The Penn's Grove record., 1916-01-28
REIGN OF TERROR ENDED
Board OF Health Re-OrganiZeS And
Accepts DR.. Knights Resignation

tAS
health records of Penns Grove for 1916,
: has relieved the nerve tension on many
citizens in Penns Grove, especially the
old residents. The arrival of hundreds
Of persons from different parts of the
country who saw local conditions which
they believed bred disease and death else
where, caused them to see COLLINS which
never have been here, nor never will, be-
cause of the clarifying, health-wafting
breezes from two miles over the waters
of the Delaware River and the clay sub
soil which holds the water on the surface
for days for the sun and air to kill
malignant bacteria. The six to sixteen
feet of sand and gravel below the clay
: strata is a natural filter bed for all good
well waters.
The fortnightly meeting of Penns
L irove Board of Health was held last
le day night. The three new members,
Z 4 yard s. Harris, Prof. j. Harry Smith
: ana Samuel J. Hurff, having taken their
oaths of Office before Borough Clerk w.
ID. Snyder, the Board organized by elect
ing Edward s. Harris, president; Harry
l.. Blohm remains as secretary, his term
not expiring until the first meeting in
March. The other member is w. A.
Summerill.
Mr.. Harris is an old resident who has
been president of the Shad Fishermen's
Protective Association for twenty years.
He has had much to do with government
officials in regards to the fishermen's diff
~ficulties and privileges on the Delaware
River and Bay. His exceptional ability,
force Of character and painstaking care
has been of gerat benefit to the fisher
men. The same inspires force and con-
fioence in the Board of Health.
Prof. J. Harry Smith is an old resi-
dent, who was principal of Penns Grove
schools for many years and has been
principal Of Pedricktown schools for sew
eral years. He is a man of exceptional
ability. and practical.
Samuel j. Hurff is an old resident, is
a carpenter and a practical man of af-
fairs with force of character. -Four of
the five members were raised on farms
and were acquainted with flies, mosqui-
toes, dust, mud and dirt before the ex-
tremists on microbes had written their
book science.
President Harris read statements
made by widows who had been harassed
and terrified by I. w. Knight, the in
spector. He said that he was anxious
ITO cooperate with the State Board of
Health on all necessary means to pro-
tect the good health of the borough, but
was opposed to having a watchdog who
endeavored to drive citizens to unnec-
essary and expensive things, because of
Some peoples imaginary evils which did
not exist.
Prof. Smith said he would give his
best endeavors to have the good health of
the citizens fully protected with wisdom
and caution.
Messrs. Harris. Hurff and Smith were
appointed a committee to ave the or
dinance on privies enacted last August
repealed, because it was unavoidable. The
people will not stand for the expense be-
cause it is absolutely unnecessary. A
more workable plan will be adopted.
They were also appointed to employ
counsel to nave the fines in the Sanitary
Code less stringent. The purpose is to
have the same counsellor whom the Bor-
ough Council employ for solicitor.
; Inspector T.. w. Knight and D. G.
Bowen, State inspector, reported som
places which, in their opinion, needed
cleaning up and recommended suits to be
brought because the citizens had not
lone as Inspector Knight had dictated.
W. A. Summerill said he would not
vote to bring suit on Mr.. Knights
recommendation. He had personally in
vestigated some places conducted by citi-
zens against whom they wanted to bring
suit and in his opinion the alleged I'M
sanitary conditions of "fies, mosquitoes,
dust and dirt" did not exist. He did not
believe that Mr.. Knight had discretion,
tact and good judgment to decide on what
was ~noxious and injurious to the health
and would never vote to bring suit on
his recommendation only, and made a
motion that his resignation, which had
been laid over from the previous meeting,
abe accepted.
- He was requested to read the condi-
! tions upon which he desired to continue.
They were that he be given absolute mon
archial power to decide what citizens
should do. If they did not as he said he
was to have power to bring suit as he
saw fit.
Mr.. Summerill said the law says:
1.-THE local boards in their opinion
shall cause nuisances to be abated," not
in the opinion of someone else.
Messrs. Harris, Hurff and Smith, were
of the same opinion of Mr.. Summerill,
opposed to giving monarchial power and
the four voted to dispense with his SER
vices. H. L. Blolim voted to keep him.
Mr.. Summerill requested the secretary
to insert in his notification to the du-
Pont Company who pay Mr.. Knight, that
his dismissal was not because of the OPP
position 'to inspection and sanitary
49, lrA E1aa.rca 70 tho ,nnrCnrnal
animosity of the citizens to him, because
of his lack of discretion, tact and good
Judgment.
Further, Mr.. Summerill said, that he
purposed on acting on his W opinion
as the law says, and not on the opinion of
others. If his opinion did not coincide
with the State Boards opinion, rnat
Board had a State law to securely
protect from flies, dust, dirt and other in
furious contaminations, by the use of rea-
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