The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1897-05-06
WHY BRINCKERHOFF
I REFUSED TO ACT
Says Secretary Thomas
Gave Him Inaccurate
Information.
Two More Appointments Are
Made on the Board of
Health.
Special Meeting Called for To. might,
at Which the Programme May
Go Through.
OAKLAND OFFCIE SAN FRANCISCO CALL, !
! \

SOo DIoduWay, May D. }
The Board of Health is at last com
pleted. This afternoon Mayor Thomas
filed the appointment OF Drs. H A. l..
RyfkoceI and John P. Kitchings, who,
with. Drs. Cham berlsin, kucker and
Eaton, now compose the board. With the
exception of DR.. Chamberlain ell are al
Iopaths.
DR.. G. E. Brinckerhoff, who was ap-
pointed Saturday and resigned yesterday
tells most peculiar story of the manner
IN which he was induced TO accept the APP
pointment. His statement shows that the
work was done by Harry Thomas secre-
tary OF the Board OF Works, acting for his
father, the Mayor.
II resigned because l found that 1 had
been misinformed IS TO the situation Of
affairs at the time of my appointment, -
said DR.. Brinckerhoff to-day. I'm regard
10 DR.. Pierce, the veterinary surgeon, l
objected TO his being put out OF ONCE, put
! was told by the Mayors secretary, harry
Thomas, that DR.. Pierce was not IN the
contest, that he had no idea OF being per-
mitted to retain his office, and that he had
worked against the election OF Mayor
Thomas l have since learned that these
statements were not true. Dr.. Pierce al
ways has been an applicant for reappolnt-
nent, and be worked in the interes SITS of
Captain Thomas during the campaign.
This phase of the situation is serious
one, because DR.. Pierce is friend of mine
and has the reputation of being one OF the
best posted men in The State on tuber-
culosis, and l know that he has rendered
this city invaluable service while in
Office.
Il cannot afford to put myself in the
position of endangering the health and
lives of the children, especially by voting
TO put capable men out OF office, when
know that they worked on behalf Of the
Republican ticket.
in advance of my appointment the
name OF Mr.. Snow for secretary was pre-
sented TO me, and to him l had no objec-
ton. Then DR.. Dunn's name for Health
officer was presented. To this objected,
but young Thomas said that it must be
DR.. Dunn or the whole board would be
given to the homeopathic There is a
bitter warfare just now in this city be-
tween the regulars and the homeopaths,
and rather than see the board be given to
the homeopathic | agreed 10 Dunn
Finally Harry Thomas presented to
me a list of names already written out.
When l saw it l particularly objected to
DR.. Pierce being superseded but upon the
representations to which l have referred
I gave way. l did not see the Mayor at
all during the negotiations until Satur-
day, when our appointments were formally
made. We met that afternoon and car
ried out the programme as previously ar
ranged.
The Mayor was opposed to my resigna-
tion and suggested compromise regard
ing some of the appointments OF the board.
But would not consent to this. When L
found that I had not been correctly in
formed, 1 made up my mind to resign and
have nothing more to do with the Board
OF Health"
A special meeting of the board will be
held tomorrow night. There will be a
political rumpus should an attempt be
made to appoint a Democrat 10 succeed
Dr. Pierce, as the Repu blican platform
contained a strongly worded plank con-
dsmnIng such action. Now that it is
known that the Mayor, through his son,
is suggesting to the doctors certain people
to fill the Offices within the gift of the
board, it is not believed that the pro-
gramme Of last Saturday will be carried
out in its entirety.