Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-10-30

i
| ends that should have been provided for in
| the original contracts
| The Home for INDECENT Males at Holmes
burg gets 100000 Of It to supply perrna-
! nent power plant, for the institution has been
running with a temporary plant, the boilers
used being borrowed from the Bureau OF
| Water. The Hospital for Contag gious Dis
| eases takes $4,000 Of IL for steam lines, and
the Home for the Feeble Minded at Byberry
gets the remaining s165OoO; $12o,00o for
| power plant with steam and electric ducts,
and $4,000 for a sewage disposal plant, and
the necessary mains to insure drainage.
Director Harte, who is a close friend OF
his predecessor, Director Neff has apparent
ly been given the impression that the six
cylindered Councilmanic rush OF the S977,oOo
to the Department of Health and Charities
was personal compliment to him. Coun-
Gilman seger Johnson's closest friend says
so. But II was not until after the validity of
the Johnson contract had been established
that the money was provided by Councils.
And one must not overlook the fact that
Johnson will get about $4,000 commission on
the s277,0Oo.
1t will be noted that the johnson contract
includes THE Philadelphia Hospital for the
Insane" AT the instlgatton of the city au-
thorities bill was introduced in the Legisla-
ture providing for the establishment of an
additional hospital for the insane near Phila-
delphia. II was "kllled" in legislative COM
mittee The principle Of State care of the
insane was insisted upon. OF course, IL the
State does not respond the city will have to
bulld-and 10! here Is another contract for
johnson.
Roughly grouping the loose ends OF the
various contracts, johnson has had nearly
S4.0OOOOO worth of work to supervise for the
state and is well along in the planning and
bossing of nearly $4,000 900 worth for the
city. This makes the three-uuarters of a
million direct returns for johnson, figuring
it out at So for most OF II, and SO for some
of IT,
Pretty good for an ex-rodman! His 100
foot schooner yacht Margaret is considered
one of the smartest crafts flying tho colors
of the New York Yacht Club. Councilmen
call him "Phil." He was recently out in Gin
cnnati looking over hospital there He has
the SAVIOR -faire OF the trained hospital ex-
pert and he can talk plans-oh how he can
talk plans.
The system of subsidizing charitable in
stitutions had been 80 long in force in Penn
sylvania that opportunity for exploiting the
erection OF public institutions was ripe about
the time johnson appeared upon the horizon.
Nearly 100000 of State funds Is divided
annually among 16o private hospitals, of
which about 40 are located In Philadelphia.
This Is only politcs-busness politics, and
n sidelight showing how really good people
can be manipulated. Pennsylvania spends
annually $5,500,o00 maintaining 25 State char
table institutions and nearly another million
assisting eight semi-State institutions. The
cutting of an extra $3OOO,OOO hospital subsidy
melon annually does seem hardship espe-
cialy when both State and city have to be
provided with public institutions anyhow.
In the Department of Health and Charities
Is man whose treatment by Councils, fol-
lowing his efforts to serve the public good,
offers marked contrast to the Councilmanic
attitude toward Johnson, the political archi-
tect. Assistant Director Alexander M. Will
sons first "mlstake" was to halt the exploit
ing by food-stuff contractors of the aged
inhrm and the sick housed in the BloclSley
Almshouse. The grating was systematic,
and had been going on for years.
The successful bidders named prices so low
that no competitor who might have lived up
to the terms Of the specifications could afford
to bid. Men on the inside failed to inspect
They passed the food stuffs. Shoulders were
delivered for hams and instead of ~prme
steers dressing not less than 600 pounds" the
inside men were accepting tough, thin. old
cows with the exception OF enough good beef
for the officers table where a complaint
would have been audible. Mr. Wilson stopped
all this, and among the heads that fell In tho
basket were some faithful ward servitors OF
Jim McNichol and the Wares.
Assistant Director Wilson'S second "over-
sight was to discharge DR.. Charles A. Croft,
assistant chief medical inspector at s24oO a
year. for absence without leave. Doctor
Croft at the time was holidaying in Florida
with Senator McNichol. Mr.. Wilson's third
"blunder" was the dropping of Messrs. Nc
Crudden, Reed and Buchholz three old di-
vision heads when he organized a new hous-
ing division as required by law, OF which We
have read.
whereupon Councils began its famous as
sault upon all the assistant directors Of tho
BIankenburg administration Andrew S.
Murphy was forced out OF the Department of
Public Safety by Councils aboshing the po-
sition of Assistant Director. Mr. Murphy
however Is the present efficient Assistant Di-
rector under Philadephias able head OF the
Department OF Supplies, Herman Loeb. As
for Wilson, Councils deliberately attached to
his position certain restrictions IA to qualih-
cations and as to residence aimed specifically
to make the position impossible for him to
hold.
The appropriation for salary OF tho Assis- |
tant Director. Department OF Health and |
Charities for 1918, and all years previously !
had read; Assistant Director, $4,000" But
this year when reported by tho Finance Com
mIttee OF Councils II was found to read: AS |
sistant Director and Superintendent OF BY |
berry Farms, who shall be a graduate of
medicine, $4,000"
Mr. Wilson is not physician He is high |