Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1906-06-02
sTArEMENr BIZ W. l. HAMANN.

Editor Every Evening. Will you kindly
grant me space IN your valuable paper ~
refute certain published statements IN J
local paper, under a large display head.
ing OF Left Much Unfinished Work,
which, l presume, emanated from, and
had the sanction and approval OF the
present secretary of the Board Of Health
~ an effort 10 bolittle and criticise the
work OF the retiring board. Replying
thereto, permit me 20 state that ] desire
70 assume the full responsibility for this
shoucoming Of an0ther's duty. who is
thoroughly competent, capable and will
ing 70 have completed this work IN due
time # given the opportunity, who
holds the position By virtue Of Mr.. Wig
gleswouhs RECOMMENDATION and ap-
pointment, and who has been retained
by succeeding boards by reason Of
thorough competency and ability 20
do the work required.
Il has been Mr. Wigglesworth's particu-
lar hobby 10 enter the Health Depart
ment with the fare OF tnmpefs and
flags flying, &c, for the purpose Of 10
eating or discovering some mistake or
shortcoming Of his predecessors in this
Office and 10 announce 10 the public,
through the press, the result of these dis
coveries or investigations, as 20 Wit:
-Four years ago, that his predecessor was
short in his accounts; this year, after a
two weeks search from cellar 10 garrett
OF the department, he Is unable % dis
cover anything wrong, crooked or loose,
except that the marriage returns for the
past year had not been indexed or re-
corded for the past FIVE months, and that
this constituted the very serious public
grievance that the retiring department
had left much unfinished work
The retiring department had no knowl-
edge Of this condition, as Mr.. Wiggles-
worth well knows, from the fact that
this work falls on the secretary by virtue
OF his being registrar Of vital statistics,
and Is entirely foreign to any duties that
would come directly under the boards
supervision, and which in no way inter-
ieres with the boards work.
There is no doubt that this neglect to
index certain records would cause indo-
lent persons some annoyance or incon-
venience by loss Of sleep or rest, in COM
peling them 10 make O longer search
than seems absolutely necessary II they
were properly indeXcd; still, however,
this Is nothing unusual, as when inde1ing
is properly done | and every other secre-
tary who has ever held the position has
been compelled TO make searches for
hours, with or without attaining the de-
sired result.
II is a well-known and established fact
that the previous board, Of which Mr.
Wigglesworth was secretary, was COM
posed Of Joseph Wigglesworth repre-
senting the four Republican members Of
the board and filling the positions Of
president, secretary and treasurer; that
this board, composed as here stated, met
Tuesday mornings al Q O'Clock, behind
closed doors, adjourned between o.l5
and $50, and had all notices and CORE
spondence out by II a. m; and that con-
siderable partiality and favoritism was
shown 10 Republicans; can any one won-
der at the alaority with which work was
done when there was nothing 10 do
Note the contrast between that board
and the one just retired, which met
weekly from April 10 October and BIZ
weekly from October 20 April, at 3l5
p. m, with open doors, newspaper men
and Others admitted, nothing concealed
OF hidden, public invited and encouraged
to attend the meetings and state their
grievances, in session invariably from
3l5 to 5 o'clock or later, resulting in
many notices and letters being sent out,
taxing the secretary and the assistant
for several days or almost the entire
time, until the board met again 70 keep
up with the work; no partiality or favorit-
ism shown; all Of which has been clearly
demonstrated BY the splendid results at
tanned through work ordered done and
executed, by the abatement Of many
nuisanees and the connecting OF many
properties with sewers, which no other
board In the history Of the city has ac-
oomplished; a splendid bank balance Of
S503 on hand May lst, 1906, out OF an
appropriation of $1,000 In two years,
after purchasing all anti-toxin and office
supplies and printing, which had not
been the custom previously; that every
act was in the interest OF, and for the
benefit Of the public good.
/ frankly believe that a comparison Of
the reports and records Of the two pre-
vious boards will show 10 advantage in
favor Of the retiring one and will cause
Mr. Wigglesworth TO hump himself con-
siderably 10 keep up the record and pace
set by the outgoing board.
In conclusion, | desire 10 say that
read this statement Of Mr.. Wiggles-
worth's with some feelings of regret and
amusement; regret that he had deemed
it advisable to publish this statement Of
this condition, since I had pointed out
and explained the same to him upon my
retirement; and amusing from the lame
and palsied partisan attempt to deride
the good intentions and good work Of
the previous board, which the entire
community is entirely familiar with
and that, in justice to myself and the
board, which had honored me with the
position, / could not conscientiously
rost under the imputation Of neglect o.
duty, which Inconvenience no one but
the secretary. William l.. Hamann.
Secretary Retirinn Board