The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1912-04-13
kItFER SAYS BAD HOUSING
CONDITIONS INCREASE THE
? CITYS MORTALITY RATE
The Health Officers Statement
Moves Estimators To Vote
Money For Inspectors
PLAN DENTAL INSPECTION
Five Thousand Dollars Allowed
For Care Of Teeth of
Public School Children

The estimate of $4,000 for the
salaries OF 10 sanitary and housing
inspectors as requested by the Board
OF Health was approved by the esti-
mators' committee on public health.
Friday afternoon. Health Officer
Kiefer stated that the mortality rate
In Detroit is increasing and one i'm
portant. cause OF the increase Is the
bad housing conditions. The new
buildiS code will limit the number OF
inmates TO each house, he said. and
The inspectors would be needed 10
work along this line. Judge Hubert.
Luther Lovejoy, Tracy McGregor,
Fred Butzel, w. b. Stratton and q. ID.
Pope appeared before the committee
TO urge the allowanceSof the item, i'm
pressing the importance OF the work
on the estimators. At the conclusion
OF their statements the committee
voted TO allow the item.
The committee also approved the
estimate OF $4,000 to allow OF dental
inspection in the public schools. Sew
eral dentists were present to plead
for this appropriation, but the COM
mittee was already convinced OF its
need.
The committee did not-act-on-the
estimate OF $4,000 for the completion
OF the new contagious disease hos
pital. Several physicians appeared to
argue the need OF the hospital be-
cause the private hospitals refuse to
take contagious disease cases. The
committee seemed to favor the ap-
preparation but took the matter under
adyisement.
The committee increased the salary
Of Chief Dairy Inspector Frice from
$1,000 to $500 and the salaries OF
six milk inspectors from $1,000 to
$1,000. Four additional inspectors
were allowed at $1,000 each. Medical
inspectors In the public schools were
raised from $33 to $35 a month. With
the exception or these changes the
committee approved practically all OF
the Board OF Health budget as it
came from the council,
The committee approved all of the
poor commissions budget with the
exception OF the salary OF the depart
ment's secretary. which had been in.
creased by the council from $1,000 to
's3 600. The committee took the item
under advisement. The estimators
are likely to agree on policy as to
the increases asked for all the de-
partment secretaries from $4,000 to
$4,000 before passing on this one.
The committee on streets inspect
ed Is streets where resurfacing was
asked by Commissioner Haarer and
cut $4,000 from the d. p. w. road
fund, Friday afternoon. Resurfacing
appropriations were allowed on the
following streets: Ferry, Woodward
TO Russell; Lawrence. Woodward to
Second; Montcalm, st. Antoine to
half block west: Montcalm Brush to
half block east; Second, Grand River
= 10 Pitcher: Washington boulevard,
Michigan to Park; Woodward, High
% Martin; Woodward, Trowbridge to
limits; Benton, st. Antoine to Rus
sell: Bellevue, Berlin to Mack;
Brush, Atwater to Gratiot; Beaufait,
Mack TO Gratiot; Clay, Oakland to
'. Russell: Lysander, Greenwood to
Twelfth; Sixth, Grand River to For
,st;;- MeFriek, Cass TO Greenwood;
Hancock, Woodward to Beaubien.
The hoard OF estimators met less
than two minutes, Friday night, ad'
iourning out OF respect to the memory
> Of the late George Cathey, superinten.
dent Of the d. p. w. yards. President
Standish Backus then called meet
ing Of the committee chairmen in the
city clerks office and definite pro-
gram was mapped out for committee
. meetings next week. The commit
tees have been slow to work thus far
but Il is planned to clean up most OF
the funds by next Friday night.