The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-09-22
LEVY CONDEMNS
DRINKING CUP S.
Blake, in Disgust, Wants All
Doctors and Health Boards
Abolished.
BEcNs NEW SENSATION
eliminates Distinguished Career
by Condemning City Hall
Elevators.
NEW SENSATION

Danger OF contamination from the
in the public parks was called TO the
attention of the Council Committee on
Grounds and Buildings last night in a
letter from Chief Health officer Z. e.
Levy, who represented that tubercu.
losis. diphtheria and other diseases
might readily be communicated indeh-
nitely by indiscriminate use of COM
mon cup 1t can hardly be said that
the committee considered the protest
seriously.
George McDufie Blake. Councilman
from Monroe Ward, said that 1t was
all On foolishness'-that there was
| not ANYTHING to the germ theory, and
| he would advocate as a substitute that
| all doctors, and especially all health
| board doctors, be abolished. The
Health Board had spent u mint of
money, he protested. and all 1T had ac-
complished was to organize milk
trust which had produced poorer milk
al higher prices, and an ice trust, which
sold water hardly CONCEALED and which
absolutely would not stay frozen.
Had No Remedy.
Mr.. Blake was in dead earnest-he
NuHtcu 10 ildhe q speech on the sup
ject-but other members of the COM
mittee thought It hardly worthy OF
consideration. Mr. Batkns asked II
the Health Board proposed that the
children should go thirsty-it had
formed milk and an ice trust, and
he thought now 1t would try to corner
the market on water. Mr.. Don Leavy
was more reasonable, but considered
the health authorities unreasonable;
they had suggested no remedy, and he
was unwilling to cut out the public
drinking cup until something better
were provided. Mr.. Blake need not be
SO excited, he explained as most OF
the parks after all have no other drink
ing vessel than a tin tomato can left
by some charitably inclined wayfarer.
Mr. Bowman thought there was
something in the germ theory; at any
rate he was willing to give 1t the ben
eft of the doubt. He had heard at
the public schools used a sanitary
drinking fountain, but did not know
how 1T worked; at any rate 1t did away
| with the Objectionable tomato can or
iron dipper. and did NOT require every
child coming to the parks to bring his
! own drinking cup along. Mr.. Seator
cut the whole debate short by propos.
Ing that DR.. Levy be invited to come
| before the committee and state the sit
uution and the remedy, and when thi:
| invitation had been extended to tn,
Chief Health Officer the committe,
passed on to other business.
Remove Bandstands.
The parkkeepers wanted to know
what to do with the bandstands erected
for the summer music in the parks
eyesores and distractions. Mr.. Bat
kins thought that never again would
the city be led into any such move
ment as public clamor had forced upor
the Council this past summer. and til,
bandstands were ordered remove d
save in Washington Ward. Mr.. Brown
saved that one saying II would b,
useful for somebody to make cam
paign speeches from some day.
Mr.. Selph asked that land be con
demned to open a driveway into Tay
lor's Hill Park. Members of the com
mittee could not understand where on,
would drive after getting into tn,
park. as it is composed of one of tn,
steepest hillsides in the city. and hi
| proposition was referred to the Cit,
Engineer for report whether it wa.
feasible.
Then Building Inspector Beck, whc
has made trouble for almost ever,
property owner in the city, aimos
broke up the meeting by condemninf
the City Hall elevators. Some sort O
a connecting rod that forms an impor
tant part of the machinery, he ex
planned, had rusted out, and withou
that rod the safety appliances woult
not work. The committee hastily or
dered repairs, to cost $3.50. and care
fully walked down two flights of stairs