Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-08-04
NEWPORT NEWS BOARD.
The city Council Forces the Presi-
dent to Retire.
rNeWport ~ Press)

(NeWpoIt news IleSS.)
The people Of Newport News, or
part of them, got mad Wednesday-an-
gered at the way the authorities were
managing the quarantine against the
yellow fever.
As a result, DR.. ]. r. Bagby, presi-
dent of the Board Of Health has been
suspended indefinitely by the Mayor at
the behest of the Council, the board has
been reorganized, and the work of pro-
tectng the city is proceeding along more
vigorous lines.
The quarantine that has been called
absolute. and has been referred to as a
Gordon by which none could pass, has
been made absolute and complete.
Public sentiment demanded that there
should be no trifling with situation
so serious. no carelessness in handling
an emergency so grave. Public senu-
ment would be satisfied with nothing
less than absolute and complete pro-
lection from the disease-with quar-
antine which should be a quarantine and
not a farce.
This is what has been provided for
by the action of the Council, which met
Wednesday night in regular session for an
tlllltlJ inherent Pun hDSc
THE RUMORS SPREAD.
All day long there had been rumors
on the streets OF strange stories told
by people who claimed to have paid
. and 50 cents for passes through
the quarantine lines. These stories
spread, and as they spread they
grew in volume. Every hour added 10
their number, but they were all Of mo-
notOnous sameness. They We're all
about people who had been made to pay
for passes. Fault was found not only
because pay was apparently eXtorted,
but more because the transactions
seemed TO SAVIOR Of a willingness on the
part of the health officer and his assoc
cate, DR. William Hosllins, to give passes
which should not be given.
COUNCIL MEETING.
A meeting of the City Council was held
at which members formally charged that
fees had been demanded for passes; that
the quarantine line was carelessly man.
aged; that the line had been crossed by
hundreds of people, &C., &c. DR.. BasDy
was given hearing, and said:
II would just like 10 know II II Is GUS
tomary for a man 10 work without ray!
l will state TO the Council that AFTER 1
returned TO my office yesterday DR.. HOS
ed me that he had been bothered nearly
TO death by persons who wanted passes.
AT the Board of Health meeting II was
understood that the persons working here
and living between here and Hampton
should be allowed TO come in to-day and
remain here. All the watchmen were in
structed that all the permits expired at
noon"
Chairman Powell: DR.. Bagby did you
accept pay for passes?
DR.. Bagby: l did DO you expect me
10 work for nothing?
A Voice: What are you paid for?
Or. Bagby: Not for making out certi-
fcatcs. | would further state that at 8
o'clock yesterday afternoon about fifty or
sixty men came to my office for passes 1
did not get a cent for them. Things were
in such muddle that We did not know
Just where we were at.
INVESTIGATION.
After much debate a committee of in
vestigauon was ordered, which suisse
quently reported TO the Council as fol-
lows:
"Your committee, having made due in
vestigation Of the charges publicly made
before the Council against DR.. Bagby
do hereby respectfully report that
your committee finds that DR.. Bagby
has not been guilty OF any intentional
impropriety but We find that under his
administration there has been a lack OF
that high degree of care which the stu
alton imperauvely requires.
1--WE believe that the best interests OF
our community can only be attained by
"A re-establishment of public confidence.
believing that the confidence Of the peo-
pie can only be gained by reorganizao
ton Of the Board Of Health
We, therefore recommend the retire
ment OF its president
This report was accepted and ratified
By a unanimous vote.
The Mayor then suspended Dr. Bagby
Indefinitely as chairman OF the Board Of
Health. and named Or. ;. W. Hobson,
the present quarantine oitcer, 10 take his
place until further orders.
The announcement Was received with
applause. and the action OF the Mayor
unanimously ratified.