New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-09-26
'BENSEL TO RETIRE
AS SANITARY HEAD
His Decision to Quit Health De.
partment Regarded as
Victory for LederIe.
CLIMAX TO MUCH DISC0RD
Has Been in Service of Board
81 Years, and There Is
Possibility He May Seek
Commissionersflip.

Or Walter Bensel. sanitary superin-
tendent Of the Department Of Health. win
retire on October ]. after occupying that
post for five years and after a total Of
, twenty-one years in the Health Depart
ment His retirement is looked on as a
victory for Ernst ]. Ledere, Health
Commissioner, who. during the last year.
has stripped DR.. Bensel Of practically all
his powers
The application for retirement was re-
ceived by the Board OF Health TUESDAY.
Police Commissioner Waldo and Health
Commissioner Lederle acted on the appli-
cation. Or. Joseph J. O'Connel Health
Officer Of the Port. who is the other mem
Der Of the board was in Europe
As DR.. Bensel's salary has been 5000
year, he will now retire on pension ~
half that amount.
While his withdrawal from the depart
ment is climax to a long period OF dis
sansion existing there. il was the opinion
Yesterday OF persons acquainted with the
situation that Or. Rensels hat was in the
ring for the post Of Health Commissioner.
Hell bob up again. was the way an
employe OF the department commented on
-he news of Or. Bensel's retirement.
When Health Commissioner Lederle
was approached on the subject he told ~
the receipt of the letter from DR.. Bensel
and the action of the board When asked
II he had anything 10 say about circum-
stances leading up to the retirement Re
declared.
81 don't want 10 20 into that
I
Blauvet was acting sanitary supern-
Nndent DR. Blauvelt. who has been an
assistant sanitary superintendent. has
been In the department for twenty-six
years.
AS the post occupied by Or. Bensel is OF
the competitive civil service type. an eN-
animation will have TO be held TO Ill Il.
Commissioner Lederle said he thought the
assistant sanitary superintendents would
be eligible He had not been considering'
he asserted making any efforts 10 have
the place put back in the exempt class
again.
At the Municipal Civil Service Commits
sion it was said the place was made
civil service position on July p 1879. at
the same time the assistants were placed
in the competitive class. This action was
not taken on the recommendation OF the
Board OF Health. Recently Or. Thomas
Darlington. then Health Commissioner
said he did not know who had asked 10
have the place Of sanitary superintendent
placed in that class.
II was during Mayor McClelan's admin
istration that DR.. Bensels salary was M
creased $1,000. through the interest taken
IN his career by the Mayor. 1t was also IN
the same administration that DR.. Bensel
came TO the zenith Of his power and was
fsmiIiarly known as the ''czar' OF the de-
partment.
With the appointment Of Health Com
missioner Lederle il became evident the
sanitary superintendent would nave u
play second fiddle. II was always believed
that sooner or later DR.. Bensel "ou'0
chafe under the leash 10 such an eAteu'
that the issue would come TO head. AM
II did in early July OF the present year
when. as was told excluA vely IN me
Tribune OF July s. certain remarks mace
bv Or. Bensel had so eXasperated the
commissioner that his patience gave way
and he finally took away the two last I'M
portant divisions under the superH''e"o'
ent's jurisdicton-that OF child nys'e"
and infectious diseases
Immediately after that DR.. Bensei VEN
On a vacation" and on September 10 ne
reappeared. He would neither deny nor
affirm then that he intended TO get OUT VI
the department but said he was repor'hs
for duty on September p he asked loi
retirement.
IL was reported early in the Gaynor az"
n Illustration the Mayor wanted Comih'S
sioner Lederle TO Dust Bensel' but tha'
the Commissioner was willing TO let mat
tors % along until Bensel overstepped MS
bounds TOO far.