one who Sug-
gested that the work might be accom-
plished by six. He, too. it was, that ad-
YOcated and voted for the reduction of
the staff of medical inspectors. Yes
terday he raised the same objections
and voted in the same way when all at
tempt was made to put on another SAN
ltarY Inspector.
Health Commissioner Kelly made
motion to reconsider the vote by which
Ben AarOns, the Hebrew VINO took Such
all active part Ill the census row III 1870,
was elected at previous meeting to Ill
the position OF sanitary inspector. Ihe
motion was lost. and then DR.. Kelly ell
deavOred to secure the election OF an
other Inspector This also miScarried.
His reasons for desiring the removal OF
Aarons we're that one of his old and
tried inspectors had been released by
the board, and he preferred him to ell
the AarOnS out or the Bible. This at
tempt also failed. and then the astute
doctor moved that the vote whereby all
the inspectors were elected be recon-
Sidered. This was passed, President
Gray. Schwartz and DR.. Kelly voting
for it, while Mayor Eustis and Harvey
voted against it. This raised the may
Or's ire, and he remarked that If the
board proceeded any further IN the
matter he would withdraw from The
meeting and decline to take any further
action with The board, and, in fact. have
nothing more to do with it. DIR. Kelly
made a speech. i'll which he referred in
rather vigorous terms to the nlggardly
manner in which the department was
conducted. 1t was hamp9red on all
sides aud squeezed down to the very
ground i'll tue over-WeenlDg desire to
appear economical before the taxpayers.
while the other departments had every
thing they needed, and apparently a
good deal more.
In Dr.. KellY'S opinion it was door
policy to ecOnomiZe too much. when it
was question of health at stake. The
city had the smallest force of sanitary
inspectors and was run cheaper than
any other city OF the same size IN the
world, and it would behOOve the board
to begin more liberal policy and run
the department on & broader gauge.
Mayor EuStiS did not agree with him.
He thought the seven inspectors could
easily cover the city, and that two med
ical inspectors were sufficient for all
purposes. 1t was the city's money they
were spending. and they could not be
too economical or careful i'll what they
did with 1t. The city, he said, was tax
ridden, and it was time that part of
the burden was lifted.
Owing to Dr.. Keliy's motion to re-
consider the department was without
medical Inspector for short time. and
it was not until the board had lndulged
i'll considerable SquaDblng that a COM
promise was effected. 1t was decided
that central ambulance station was
necessary, and that a new horse and
wagon must be procured, which would
give employment to one more man. who
might be elected a member of DR..
Kelly's sanitary staff, and delegated to
look after the station. The secretary
was then directed TO cast the
vote of the board for the inspectors
who were temporarily laid off, during
the heat of the meeting. At the present
time the quarantine outfit, aside from
the station or hospital, consists of a
Gilapidated wagon and decrepit horse.
whose best years were spent doing
picket duty in the war of the rebellion.
During the course of the meeting the
question of whose duty it was to give
medical attendance to patients at the
quarantine hospital came up. No one
appears to be willing TO assume the re-
spOnsibility OF looking after them with
out extra compensation, though the
mayor maintained it belonged to some
one of the city employees
1t was clearly shown by the city
charter and an opinion from City AttOr-
ney Simpson that DR.. Kelly'S duties
did not compell him to give medical at
tendance to the patients without extra
compensation or understanding with
the board An endeavor will De made
to force the duties upon the city physi-
clan. though the board of corrections
and charities has already forbidden him
TO 20 into the peSthouse. During the
discussion that followed the question,
Mayor Eustis incidentally remarked
that ne thought it would be good
thing to dispense with the police sur
geOn entirely, and add his duties to
those of the city physician. IL is prob
able he will bring the point up at the
meeting of the board of corrections and
charities this afternoon. 1t is a well
known fact that the office of the police
surgeon is an absolute necessity to the
police departmt MT, for scarcely day
passes but he is called upon to attend
some unfortunate who has met with an
accident.
A communication was received from
James Macmillan. asking the board to
inspect the No. Dump, so it might be
placed in operation. The ordinance re-
lating to the garbage dump is now in
the hands of the aldermen of the Sixth
ward, and until it is returned to the
council no appropriation for dump
keepers can be made. 1t was stated at
the meeting yesterday that If the Ordi-
nance was not reported back at the next
council meeting the dumpkeeperS
would be paid out of the Sixth ward
fund. II was decided to visit the dump
this morning at 10 O'Clock.
ASSIGNEE FOR CORSER.