The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1907-08-06

ence to the invoice book in this report.
The book was generally on the table and
anyone could look at 1t. Mr.. Taylor
thought the auditing committee should
have audited the bills. AS a member OF
the grounds and building committee he
looked over the expenditures of that COM
mittee.
The witness was entirely In favor Of
competitive bidding. and said that stand
ards could be adopted and goods bought
from 8 TO 5 per cent. cheaper this way.
and goods not STANDARD could be purchased
much cheaper. He advocated competitive
bidding twelve years ago when he went
on the board.
Mr.. Taylor said he was manager of the
Taylor Provision Company, and that his
company never sold any goods to the hos
pital. His company sold to Frank zeller,
WHIT two years ago sold some pork loins
to the hospital. He believed that Zeller
seldom sold to the hospital, and when he
did it was to get rid of the goods to the
hospital at a snail price in order that
goods might not spoil on his hands. Zeller
sold as low as any wholesaler to the hos
pital.
Mr.. Taylor noticed that the Rice Cloth
Ing Company was getting the bulk of the
clothing trade of the asylum. He advised
Warden Hayes to adopt the competitive
plan of bidding. This was not because
of the Rice business, but he advised COM
petitiye bidding as a general principle.
Asked by Counsel Backes il he did not
examine the Rice clothing bills, because of
a certain dellcacy about this, Mr.. Rice
being a brother manager. the witness said
he would have such a delieacy. Regard
ing meats he testified that beef cost about
six and one-half cents n pound.
1--WE Door mOrtals are pa vinp % cents a
pound" observed Mr.. Backes. ut would
be better to go crazy. then we would get
the low prices"
Counsel Backes took the witness over
the clothing prices as testified to earlier in
the day. He did not know before the
State was paying such high prices for
clothing.
When the commission ~reconvened at 2
o'clock DIR. Henry Mitchell, secretary of
the State Board of Health, went on the
stand and gave the names of the members
of the board.
DIR. Mitchell said the department was not
sub-divided. Formerly there was a dairy
commissioner. This was thrown out under
the pure-food law. There is, however, a
chief inspector of foods and drugs, four
assistants, but all under the command of
Mitchell. These inspectors visit diaries to
look for adulteration of foods and butter.
LIZ. H1iLCItl ucCldica that III ICNNCSs
Registrar of Vital Statistics, was deposed
by the board, but he disclaimed that this
was at his instigation. so as to give the
job to David S. South, the present holder
of the position. He was formerly a clerk
in charge of what was a separate depart
ment of the State Board of Health.
DIR. Mitchell said board meetings were
held once in two months, at which time
all accumulated matters were taken up and
acted on. Other times he acted on mat
ters which could not wait, or were detailed
by the law.
Regarding board meetings, DR.. Mitchell
said there was always a quorum present
He tried to include every matter of i'm.
~portance in his report. AS secretary Of
the board he drew a salary of $500 q
year. He conducted the correspondence
superintendent the laboratory work and
was forced to do considerable outside in
spection himself. Lack of inspectors COM
pels this. TIT Legislature has turned
down requests for more money.
DR.. Mitchell declared he gave his entire
time to the work when in Trenton, end
denied he was now a practising physician
In Asbury Park, as he was when ap-
pointed as secretary He said he came to
Trenton five days of the week and when
not here he was engaged in inspecting In
other parts of the State.
DR.. Mitchell said he went South for
six weeks in the winter. He declared his
rest was absolutely necessary to him
and proposed to do so. His pay goes or
all the same time, and thought that al
right. Employees get two weeks.
The doctor says he goes o nthese annua
six weeks winter vacation, although TIL
department Is short-handed.
When DR.. Mitchell produced the min
utes of the board it was found that tn
minutes for three months were missing
The reason, he said, for this was hat d.
A.. Clark Hunt, his first assistant, was il
Europe on a vacation. He sailed May 2
and expects to return August IT. DR.
Mitchell did not consider this vacation
long one. He gets 1890 a year salar.
and 1t goes on while away. Witness salt
DR.. Hunt was retained to resolve Difficult
health matters.