Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1902-10-13
WILCOX'S FOUR HUNDRED

|, Editor Evening Bulletin: After so
much has been said about the $500
which is to be paid to me because Or.
Sloggett is unable to prevent IL, feel
that perhaps a fair minded public
would like to hear my side of the story
even II 1t is somewhat of a long, dry
story.
When the cholera epidemic broke
out here in Honolulu the latter half of
1895, was then secretary of the Board
of Health. For over two months |
worked night and day with others OF
the Health Office force doing such work
as was required in suppressing the cpl
demic. During the height of the cpl
demic | slept in the Office rarely going
home to bed. working sixteen hours
day, week days Sundays and holidays,
and doing the necessary clerical work,
except letter writing, with but one
poorly paid assistant. Nobody receiy-
ed extra pay and everybody was salts
fed After the epidemic the chief
went on IA vacation to recuperate. but
poor Philgarlic only got lots of expert
'ence, no vacation, and perhaps the
gratitude of some of our citizens who
have died since then.
Two years later Mr.. X. w. Meyers,
superintendent of the leper settlement,
died; government wanted to economist
and would not appoint another super
lintendent. II was found that all the
work incident to the management OF
the leper settlement and feeding its
100 unfortunates could be economical
ly directed from the Health Office. Part
of this work fell to the executive Off
GER and incidentally $50 month was
added to his salary. Part of 1.-THE
entire clerical work-fell on me, and
compelled me to work on Sundays, to
eschew church going for the examina-
ton of dry leprous accounts. and this
burden was not softened by receipt OF
additional pay. A suggestion that
extra pay would be welcome met with
but Indifferent interest. and state
ment that 1t required an act Of the
Legislature to Increase the Cmoluments
of the secretary Of the Board OF Health.
Fortified with this information pre-
scented my bill TO the last Legislature
under the Republic and II failed to
pass. on the ground, was told, that to
pass the same would be establishing a
bad precedent, although the same
Legislature with admirable inconsist-
ency voted extra pay to clerk In the
Finance Office for night work" Per-
haps they refused mine because they
did not want to encourage Sunday
work" Yet in trying to faithfully per-
form the duties of the Office | had to
work regularly Sundays from June,
1897 to April 1900-without extra re-
muneratlon-when the Office OF super
intendent of the leper settlement was
again restored.
Dec. IL, 1899, bubonic plague broke
out in Honolulu, and any man who had
anything to do at the Health Office In
those exciting days can bear witness to
the fact that from a. m. to 10 or ~ p.
m. week days, Sundays, holidays, for
four long. weary months until the quar-
: antine was raised April IL. 1900, | was
to be found at work in the Office OF tho
Board of Health, performing the du-
ties required of the Office then filed.
r If those duties were not faithfully per-
Y formed 1t Is up to DR.. Sloggett to make
, the charge and specification or shut up
In view of these facts and of the adj.
ditional fact that other regular officers
T Of the Board were allowed extra pay for
= doing extra work does DR.. Cooper still
y consider 1t remarkable that a Home
:, Rule Legislature" should honor any
:. claim for extra compensation?
Now, this same Legislature declined
:, to confirm the Board of Health then IL
+. Office and singled out DIR. Cooper as Q
y. man OF some particular influence ovel
:, them by doing him the special favo,
. of confirming him after turning dow
all the others. This act is certainly
more remarkable than passing a mer,
claim for compensation. and in publish
ing uncalled for expressions of con
tempt for the law making body the doc
- tor has simply shown himself to be al
:, migrate.
\, Thanking you, Mr.. Editor, for you
=. valuable space, | remain,
= CHAS. WILCOX.
HonOlulu Oct ~ 1gO1