New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-10-08
FRUITS OF REFORM RULE
OBJECT LESSONS IN GOOD GOVERNMENT s4ou,N nv
CoAPARISON OF DEPARTMENTS UNDER
TAMMANY And UNDER LOW
THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
TAMMANY'S RECORD.

With g politician at its head. and political
heelers drawing large salaries scattered through
It's various Offices the Health Department under
Tammany was eyesOre TO the decent people
~ the city. Large contracts were let by this
department. Il was in position to ruin many
business men and householders II it's demands
were not compiled with: therefore. under Tam
many management. 1t was almost as profitable
a source Of graft as the Police Department
The fact that this department depended the
health q the entire city did not interfere at all
with the plans OF the spoilsmen. They collected
The money; the citizens could protest II they
cared TO- Blackmailing was the order OF the day;
health inspectors went forth TO plumber as did
The conQuero-s OF a city. Careful estimates
made AZ that tine placed the total plumber at
rot iess than S1.5o0eeo a year.
II was easy collect this money. Colonel
Michael c. Murphy. afterward made Police
Commissioner. was at the head Of the Health
Department He gathered around him political
''grafters' OF the worst type. He provided for all
his political followers. until every bureau in the
department was overpowered with men draw
ing salaries fs- doing work. Health De-
Ta-tnent inspector Of this type would go TO
penurfous property owner with order 10
make repairs costing $500. AT the same time
he would say that for a payment OF 500 Il
would be Overlooked Naturally, the repairs
would not be made. although a menace to
health might be the result In case the repairs
were imperative. the inspector would suggest"
some firm 10 do the work This firm. whose
members were politicians or friends OF those on
the inside. would charge two three times the
real worth 20 make the repairs. If the prop
erty owner revolted. ne disciplined.
BIG CRAFT IN SUPPLIES
The purchase Of supplies was fat oppor-
sioner Murphy or mis- secretary designated the
H~rns that were 10 make estimates on requisi-
tons for materials There were two concerns,
neither of which had ever furnished supplies be-
fore which got about all the business When
finally COMMISSIONS Sexton succeeded Colonel
Murphy these firms were dropped, and Sections
particular one was substituted. The charges OF
these sllprly men were higher than the Health
Department had ever paid before-so high. IN
fact. thar the Finance Department often re-
fused 70 pay bills until reductions had been
made.
A manufacturer whose sense OF civic duty
vas not too high. and there were many. found
= vastly cheaper 70 burn soft coal and pay
certain proportion Of his savings TO the inspec-
tots than 20 buy anthracite coal Il was much
cheaper 70 bribe the Health Department TO
o-e-1ook violations % the ordinances in tene-
-1e-t houses than 70 put them in sanitary con-
ct-aoa- Dealers having decayed fruit, dubious
dsh edul.e-ated butter or foul milk. found that
:. paid 20 zee" the Health Department men,
Xxan.zoeu-ers os food articles could keep their
-e>ces z any slipshod fashion II they only paid
.ns.- money 20 the grafters OF the Health De
r-tneut Particularly objectionable under the
1zna-y regime were the East Side slaughter
nor-sex n the very heart Of crowded tenement
Srse-.c1s Vie doors and vile methods charac-
ee-.zet them They were al w-nked at, despite
vigorous protests. This conduct Of the depart
-nert II should be remembered, vas not only
criminal prostitution Of official power for money.
hut calpable neglect OF duty, endangering tn
lives OF thousands. and likely 10 subject the
city 70 an epidemic OF a deadly contagious dis
case.
For such an epidemic the city vas entirely
,,-rrepsred The hospital on North Brother
Island. according 70 statements Of patients who
had survived It's horrors was nearly as bad as
the Black Hole Of Calcutta In March, 1901.
Robert Martin. 4 Broadway merchant. who had
been there. declared
Disease far more deadly than smallpox was
~ my right and left Poor patients wearing
dead mems clothes Overworked attendants
thirteen hours Of toll daily. one attendant TO
twenty-five suffering patients. swiu lying at
he barrack doors in the sun all day Filthy
beds rotten mattresses OF cotton excelsior,
dirty blankets worn and rotten, falling apart,
not washed during the entire use in this pest
hole with verrnin Astounding. Oh. God help the
poor souls forced TO be there, A living disgrace
% our city and our civilization"
HIDEOUs CONDITIONS.
The hospital was an old wooden structure.
For twenty-five patients there was one old iron
bathtub Drinking water drawn from the
faucet Of this tub. one man died from gan
creme. contracted from the poison Of dirty
blanket There was no food TO be had despite
the fat contracts let for supplies Patients were
taken from their homes ia broken down am
balances. and frequently forced 10 wait for
hour before the crazy old roWboat would put
out 10 take them across to the island often the
patients were transferred 10 some other hos
ptal and their relatives knew nothing about il.
There was no way for relatives friends TO
communicate with the patients in the isolation
hospitals.
AS & consequence there was almost I'M
'onQuersble prejudice against the Health De-
PartneIlt, and the poor would hide their illness,
-, l-slnoUse. Deadly diseases spread rap
Il-s- Dlphtheria common under TamElany,
ouHUfg Its victims by thousands. COnsump-
So vas not treated durable disease
s-le41poA was almost epidemic when the
leslon administrator came into power.
-. Le 8-ilaing ia which the department made
- i.sa-4 -arlers was recognized fire trap,
set me employees were allowed 70 smoke in all
the Offices. There vas 40 r,-o-ec+io- Tor the
Bureau q Records. which contained birth and
Hs-itiase cetlhcates from 1853 death certif-
ates LlolA AtSo. All the indexes, the reports OF
DacleIlol Investigations. the reports Of the
coroners inquests since 1857 and MANY other
valuable papers which could never he rs-lacas