The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-10-14

the others were In ths frat instance hostile
20 DR.. Woodbury., and thsro we're constant
btckerin0 and squaboles in which Mr.. Ivtns
took a leading part.
became apparent that ali the stories about
graft In the department we're m~oonshtne.
and the public ceased to take any Interest
in the matter. 1t dropped from q scare
head on the first page TO an Obscure ara
graph or nc mention at all.
In spite Of the hostile attitude Of wins
and the committee DIT. Woodbury. vas bic
70 establish that not only was there no
grating or political corruption in the de-
partment. but also that he vas thoroughly
familiar With every detail Of bis work and
hat his administration was along the most
enlightened lines. This, at least. vas the
opinion Of those who were obliged to sit
all through the tiresome hearings.
When the BIO 90 had been spent the
Aldermen concluded that they had had
enough. and the investigation was called
%. wins then sat down and wrote = report
OF 21S pages in which he condemned every
thing practically that DR.. Woodbury. had
done as Commissioner and reQue1ted the
Mayor to remove him. This was too raw
for thee committee TO swallow and they split
into three groups on the matter. There
we're three reports in all, and none OF them
was a ma report. The WINS report
was finally adopted in the board by a vote
Of ~ to 10. with tw~enty-four absentees.
TElOf 10 Tue mcrGlnk \ CAuCuS Oh hGPuDtl-
cans and VI. o. Aldermen was held, n u
took them on hour TO decide what to do
with Mr.. Ivins's book. II r. safe 10 say
that not one member had read the report.
The Mayor paid no attention TO the request
for removal.
Or. Woodbury. was with the First Army
Corps AZ Chickamauga in 1898. He sailed
from Charleston with the First Army Corps
a. chief sur geon Of the army in the field
under Gen. Miles. But his great work
was one when Gen. J. a.. Wilson set out
to establish a temporary civil government
in the Island and especially IN Ponce.
Gen. Wilson gave DR.. Woodbury. the
Office Of Medical Dlrector-Genera OF Ponce
under the Provisional Government apd
told him hat hs powers were general.
DIT. Woodbury. at once began an Inspection
OF the streets. jails, markets, stores, stables
and sinks Of the city. he reported 20
Gen. Wilson tina he thought that all OF
these places needed TO lie cleaned and
then 10 be kept clean, Gen. Wilson old
him TO go ahead. Then the t~wenry-Four
most prominent physicians Of the city
were called together and were informed
that they were a Board Of Health. They
we're 70 select a president from among
their own number.
Next the city was divided INTO four in
spection districts. There were not funds
70 pay for cleaning, 20 DR.. Woodbury.. who
had the rank OF Major, employed b ser
vices Of the short term prisoners IN the
jail a. scavengers. They were not able
to clean the whole city. 50 each merchant
stall keeper. stable keeper and hotel keeper
was required to keep the street clean within
a certain distance OF his place Of business
In this way the city was kept clean and
free from smells and litter without any
appropriation at all. DR.. Woodbury. found
that h Ponce cemetery was overcrowded
and that each grave had at least four ten
ants. He at once set about laying out a
new cemetery within a proper and sani-
tary distance OF the city. The Porto Ricans
said that DIR. Woodbury. did more for them
in two weeks han any one OF their "
people had done in two centuries.