The herald., 1897-09-21

made is sustained, to-wit: MANY
streets in such. repair as could be. thor
oughly cleaned are left in filthy con-
dition, and yet are reporteo ana ap-
proved by the inspector as satisfactorily
swept"
That the second count, to-wit: Large
sections of streets are reported and ap-
proved by the inspector as having been
swept, which, in fact, have not been
swept at ALL" is sustained in part only
The evidence of reputable witnesses
who followed the sweeping machines
upon their rounds from the start at
D. m. on the night of the 8th of Septem-
ber until the finish Of their work at $3.50
a. m. of September 9th, 1897, shows that
three blocks each on South Main and
Spring streets, between Sixth and Ninth
streets, were not traversed by the ma
chimes but were included in the con-
tractors statement of work done.
NO COLLISION SHOWN
While this may have ben considered
sufficient evidence on the part Of the
health officer to warrant him in basing
the second charge thereon, still 1t does
not appear from the examination by your
committee that any collusion existed be-
tween the inspector and the contractor
to defraud the city by designedly report
ing and approving unswept streets as
swept. Your committee rather regards
this as an error incident to the nature Of
the work rather than as premeditated
act to defraud.
In this connection your committee are
Of the opinion that 1t matters not that
an inspector tch the machines and
actually traverses the streets nightly, but
that the real test should be by careful
nspection early the following morning
of the streets claimed to have been swept
the night before. and credit given the
contractor for those actually cleaned in
satisfactory manner, all things con.
| sidered.
M'CLELLAN'S INSUBORDINATION
The third count reads as follows: II
am unable to exercise any effective con-
troll over the street sweeping because
the present inspector ignores my orders
and suggestions respecting the same"
From the evidence there appears to
have been an utter want of harmony be-
tween the health officer and said in
spector to the marked detriment of good
service to the public.
In the present instance there appears
failure on the part of the inspector to
comprehend that he stands as the rep
resentative of the health officer.
DIR. POWERS CENSURED
Your committee are impelled to dep
recate the long continuance of the un-
satisfactory condition of affairs and the
protraction Of the resultant detriment
to efficient public service. The health
officer, in resting under this inharmon;-
Gus state SO long, invites and merits the
censure of your honorable body. 1t is
intimated in extenuation that because
Of the peculiar conditions existing there
was danger that the health officer would
be repulsed II he asked your honorable
body to dismiss the discordant element,
and it was only when patience ceased
to be virtue" that he asserted his au-
thority and asked the assistance of your
honorable body in removing the discord-
ant element and thus perfecting the
service Of the department. If such a
condition exists in any department of
| the city government 1t constitutes a
most convincing argument for prompt
and effective action in coming to the
support of worthy and efficient heads of
departments, by removing every ap-
pearance Of insubordination.
| In keeping with the foregoing state
ment and in the interest of the harmn-
NOUS and effective administration of the
affairs of the health department. of the
city government, we respectfully recon-
mend that the position Of inspector ol
street sweeping be declared vacant.
| Respectfully, #. NJ NICKELL,
c. n. TOLL.
F.. L. BAKER,
Special Committee.
THE FIGHT BEGINS
Althoush y was expected that ths