The evening star and Newark advertiser., 1907-10-02
HEALTH BOARD TIP
IS ABOUT H0WLING DOGS.
SEE THE POLICE.
No Use Writing Commissioners Sassy
Letter-0ne Complaint Insists It's
Their Duty to Act.

When cats resting on your back fence
/ in the bright moonlight raise their
melodious voices and your neighbors
dog makes the welkin ring with his
howls of rage at being unable to reach
/ the feline; when the Industrious hen
of your next-door enemy splits the
early morning air with dlscordant
cackling thus preventing YOU from
/ getting your last morning nap, do not
call up the Board of Health, but tell
your troubles to a policeman and call
up a police station.
This decision was reached by the
Board of Health last night when, act
ing on a complaint, the commissioners
| held that there iA~a question whether
the noises above enumerated are a
menace to health, and as for CHASING
them as nuisance, that is left to the
police department.
The commissioners decided that their
authority does not extend to starting
a crusade against nuisances of this
kind and the inspectors of the board
will Nonfine their efforts to seeing that
the kennels, stables and chicken-houses
are kept in sanitary condition.
The letter to the health commissioners
follows:
New York; Sept %. 1897.
Mr.. David Chandler Newarll, N. ].
Dear Sir--I fully bnck up everything
stated N the affidavit, which will be
presented to You by Frank Parsons,
I'm reference to the nuisance created by
the degs kept at 306 North Seventh
street. therefore join with Mr.. Par
SONS in his demand i.pon you for an
abatement of the nuisance. l may
add that l am member of the conf
mittee on municipal affairs of the
Board of Trade, and unless the health
~ HhAs anf.1w 1Ra 1a4rF Txwrtn 1.uIn
the matter to the attention of our
chairman, Lathrop Anderson, Since
the health OF person is specifically
involved In the case. you cannot say
thorities. Some time ago when COM
plant was made to the Board Of
Health. there was also q specific case
of Illness involved, namely, that of
Mrs. Platke, who at that time lived on
Seventh street. yet the Board of Health
did nothing except send an inspector
to investigate the matter, and who
promised that he would see what he
could do. The people of the whole
neighborhood are aroused over this
matter and can assure you that 1t
will be pressed vigorously to a con-
clusion. Very truly yours,
ALEX w. BEEKEN.
Mr. Beeien did not furnish his home
address, but it was presumed that he
lives in that neighborhood.
ANY man who would write such a
letter as that knows nothing about the
laws" said Health officer David d,
Chandler. IT resent any such commune
cations from any individuals" He
added that he serit copy of the COM
plant to the chief of police Immediately
on receipt.
What did he say?" a member of the
board asked.
IT wouldn't like to tell you," the
health officer replied. Anyway it is
up to him. We thoroughly understand
our business. It is not within our au-
thority, and l repeat that I resent
such a letter"
DIR. /. e. Hollister said that it must
be a nuisance, and he could readily
understand how such a noise would de-
lay the convalescence of sick person.
ut should go to somebody" he con-
cluded.
Mr.. Chandler stated that the COM
plainant had recourse to the civil
courts, and could stop it by means OF
an injunction He said that in such
cases, when the health department
brought proceedings in the courts. they
found it impossible to get physicians
to swear that the alleged nuisance had
endangered health.
An inspector, whom the health officer
sent to the scene of the trouble, re-
ported that on one visit he had found
two dogs and four puppies, and all
seemed ''well-behaved." On a second
visit only the four pups remained, and
he was told that all the bigger dogs
had been sent away. He said sanitary
conditions were good.
The complaint goes to the police de-
partment. with the recommendation
that action be taken under section of
the police ordinance