The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1915-04-09
ASK COUNCIL TO
RETAIN OFFICER.
United Charities Asks Council to Re-
consider Dismissal Of the
Assistant Health
Officer.
TELLS VALUE OF WORK
Work OF Charities Secretary as
Health Officer, Of Great Value
to the City, Says
Petition.

reconsideration OF the dismissal Of
the services OF the secretary of the
United Charities in the capacity OF
assistant city health officer was asked
of the city council this morning by
the board of directors of the United
Charities through their president, che
Rev. John c. Sage. petition was
filed with the council by the Rev.
Sage, outlining the value of the work
of this officer to the city While no
action was taken on this matter the
council has taken it under advisement.
A part of the salary Of the secretary
of the United Charities is paid to
him by the city for serving as assist.
ant health officer. The city council
recently voted to dispense with the
services of this officer, saving $40 a
month TO the city.
The following is copy OF the
communication fled with the council
BY the Rev. Sage:
April Z, 1915.
To the Honorable Mayor and the
Commissioners OF the City of Keo-
kuk:
Observation-Disclosures received notice
from your honorable body that the
services of the secretary OF the Unit
(
ant city health officer, would no longer
be required, the directors of the Unit
ed Charities would respectfully ask
Reconsideration of the dismissal OF
this officer and request that you con-
slider carefully the following presenta-
ton of facts:
!. Not oaly as directors of the
United Charities are we interested in
health conditions in Keokuk, but as
citizens also of this city. We feel
vitality concerned in the protection of
the health OF our citizens and the bet
terment OF sanitary conditions and
the prevention of epidemics OF conta-
gious diseases. We feel that the first
care of our city government should be
for the protection of the lives and
health of our citizens. and We would
emphasize the absolute need of prop
err supervision OF conditions affecting
the public health. We believe that
any policy Of retrenchment should not
iecpardize the health Of our citizens
and we are convinced that lack Of
adequate supervision may cause large
expense, both to private individuals
and the city. AID cast additional bur
dens upon the city. far larger than
the expenditure Of the small salary Of
an assistant health officer
2. To reduce the force of health
officers at this time is to leave the
discovery Of contagious diseases and
their reporting to an officer largely
occupied with duties not pertaining to
the health department We do not
criticise the action Of the council in
using such officer for other purposes
doubtless necessary in the conduct OF
the city's business, but We respeoet-
fully call attention to the fact that
the discharge of health Off Ger
leaves the health department without
adequate facility for the discovery
and prevention Of diseases likely to
Pc cause epidemics detrimental to the
health of the whole community.
Familiar with Conditions.
3. The officer heretofore serving
as assistant health officer of the city.
because of his other duties in con.
neCtion with the United Charities,
had large opportunities for the quick
detection of menaces to health which
are undesirable to any other officer
or citizen. We would call attention