The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-04-12
NO CORONER'S DOCTOR YET
The Commissioners Discuss the Mat
fer, But Make no appointment.

The Records to Be Searched to See
How Much a Coroner's Physician
Would Have TO Do-An Appeal for
the Savannah Hospital-Pvogress OF
the Sprins Cleaning Of the Drains
Around the City.
The discussion Of the appointment Of q
Cocoosr's physician under the recent law
enacted BY the legislature, was about the
mos: interesting thing before the county
commissioners at their regular meeting
yesterday.
Mr.. DaIe said. in referring TO the mat
ter. as he understood IL, there are to be
very few inQuests, now that new law
in regard 70 holding them had been
passed. This matter was discussed at
some length.
The application of DR.. Charles H. Cold
ing for the position was read The appIi-
cations of DR. Barnum and DIR. Cox,
which were also before the commissioners,
had been read at a former meeting.
Chairman Dale thought it was best to
provide the amount of the salary before
any election was held. This matter was
discussed at some length. It was found
that the work of the physician would do
away with much of the work now done
by the coroner.
WANTED A GOOD SALARY.
For the sake of discussion Mr.. Carson
moved that the compensation be fixed at
81 600 per annum.
Chairman Dale said there were several
applications already, and they could get
man for less than that. Mr.. Chaplin
was opposed to paying so large an amount
to the physicians. He was opposed to
taxing the people to such an extent for
such useless purpose.
DR.. Charlton said the idea was that the
physician would have most Of the work to
do, and this would eventually result in a
reduction of the salary or fees Of the
coroner. The physician, he said, would
be required to give a certificate in case of
every sudden death.
The clerk explained that the amount
drawn by the coroner was fixed by law
at Sl,500; that some years ago the coroner
used to draw that amount before the year
was out, and for the rest of the time very
little work was gotten out of him. The
result was, he said, the coroner's fees
were made payable 1925 monthly.
Chairman Dale said the physician was
not going 10 be worth $1,000 to the people
of the county.
SHOULD HOLD SIXTY INQUEsTs.
The discussion of the work done by the
coroner was then taken up incidentally.
Mr. Carson pointed out that the coroner
under the state law is to receive $40 for
an inquest and SIS for burials Accord
ing to the report that there were
only twenty-four inquests last year
the coroner, Mr.. Carson said
should only have received 5000. "In other
words" said Mr.. Carson, 1.-The coroner
got about 5000 more out Of the county
than be should have had In order to
Ia1- T,,a1 IL, ht- 2 \. a.E, H.. -
sixty inquests
MIR. Kehoe moved to amend by fixing
the salary at 5000.
Mr.. Carson thought it would be a good
idea to advertise for candidates for such
an office.
Chairman Dale was about to urge an
other postponement of the matter. an in
definite one this time, when he was in
formed by the county attorney that
the commissioners had no option in
the matter since the grand jury had re-
commended the appointment. The legis-
lature said, the commissioners may"
appoint Mr. Saussy said may meant
must" after the grand jury had recon-
mended the appointment.
Since may" meant must" Chairman
Dale came to the conclusion that there
was no other course than to make the APP
pointment.
CHANCES FOR SALARY.
Chairman Dale and Commissioner
Chaplin wanted TO make the compensa-
ton $500 year. Mr.. kehoe wanted to
put it at 5000, while Mr.. Carson and DIR.
Charlton wanted it fixed at 81 600. Mr..
Chaplin thought it would be easy enough
to get physician to attend to one of these
cases for s.. DIR. Charlton insis ted that
no first class physician could be obtained
unless he was properly paid Mr.. Saussy
didn't know how lar the coroner's physi-
clan was going to conflict with the health
officers position, as the health officer had
to give burial certificate in each case.
1t was finally decided to let the matter
rest until the next meeting, and in the
meatime the clerk of the commissioners
is to get up the statistics from the coro-
ner's record for the last five years, in
order to aid the commissioners in fixing
the salary.
WANTS MONEY FOR THE HOSPITAL.
The following letter from DIR. Duncan
was read to the commissioners by the
clerk:
J. J. Dale, Esq, Chairman. etc--Dear Sir:
When your board is ready to make up the
budget for the coming year, will be glad to
appear to request that the sum of ~ 500 be
appropriated for the Savannah Hospital The
city gives $4,000, Very truly yours,
W. DUNCAN.
The budget committee will hold a spe,
clal meeting at the court house next Fri
day night, at which this matter will be
discussed. From all indications there is
no doubt about the fact that larger APP
preparations will have to be made nearly
all the charitable institutions this year in
order to keep them going.
COST OF BURYING PAUPERs.
From the estimates and bids handed in
to the commissioners yesterday Afternoon
for the burying of the county paupers. il
seems that II costs but very little to lay
them away. There were three bids in al
received. Mr.. John H Foxs bid was
1919 for large collins and 80 IS for small
ones. Thomas Henderson's Sons was 81
for large and - for small collins. Capt
w. d. Dixon's bid was 81 for all plain cot
fins, with 40 cents for use of wagon in the
city and 25 cents per mile in the country
Capt. DiXon's bid was accepted.
The attention of the commissioners was
called TO the clock in the court house
tower. The hands were reported loose
and the clock was said to be otherwise
out of order The matter was left to the
court house committee. Chairman Dale
said he passed a bill for $50 some time
ago for the use of a clock, which hi
thought at the time was for the clocl
in the tower, but which he subsequently,
learned was for the clock in the hall, op
Grated by the Western Union Telegraph
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