The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-07-03
MAYORS REQUEST
RECEIVED AND FILED
Board Of Health Takes q Firm Stand
Against Interference.
POSITION THE MEMBERS TAKE
Has Always Been Outside the Pale of
Politics and They Want to Keep 1t
There. Board ReOrganized and All
the Old Officers We're Reelected.
OpiOion Of the Mayor.

The board of health met yesterday
afternoon and after transacting the
usual routine business adjourned and
then proceeded to reorganize by re-
electing NJ. ]. Kelly president and At
torney Walter +. Briggs secretary. The
reorganization may result in litigation,
Mayor Bailey alleging that it was H.
legal.
At 3.15 Mr. Kelly called the last meet
ing of the old board TO order. all of the
members responding to their names.
Secretary Briggs read his report show
ing that during the month of June the
number of deaths reached the unusually
high figure Of 145. There were 52 mar
RACES, SO births, as contagious diseases
and IL deaths from contagious diseases.
Health Officer Allen made a verbal
report OF the unsanitary condition OF
affairs at Fifteenth and Luzerne
streets where surface water lodges. A
sewer is badly needed. Attention was
also called to the condition of the Mount
Pleasant Ravine and councils will be
asked by the board to do something to
make the place less menace to health
than it Is now.
CONFERENCE WITH DEALERS.
Food Inspector Thomas reported that
he had made 6l9 visits during the month
and condemned 100 quarts of milk. He
cautioned ten persons who were selling
milk not up to the standard. According
to Mr.. Thomas no bob veal has been Of
fered for sale In the city recently. He
has not yet completed his census of the
cows that supply Scanton with milk but
thinks the number Is between four and
five thousand. He now has over three
thousand listed
On motion of Colonel Ripple 1t was
decided to invite the wholesale milk
dealers of the city to a conference with
the board with u view to adopting a
plan that will ensure a pure milk supply
for Scranton. a communication was re-
ceived from Dr.. Church, a Dickson ave-
nue. veterinary surgeon, saying that he
had examined the herd that supplies
the North End milk company and found
them free from tuberculosis. At the
suggestion Of DR.. Bentley he will be
asked to tell the board what method he
used in making the examination. The
committee that visited the city reser-
voils was instructed to report at the
next meeting and after DR.. Allen had
explained the necessity of sewer in
Park Place the board adjourned
THE REORGANIZATION.
DIR. w. A. Paine moved that the board
proceed to reorgani2e but President
put he wanted to have read q COM
munication from the mayor. It was az
follows:
Scranton, Pa, July 2, 1896.
To the Board of Health. City of Scranton.
A study of the act OF assembly under
which your body was created shows that
grave questions exists touching the status
Of two of your members. These questions
relate wholly to the term of service.
Another question which has arisen con-
Germs the right of q third member 10
serve upon Your board. the objections in
this case being that he holds two offices
which are Incompatible. This being the
condition Of affairs and knowing that you
are as unwilling to participate In ques-
DO SO, ] ask YOU to postpone reorgan MIA
ton until such time az these questions
shall have been thoroughly investigated
and the legal status OF the members de-
ternined. l ask this in order that future
complications NAV be avoided.
James q. Bailey. Mayor.
Henry Zeigler moved that the may
or's communication be laid Oh the table
and DR.. Bentley seconded the PROPOSE
ton. Mr.. Kelly thought it would be a
little harsh to take such action and
Mr.. Zeigler modified his motion to make
II read that the communication be re-
ceived and filed.
SELECTING THE OFFICERS.
On motion of Dr. Paine Mr.. Kelly was
reelected president without opposi-
ton and after the salaries Of the health
officer and secretary were fixed at the
same figures as last year Walter l..
Briggs was reelected secretary OH mo-
ton Of Mr.. Zeigler. DR.. Bentley re-
nominated DR.. W. T. Allen for health
officer and he was unanimously chosen.
The secretary was instructed to re-
quest Mayor Bailey to detail Officer
William II. Burke for sanitary duty, he
having occupied that position for years.
The meetings Of the board will be held
on the first Thursday of each month at
9 y. m.
After the meeting the members said
their action was not intended as a slap
at Mayor Bailey. The board is an in
dependent body with duties well de-
fined by the state. and they want to
continue in future as in the past to
conduct their business without inter-
ference and without reference to poll
tics. When It was first constituted by
a Republican mayor in 1890 1t was made
up OF three Democrats and two Repub-
licans and has since remained outside
of the pale Of politics. They would like
to see it continue in that way.
MAYOR BA1LEY'S OPINION.
1.-THE reorganization of the board of
health today I consider entirely H.
legal" said Mayor Bailey, in conversa-
ton with Tribune reporter after the
meeting. Il have sought legal opin-
ion with reference to this whole board
of health matter and until such time as
1 receive it cannot tell the readers of
The Tribune what steps I will take. To-
night I will send in one appointment
for the board to councils. Two other
vacancies 1 believe exist. DR.. Paine,
think. has no right to serve on the
board; and the term of Mr.. Kelly, be-
lieve, has expired.
Several weeks ago I sent letter to
DR.. Paine explaining to him that / was
of the opinion that he could not serve
on the board of health and poor board
at the same time. but he has not seen
fit to acknowledge the receipt of my
communication"