The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-02-18
SHAKEUP In THE
SANITARY FORCE
Dr.. Gotten Not Recognized as an IN
SpGCtOF
BY THE BOARD OF ALDERMEN
Because He Has Never Reported to the
Mayor to Qualify.
ALDERMAN PEARCE'S ORDINANCE
1t Requires That the Two Inspectors
Shall Wear Uniforms and Patrol
the Territory Allotted to
Them Each Day.
ALDERMAN PEARcE'S ORDINANCE

are endeavoring to govern the city OF BIZ
mingham and we propose to take hand in
regulating the sanitary part of it.
The council did this when upon motion of
Alderman RAINBOW it refused to recognize
DR.. Robert Gotten as the sanitary officer
or to place him upon the pay rolls of the
city.
Some weeks ago DIR. Gotten was ap-
pointed sanitary officer by the board of
health with General Thomas, who was
sanitary officer the past year, as his assist
ant Section 230 of the city code says that
1.-The board of health may appoint two
sanitary policemen, one for the Northside
and one for the Southside, who shall re-
port and be under the supervision of the
mayor"
Had Never Qualified.
The mayor told the board last night that
DR.. Gotten had never qualified as sanitary
inspector and had never applied to him for
instruction. He also pointed out that the
section regulating sanitary officers did not
contemplate an assistant, but simply 1.-TWO
sanitary policemen" 1t was here that
Alderman RAINBOW made his motion not to
recognize DR.. Gotten and it was carried
unanimously.
Pearce who introduced IAN ordinance to
amend section 2S0 of the city code and to
better define the duties of sanitary police
men," The ordinance went over under the
rules.
If finally passed it means that the VEN
cradle General Thomas and DR.. Gotten the
newly elected officer, will appear upon the
streets in spanking new blue uniforms and
that they will be required to carefully
patrol the territory allotted to them each
day. They will wear military caps with
the letters H d." meaning health de-
partment, woven in brass thereon. They
will be under the direct supervision of the
mayor and there will be little or no indoor
work for them.
All Had Word to SAY.
When Alderman Pearce introduced his or
dinance, several aldermen took occasion to
pay their respects to the present practices
in vogue in the sanitary department. Alder
man Pearce took the initiative by saying
that there were no rules or regulations
governing the sanitary department. The Of
fee of sanitary inspector was considered an
honorary position. They had Office hours
sat around by the fire, kept warm and If
anything was wrong they waited for some
body to come and report it to them The
consequence was that the city was not
properly looked after One of the officers
did not have his office in the city hall and
had never reported to the mayor
Mayor Evans verified the statement of
Alderman Pearce He said that DR.. Gotten
had never reported to him, had never quail
flied and been sworn. The only inspection of
the city he had ever heard of being done
was by Mr.. Virgins, who was put on as
an extra officer by the board of health last
summer.
Il don't think that DR.. Gotten or General
Thomas have ever inspected the city," con-
cluded the mayor.
Needed an Active Man.
Alderman RAINBOW said that the city
needed active man who could get out
and inspect the streets, alleys and back
yards. He said that General Thomas seemed
to be sick all the time DR.. Gotten inspect
ed the city from his office and there was
no one doing any inspecting but Virgins,
the extra man.
Alderman Hentschel thought that when
DR.. Gotten did qualify as sanitary inspector
that he should be required to make a re-
port on what he had been doing all this
time.
Alderman Hamilton vouchsafed the infor-
nation that DIR. Gotten hadn't been doing
anything, as all could readily tell.
Alderman Lynaugh said that DR.. Cotten's
salary should start on the day he qualified
and not before.
Thought the Board Hasty.
81 think that the board is little hasty
In it's criticisms said Alderman Mcknight.
"Dr. Gotten has probably acted by prece-
dent. Perhaps he has seen General Thomas
sitting around by the fire, and he has done
the same" Alderman Mcknight thought
that perhaps DIR. Gotten had been told that
his duties were simply to look after matters
and give orders and the board should re-
serve it's criticism until it heard further.
After all this discussion there was an eff
fort made to pass the ordinance introduced
by Alderman Pearce and also fix the sal
aries of the two sanitary officers. Several
Aldermen objected and this matter was left
open until another melting. The ordinance
of Alderman Pearce as follows:
The New Regulations.
Be it ordained by the mayor and alder
men of Birmingham, That section 23O of the
city code shall be amended so as to read
as follows: 1.-THE board of health may ap-
point two sanitary policemen, one for the
North Side and one for the South Side,
who shall report to and be under the SUI
pervision of the mayor, and whose duties
shall be as follows:
a. They shall arrest all persons who
shall violate or refuse to comply with any
sanitary regulation, and for such purpose
shall have all the authority of a regular
police officer.
a. They shall inspect all lots, yards,
streets and alleys, and see that the sani-
tary ordinances are fully compiled with,
and see that all nuisances are promptly
hat cd