The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-02-26
CITY AND COUNTY
DISPUTE AS TO WHICH SHOULD
CARE FOR PATIENTS.
Two-MILE LIMIT UP AGAIN.
CASE WILL PROBABLY BE SETTLED
IN SUPERIOR COURT.


conference Was Held in Mayors
Omce-Mayor Myers, DR.. Drummer
and MIR. Adams, for the City, and
Chairman Dale and Col. Cam, for
the County, Were Present-An-
other Meeting TO-day-Contentions
of Both Partics-City Wants Coun-
" to Look After Contagious Cases
within Two Miles of the City
The question whether the city or the
county should look after patients suffer-
ing from contagious diseases, within two
miles of the corporate limits, will be set
tied in the courts. This was practically
shown at conference yesterday at noon
In the Mayors office, when neither the
city nor the county would yield an inch
in their respective views. Each adheres
strictly to it's position, and il will be for
the Superior Court to mediate between
them.
Mayor Myers. Health Officer Drummer
and City Attorney Adams represented the
city in the argument, while the counLy's
side was upheld by Chairman Dale of the
County Commissioners and County Attor-
ney George T. Cam. Another conference
is to be held this morning at the Court
House, when the city officials will meet
the County Commissioners in a further
effort to show the latter that they are
wrong in the view they take of the mat
Ter. +~'
Little is expected of this mornings con-
ference, however, and it is very probable
that the parties will remain of the same
opinion they now declare. Mayor Myers
said after the conference in his Office that
he thought there would be no other re-
course than to the Superior Court for a
settlement of the question. The suit will
be brought in no bitterness, but merely
in the effort to ascertain the right. The
city will be the plaintiff and the county
the defendant,
The following is taken from the Geor-
gia laws of 1895, and is the act upon which
the authorities split:
An act to extend the Jurisdiction for
sanitary purposes of the Mayor and AL
dermen of the city of Savannah. Section
j. Belt enacted by the General Assem-
bly, of the state of Georgia, That the jul
risdicti0n of the Mayor and Aldermen of
the city of Savannah, for sanitary pur-
poses is hereby extended SO that it may
embrace all the territory within two %
miles of the present or any future ex-
tended corporate limits of the said city of
savannah; and the said municipal corpor-
alton is authorized to pass such ordinan-
ces, rules and regulations as may seem to
its Council proper for the health and prop
er sanitation of the said territory and also
10 confer upon the board of sanitary COM
missioners for the city of Savannah such
powers and authority as may seem to the
Council of the city OF Savannah proper
and wise in order to promote the sanitary
requirements of the said territory
Mayor Myers contends that s'sanitary
purposes does not mean that. the city
shall care for any persons discovered with
contagious diseases. He says his con-
struction of the Jaw is that the city shall
exercise SUI VIGILANCE over the territory to
discover any possible conditions that
might threaten the sanitation of Savan-
nah. Such has been done since the pass
age of the act, and the city inspectors
have frequently pointed out to the county
authorities places that require draining.
The county authorities, the Mayor said,
have always responded, and have at once
set about having the necessary draining
done.
IL Is clearly the spirit OF the law, the
Mayor says, that the county should look
out for it sown patients Sanitary pur-
poses" does not include the city's re-
sponsibility for the patients. Residen S
of the territory, the Mayor says, do not
pay taxes into the city treasury so why
should the city have to care for them
when the fall sick? The Mayor was d
member of Council. when that body asked
the Legislature to pass the act, and he
says it most certainly was not the wish
of Council to assume the responsibility OF
caring for the patients. That was not
contemplated at the time, and to put
such an Interpretation upon the act, the
Mayor insists, is not complying with
either the letter or the spirit.
As safeguard to its own interests, the
city has been looking out for such cases
The city authorities, however are tired
Of doing SO, believing it is the county's
duty. Any cases picked up in the terri
tory have been carried to the citys pest
house, but the city wants a judgment Of
the court, if the question cannot be set
tied otherwise, that will send such cases
to the county pesthouse.
The question is not a new one. 1t has
been considered many times. but II has
never before seemed in s0 fair "a NAV IN