The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-12-10
Mayor Sutro Says Members Have
Neglected Their
Duties.
WRANGLE OVER A RESOLUTION.
A Gathering That.Threatened to Break
Up in a Row-Analysis to
Be Made.

The present Board OF Health has held
several stormy meetings during the brief
period OF its existence, but the special
meeting of yesterday called by the Mayor,
as president. to consider the water ques
ton was the warmest yet brought about.
The Mayor has the matter Cf San Fran
cisco'S water supply in his mind first, last
and all the time, and for some time past
has been expressing an opinion that the
Board Of Health might move little faster
in the work of getting pure water into the
mains.
The Mayor attended the gathering
LOADED for bear" and got as much fight as
he could handle before the meeting was
well under way. The lie courteous was
passed on several occasions, contradictions
were uttered almost every minute and at
one time it looked as though the meeting
would break up in disorder. The Mayor
and Drs. Hart and Morse took the main
part in the wrangle; DR.. Fitzgibbon, the
other member present, not interfering to
any great extent.
Before Secretary Godchaux had finished
reading the minutes the Mayor raised an
objection that certain utterances of his
reported.
II think if you have tie reading of the
minutes finished you will probably remem
her statement that you did make, said
Dr. Hart
The secretary continued reading unit il
the Mayor broke in again.
The PRESIDENT never said anything OF the
sort. | said just the opposite.
DR.. Morse-IOu will excuse me, but you OPP
posed that matter when the affair was brought
up. You distinctly made that remark, to my
recollection. You afterwerd were in accord
with US, but at the start you opposed us, as
usual
The president-You. misunderstood me, and
have right to have that corrected, and
shall have it corrected.
DR.. MOrSe-At the regular meeting.
The PRESIDENT said the Laguna Honda Res
ervoir, that special reservoir, was in condi-
ton that it would collapse ii the water was
drawn out.
DR.. Hart-You mentioned the reservoirs.
The preSident-That reservoir. You cannot
put anything in my mouth that 1 did not say.
DR.. Hart-1 don't propose to, but a. the same
time the board must not be misrepresented,
either.
The PRESIDENT stated that the Laguna
Honda Reservoir was full of filth; that the
filth from the road had blown in there for the
last eleven years, and il had never been cleaned,
and | stated that they did not dare empty it
sure of the water in the hills and the pressure
of the earth. ! hant il that way.
forget the statement you made.
The president-N ever mind the statement l
made. Gentleme n, want 10 state distinctly
now, want fair dealing and will have it. 1
want TO do what is right, and think you do,
and the question comes in now whether you
will permit me to have some say about the
further proceedings. If there is no objection,
the minutes stand approved as read.
After a wrangle over the question as to
the right of the board to pass on the min
Mt nf at p4rhpr-
ings, the Mayor found another grievance-in
that the board had been in communica-
ton with the Governor on health subjects
without consulting him.
The president-Don't you think that If you
took such action it was your duty toinform the
president OF this board of what you did?
DR.. Morse-I inform him now. This is the
first opportunity.
The PRESIDENT never knew you sought the
Governor or that Mr.. Reinstein there.
You never informed me anything you had
done about that matter. How am to guess
at all that? That is not right that you should
take such unofficial action.
DR.. Morse-I am willing that you should be
present at all the meetings, but assure you
that these matters constantly coming up
and have to be attended to.
The presdent-Why don't you have the
meetings during the day?
DR.. Morse-Because we cannot always get
get here during the day, but we don't like to
be charged with neglect OF duty.
The president-1 am not doing that.
DR. Morse-I believe you did do it.
The president-Neglect Of duty in whatP
DR.. Morse-We understand through reports
that are circulating about that you charge US
with neglect in this matter.
The president-What do care about reports
that are circulated and about what appears in
the newspapers? Sometimes they are right and
sometimes they are wrong. IL any business
comes before the Board of Health IL ought TO
come here officially and properly.
Mayor Sutro introduced the following
resolutions:
WHEREAS, Complaints have been made by
many citizens that the water supply furnished
by the Spring Valley Water Company is impure
and unfitfo human use, and thereby it becomes
the duty OF this Board of Health TO investigate
these charges and ascertain the truth thereof;
therefore be it
ResoIrsd First-That Professor Hilgard of the
State University be requested to have a num-
Der of analyses made OF the water contained in
the reservoirs within the CITY limits, the said
analyses 20 be made by all the students in the
chemical class OF the University of California
who have been or ere now engaged in chemical
analytical studies. That such analyses shall
be conducted with the special purpose of as
certaining the presence. in the water. of
albGminoid ammonia and its quantity, and of
any other substance harmful to the health OF
those using the water.
Second-That this Board of Health will pro-
coed on Wednesday next, December H. 1895,
ut 9 A. NJ. to the different reservoirs within the
City limits and take samples of the water
which samples shall be sealed up in its pres
ence and forwarded by special messenger to
Professor Hilgard for chemical examination,
above stated.
In support OF them he made an address
in which he said:
Weeks and months have passed by and moth
ing practical has been accomplished. The
water company is lighting fer delay in the ex-
psctancy that the lonG-delayed winter rains
will come along and sweep the filth from the
watersheds and clean out the reservoirs of con-
taminated water. No further delay should be
permitted and prompt action must be had to
ascertain if any and what unwholesome con-
nominations exist in the water we are COM
PEELED 10 drink.
This is our plain duty, and hope no dissent
ing voice Will be heard. Let us act justly
toward The poor man, and show no favor to
powerful corporations. whose moneyed arm
and even our judiciary, and has tapped the
very roots of honor, patriotism and justice.
Governor Buda has seen iii TO rush into the
newspapers upon this question. l shall not
reply to the interview published in yesterdays
Examiner. but may refer to it at future
date
Do mot permit any controversy which has
arisen TO deter us from prompt action and the
performance of sacred duty we owe. to the
peopic
Then the board locked horns again over
he question of whether the body had been
dereliet in its duty.
Or. Hart-This matter has never come up
l. 1, sa1.r NV t1nl in fnc