The herald., 1896-08-30
NEW POINT RAISED
The Fee Charged for Permits for Dis.
interring Dead Bodies
undertakers Trying to Recover the noney
That Has Been Paid Into the
City Treasury

For some time past the health depart-
ment has been charging $40 for each
body disinterred for shipment east This
amount was fixed by ordinance and has
always been paid on the issuance of the
permit for the disinterment. Now the
local undertakers want to recover this
money and have filed demands for the
same, claiming that the city had no au-
thority to charge this fee when the body
was only placed in the receiving vault.
The city attorney has held that the col
lection of the fee is legal, and further
that the undertakers have no claim on
the money, holding that even If it is re-
turned it should go to the heirs of the
dead persons who We're shipped. The
chances for the recovery of the money
are very slim.
THEY DID NOT ADVERTISE.
A number of the cement workers of
the city are very indignant over the ac-
ton of the board of education in award
ing contracts for certain sidewalks
without advertising for bids. The sec
retary of the board says that notices
were sent to four contractors to put in
bids, and that advertising was dispens-
procedure is within the powers of the
board, for while it is required that bids
shall be secured, it is not stated how
they shall be had; further, that it was
desired to have this work done before
the opening of the schools. and that
there was no time for advertising. The
contractors claim, and apparently just
ly so. that the bids should be advertised
for in the daily papers. as is customary,
or q rrtt ttty< g
bidding. In the meantime the contracts
have been let, and all the contractors
were left out in the cold except the IA
vored four.
CITY HALL NOTES.
The finance committee of the city
council did not complete their labors on
the tax levy yesterday afternoon. They
will try and have report ready, how
ever, for the council Monday morning.
Mayor RAIDER was somewhat under the
weather yesterday. but remained at the
city hall during office hours.
The land committee yesterday agreed
to report in the matter of petition No.
722, from Louis Wilson. asking that GER
tain land owned by the city in the vi
cinity of Buena. Vista street bridge be
advertised for sale at public auction
that the same be granted and said peti-
ton referred to the city attorney to pre-
pare and present draft of an ordinance
providing for the sale of said land a q
minimum price of 800.
The contract for the paving, gutter
| ing and curbing of Clay street between
| Third and Fourth streets, under the
| general street law, was recorded in the
office of the street superintendent yes
| terday The total cost is S3356.13. A. M
! Austin is the contractor. This is one Of
| the streets that was hung up so long or
| account of the conflict of authority be-
| tween the street superintendent ano
| city engineer, and which was recently
| decided in favor Of the former.
! The city health office is in receipt o.
! statistics of the deaths in New Yori
during the recent hot spell. In one
| week 64S deaths resulted from sunstroke
| alone The total number of deaths fol
| the week of extreme heat was 1910. as
! against 916 the year before. The aver
! age for ten years past is $50.