The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-12-11
SAFETY TO HEALTH
CHARTER COMMISSION PRACTI-
CALLY ADOPTS A SECTION SEEM-
INGLY ALMOST IMPERVIOUs.
FEW IMPORTANT CHANGES
ARE MADE IN THE SYSTEM OF Or
CANNING THE BOARD AS
NOW.
MEDICAL SKILL IS REQUIRED
For appointment Under the New
Plan to the Assistant Commits
STANDARDIZATION Changes.

NAON~->@~
and defining it's powers and duties,
was practically adopted by the charter
commission last night, only half doz-
en- sections out Of the fifty being re-
ferred back to the committee to be re-
drafted The commission made no rad
iCal changes. The chief amendments
are contained in section s., which en-
powers the health commissioner to ap-
point an assistant commissioner and
certain number of health officers and
inspectors. The existing charter does
not require the assistant commissioner
of health to be a regular physician. At
the suggestion of Health Commissioner
Stone, who was present last evening,
the section was so amended as to pro-
vide for this requisite
Section was further amended by in
serting clauses authorizing the health
commissioner to appoint one plumbing
inspector-a new officer in the health
department-and also to appoint but
one meat inspector, who shall be a
butcher, and one live stock inspector,
who shall be veterinary surgeon. The
two watchmen for the day and night
dump allowed by the present charter
are done away with, and instead of sew
en- health officers the number is limited
to four. which is all Dr. Stone has ever
employed.
The only important section left I'M
disposed of is that prescribing the pen
atty for violations of the laws and the
regulations of the health department.
There were but ten of the fifteen
commissioners present last night.
Messrs. Butler. O'Brien, Dean, McNair
and Alness being absent. A. H. Lin
deke, the chairman of the committee
appointed to draft chapter S, submit
ted the committees report. On motion
of Mr.. Lightner it was read and acted
upon section by section.
Section 1 was adopted without de-
bate, it being the same as the existing
section providing that the department
OF health shall embrace the commits
sioner of health, the chief of police and
the corporation attorney and such other
assistants as are provided for.
Section 2, providing that the term of
office of the health commissioner should
be four years, aroused discussion.
Mr. Lightner moved that the term of
office of the health commissioner be
rer remembered that when he was
me mber of the council, the then health
commissioner. was totally independent
OF the council his term beginning be-
fore and ending after the term of that
council.
Col. Clough was inclined to think that
it was better that the health commits
sioner should be entirely independent
of the common council.
sSin or. W. +
invited to give his views Of the ques-
ton.
DR.. Stone said, that at no time had
the question of politics come between
him and the common council, either
when that body was Democratic, or
new when it's politics differed from his.
Dr.. Stone was confident that the pres
ent charter provision making the
health commissioners term of Office
four years was wise one. He believed
that it would be injurious to the city
and hurtful to the health department to
reduce the present term of Office.
Norman Fetter said that he would
have to vote for Mr.. -Lightner's amend
ment, as he believed that each mayor
should appoint his own heads of de-
partments.
The amendment was then put to
vote and lost by a tie, Messrs. Cough,
voting for, and Messrs. Clark, Horn,
Lindeke, Lusk and Murray voting
against the amendment.
The question of adopting section 2
was then put to a vote. The section
was adopted by vote of 7 TO 3. Mess!s.
Fetter, Krieger and Lighter voting in
the negative.
Section was adopted 1t makes no
change, save that the provision Tsguiat-
10 Of no hHa
sioner is omitted.
Section 4 was adopted. 1t requires
the health commissioner to furnish a
bond for SO, coo with proper sureties.
There was considerable discussion
over section 5, which authorizes the
health commissioner to appoint his
assistants. The existing section givss
the health commissioner power to APP
point IAN assistant commissioner, sew
en- health officers, two meat inspectors,
one live stock inspector and two watch
men, one for day and one for night
dump"
DR.. Stone recommended that one
meat inspector and the two Watchmen
be dropped, such officers not being in
the employ of the department at pres
ent, but that the section provide for
one meat inspector, who should be
butcher. and one live stock inspector.
II.
DR.. Stone also suggested that a plumb
ing inspector be provided for, who
should be an experienced man.
Col Clough suggested that the sec
ton provide for four health officers,
one live stock inspector, one meat in
spector and one plumbing inspector
At this juncture, e. J. Darragh, who
said that he represented the st. Paul
Plumbers association, was given the
floor Mr. Darragh said that the asso-
ask the charter commission to provide
plumber as one of the assistants in
the health department.
The section as thus amended gave
the health commissioner power to ap-
point four health officers, one meat
inspector, who should be butcher, and
one live stock inspector, who shall be
a veterinary surgeon.
Mr. Lightner thought that the
plumbing inspector now employed by
the building inspector ought to be in
the health department.
After some further discussion, section
5 was still further amended so as to ,
provide for the appointment of
plumbing inspector. The section as
amended was then adopted.
Section 6, giving the health COM
missioner, with the consent of the
common council. power to- increase his
force, in case of necessity or an emer-
gency arising, was also discussed.
Col. Clough thought that some restric-
ton ought to be imposed upon the pow
er of the common council in this mat
ter Section was adopted as read