Perth Amboy evening news., 1913-05-31
Get INSPECTOR
FROM OUTSIDE
President Sell of Health Bd.
Says Local Applicants Are
Not Qualified.
WOULD HAVE FOOD EXPERT
Says Other Local Bodies Go
Out of Town for Secre-
tarias and Employees
WOULD HAVE FOOD EXPERT

President Harvey A. Sell, of the
Board of Health, takes exception to
the recent article in the EVENING
NEWS regarding the failure of the
board to appoint a food inspector.
He says the main idea conveyed was
one antagonistic to the appointment
of an out-of-town man. Mr.. Sell ia
heartily in favor in going outside for
food inspector and takes issue with
Mayor Garretson in this respect. Mr..
Sell sets forth his reasons clearly in
the following communication:
EDITOR EVENING NEWS:
In your Issue of May 2S, regard
ing the appointment of a food In
spector by the Board of Health, the
main Idea conveyed was one antagon-
istic to the appointment of an out-of-
town inspector. A few words con-
cernlng actual existing conditions
should help clear up this idea.
The Board OF Health desires a man
thoroughly versed in the inspection
OF meat products, not one having
some slight familiarity with this type
OF work, but man who has had
actual experience under competent
instructors, and who Is qualified to
appear In court, II necessary. OF the
applicants examined none has met
these requirements. Shall the Board
of Health then be restricted to Perth
Amboy for Its inspector and appoint
the best man it can get regardless
Of the fact whether or not he Is the
man for the position? The answer
to this question is simple one, get
an Inspector from out of town. 1t
would not be an Indictment against
the intelligence of the City of Perth
Amboy, as Mayor Garretson thinks,
no more so than WAS the appointment
of the secretary of the Board of
Trade, or the secretary of the Y. NJ.
c. A, who were both out-of-town
men. For years gone by it has been
the custom to appoint out-of-town
high school teachers. Why was not
this an indictment against the intel
| ligence of the City of Perth Amboy?
President Wilson, when governor oi
| this state, appointed superintendent
of education from without New Jer'
sey and local Boards of Health
throughout the country have fire.
quently appointed health officers who
were out-of-town men. In not one
of these cases could it be said that II
was an indictment against local in
telligence but rather that the man
| fitted for the position was the one
selected. T--.--- ....
In your article this statement also
appears, Mayor Garretson, like
many others who have been ap-
preached about the matter. stated
today that he was not in sympathy
with the situation" From the
mayors attitude toward the appoint
ment of an out-of-town inspector ii
would seem that he Is not in favor
| OF man expert along meat lines,
| but that a local man be appointed
| regardless OF the character of his
inspections. provided only that he be
a local appointee. This would prob
ably be called inspection, but what
would it ar.eunt to2--TTlhlee The g -77tesiTy 7tsTy pom,
that the board is fighting for would
be neglected. It is the aim of the
Board of Health to render the meat
safe and sound. and it for human
consumption, and to prevent meat
supply derived from worn-Out. de-
ceased dairy-cows, usually brought 70
the slaughter house just in time TO
escape natural death, in order that
| the owner receive some remuneration
| for his property, when as a matter OF
/ fact they should have been sent to
fertilizer plant. The meat supply
| of Perth Amboy is derived from two
sources. federal inspected beef and
state dressed beef. The former is
/ inspected and passed by the L. 8.
Bureau Of Animal Industry. OF the
/ latter, however, but very small part
] is inspected and practically any
animal brought to z slaughter house
rs killed and sold for food without a
I luretense OF an examination TO deter
mine whether IL Is fit for food. None
/ of this beef could be sent into inter-
state commerce; for example IT could
not be sent 10 Tottenville because 1t
I does not bear the stamp of federal
( Inspection and large part OF il, l
( have it on good authority. Is not OF
sufficiently good quality to be passed
by the government. The citizens OF
! Perth Amboy. therefore, should have
"a proper supervision OF their meat
supply and be assured that no meat
unfit for food IS sold 10 them. This
lis only possible by employing an eX-
pert Inspector whose duty 1t Will be
not only to pass on the slaughtered
J lesrcasses, but also to follow the meat
Through the butcher shops until IT
reaches the final consumer, taking
every preeaution not only In regard
TO the quality but also as to the
sanitary conditions under which 1t is
handled.
,S!gned) HARVEY, A. SELL,
Pres. Board OF Health.