Omaha daily bee., 1906-06-10
LAxITY I'M SANITARY LAWS
city Commissioner ConneII Criticises
Ordinances Governing the
Public Health.

Health Commissioner Conneli, on taking
hold OF the Office finds a great deal 10
criticise in the existing ordinances apply
ing to the department.
1T will take months Of work to bring
the health department up to the standard
it should possess in a city the size OF
Omaha" says lie In many respects the
regulations are defective and do not ex-
tend SUFFICIENT power to the health COM
missioner. For instance, l ind that OBJ
jectionable vaults cannot be condemned and
removed IL they are more than ten feet
from a dwelling or other building. l am
convinced that latitude should be allowed
the commissioner to put out Of business
all distances clearly defined as such, Civ
ing him authority to use discretion.
The arrangements for testing to ascer-
tain the presence or absence Of such dis
eases as diphtheria typhoid, tuberculosis,
etc, put in effect during DR.. Ralph's ad-
ministration are admirable and, Of course,
should be maintained. But there appears
TO be no way in which the commissioners
can take prompt action to eradicate the
source of typhoid and other diseases of
contagious or infectious nature.
II am going to ehdeavor to make the
health department more effective all
around, but will take time in investigating
conditions before recommending new ordi-
nances to the council"
Assistant City Attorney Dunn, at the re-
quest Of oouncilmen. has started to gather
information for the drafting OF a food In
spection ordinance. He intends to procure
copy of the pure food bill which has
been feature Of the present congress,
copy Of the Neill-Reynolds report on the
packing houses the Beveridge amendment
to the meat inspection laws and other data,
and endeavor to formulate a set of the
strongest and best regulations of the kind
possible for use in Omaha.
"In connection with the ordinance will
be provisions requiring the food inspector
to make frequent and detailed reports OF
his work, so a check can be held against
him to make sure that he is performing
his duties" said the assistant attorney.
1T is difficult to frame the ordinance to
make sure that the inspection lie being
rigidly carried out. but think 1t can be
done"
Mayor Dahlman says he has not vet
reached any definite conclusions as TO how
the food inspection problem can be best
solved. He still insists that something be
done to better the conditions complained
Of by butchers and grocers.
Councilman Brucker has asked the legal
department to prepare an amendment 20
existing ordinances which will positively
forbid the Strengthening OF animals within
the present city limits. The ordinances
limit the inhibition TO the city boundaries
Of 1886 Mr.. Brucker is anxious to strike
blow at the horse killing establishment
near Fortieth and Davenport streets, which
has long been offensive and revolving 10
residents OF the nelghborhood. The pro-
prietor. Daniels. has been hailed into police
court several times on the suspicion that
he sold horse meat for human consumption
This he has repeatedly denied and in .te
absence of proper legislation city authori-
ties have been unable to drive him out Of
business or out OF the city.