The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-05-10
MUST HOLD TWO OFFICES.
The COTOReT'S Physician Will Also Be
Sanitary Inspector.

Incumbent 5000 Per Annum-The
Appropriation Will Be Withdrawn
From the Citizens Sanitary Associa-
ton After This Year-President
johnson Wants Spur Track to the
Base Ball Patchwork of the Con-
victs on Drainage Around the City.
The matter of the coroner's physician
claimed the attention Of the county com
missioners for the greater part of their
yesterday afternoons session.
The result of their deliberations is that
the Office is to be consolidated one; in
other words, the sanitary inspector of the
Citizens Sanitary Association, part Of
whose salary is paid by the county, is to
be out Of OBJ and the coroner's physi-
clan and the county sanitary inspector
will be one and the same man, at a salary
of $500 per annum.
The salary came near being fixed at
81 GOO a year, but a suggestion that the
county Jail physician should be paid as
much salary as the coroner's physician
and county sanitary Inspector com bined
in one brought on further discussion and
it was fiually decided by the commits
sioners to equalize the two salaries by
reduction of that paid to the latter, and 1t
was cons equently fixed at 5000. The plan
was to fix salary and then advertise
for applications from physicians TO fill
the position.
AN AUGUSTA SCHEME.
Mr. Chaplin explained that he had
heard the way the bill came to be passed
was the coroner in Richmond county was
physician, and his salary being poor
one, he got his friends to pass this bill, so
that he could be his own physician and
thereby increase his salary. Mr. Dale
had heard something of a similar tenor
The county attorney read the features
of the bill, giving the dntieS required of
such physician.
MIR. Carson first renewed his motion
that the salary be $500 MIR. Dale said the
county had gotten along without such
physician for 100 years, and he didn't see
any need for the appointment of one now,
DR. Charlton thought it would be
good idea to make the appointment by
competitive examination, and further,
that the Office of cOrOner's physician and
the county sanitary inspector could be-
combined after this year. The question
of q competitive examination was dis
cussed 10 some extent.
Mr.. Dale wanted TO know what a COM
petitive examination would cost. Dr.
Charlton said he could promise it would
not cost the county a cent.
The question of combining the two Offices
and making the sanitary inspector and
the cOrOner's physician two Offices com
btned in one man, was also discussed to
some extent The question turned upon
whether this com blnaton of Offices should
be made at once or at the expiration of
the year. The amount of $1,000 was ap-
propriated for sanitary inspection. TO be
paid to the Citizens Sanitary Association
in four equal payments. MIR NJ. j.
Desvergers is the inspector of the associa-
tion, who is at the service of the county.
THE OFFICES CONSOLIDATED.
The matter had about finally been dis
posed of but other business interviewed, and
before the commissioners adjourned they
concluded to take it up again.
The question was as to whether the
commissioners had the right TO consoli-
date the offices ut once and withdraw the
appropriation from the Citizens Sanitary
Association. The resolution making the
appropriation to the association was
read and discussed. II provided that
$1,000 should be appropriated to the asso-
citation TO be paid in equal quarterly pay
ments from Dec. l, 1898, and that the
commissioners could withdraw the appro-
priation when they found the services of
the inspector furnished by the associa-
ton unsatisfactory.
TO WITHDRAW IT AFTER DECEMBER
The question was as to whether this
new arrangement would allow them to
withdraw the appropriation on the
ground of dissatisfaction with the pres
ent inspector. Some of the commission
ers at first thought it would, but for the
sake of justice 10 all they decided they
were bound to continue this appropria-
ton for the year until Dec. l, 1894
The arrangement, as finally made, is
that the Offices Of coroner's physician and
county sanitary Inspector are to be con-
sohdated that the salary of such officer
Is TO be $500 per annum; that the officer
who is to act in these capacities is to be
selected by competitive examination ;
that he is to be paid at the rate of $50
per month until Dec. l, when further APP
preparations TO the Citizens Sanitary AS
sociatiOn shall cease and the entire
amount, $500, will go TO him. The exam
lnation will probably be advertised and
held at an early date in time for the COM
missioners to make the appointment at
their June meeting. lt is also provided
that no application will be considered un-
less the applicant makes so per cent, OF
above, on the competitive examination.
The information with regard to in.
quests and Investigations by the coroner
for the last five years, which the clerk
was requested to prepare, was read. II
showed there had been lis inquests and
di1 Investigations total of AGO cases be-
tween the years of 1899 and 1898 inclus-
i've, or an average Of 81 cases year.
MAJ. BLANDFORD's REPORT.
On motion of Commissioner Carson
after some discussion, il was decided tina
the first business before the meetine
should hereafter be the reading of the en-
gineer's report. The only thing that will
take precedence of this report at tn,
future meetings will be the petitions iron
those who may be in waiting to be heard
Maj. Blandfords report showed daily
average OF 1875 prisoners per day during
the last month. The cost for guarding
and feeding was $3.50 per capita pei
month, or about 29l% cents per day. Sta
tistics were given, showing how the con
victs are employed. There are 1856 con
victs now in the camps, Nine are EN-
ployed at camp work, Is on the poor farm
and 104 on cleaning out old drains anC
bitches around the city and cutting new
ones where they are needed.
DRAINING AROUND THE CITY.
The gang is employed in draining thu
section south and southeast of the city
and is working from the corporate limit
outward. Every pond, says Maj. Bland
ford, within four miles of the city limits
with the exception of that at Estill av
enue and the White Bluff road has beer
drained, and that will also be drained a
soon as the permission of the Savannah
Florida and Western railway is obtaine,
70 \ in = -