The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-12-03
CITY MUST RAY MORE
TO RETAIN DR.. LEVY
dscnniond Health Department Chief
!. VIII Ask For Larger salary When
Estimates Are Submitted.
CAN MAKE MORE ELsEwHERE
During Ten Years That He Had Been
1t Head Of Health Department DIR.
levy Has Rejected Offers From
Other Cities.

II the city of Richmond would re-
tain her chief health officer. DR.. Il.
G. Levy, who. since the -eorganiza-
tion Of the city Health Department.
some ten years ago, has put the de-
partment among the foremost In the
nation, the city will have to increase
the salary now paid him-$3,300 per
J Rnnum.
When DIR. Levy and Administrator
Hirschberg were talking over the mat
ter Of making estimates for appro-
priations for the Health Department
In 1917, DR.. Levy yesterday mentioned
70 Mr.. Hirschberg that the figures he
would present would not include his
own salary, as he felt that his SER
vices and his knowledge Of public
health matters should bring him larger
return than the city IL paying him.
DR.. Levy. who has been engaged in
public health work for many years.
received more for his services before
he became city health ofiicer than
he Is now getting. and since he has
been in his present position he has
received and rejected a number OF
fattering offers from other city gov
ernments
Since DR. Levy has been chief health
ofhcer OF Richmond he has served the
city AZ one who feels that he owes
something to his city and Is willing
to serve at a sacrifice. That that has
been hts attitude In indicated by the
fact that he has not communicated
to the City Council the information
that he has been offered more else
where.
Has Attracted Wide Attention.
! Though DIR. Levy declines TO discuss
the matter. which In now the subject
of much speculation and conjecture
how much Of an increase In salary he
proposes to ask. whether he will re-
. main in his present post at higher
salary, and whether the city Will
make an increase--the opinion is
held In City Hall circles that his re-
quest for an increase in salary will
be to substantial amount one that
will warrant his continuing at the
head of Richmond's health affairs
DR. Levy, since taking hold OF the
Richmond Health Department in 1905,
has made this city ono OF the most
healthful in the United States. and
he has secured for the city the most
widely known pure milk supply In
the world. one that has ATTRACTED the
attention of experts from every state
in the Union and from European ana
Asian countries.
studied its system OF sanitation, and
In many of the larger cities Rich
nond has been patterned after. Mat
ie-s of sanitation. OF coping with out
breaks of contagion, and OF pure wa
ter supply, which have reached a
high state of perfection here. also
have attracted wide attention.
Has Built Efficient Machine.
i1r Levy. as head of the Richmond
department Is one of the best known
health officers in the country He
has for years been prominent In the
Godncils NJ the American Medical As
soc.ation and in other national health
ORGANIZATIONS. DR.. Ievy's staff is
most efficient organization, and II
would not welcome change Of head
THAT might result In a breaking up of
The splendid health machine the city
aow possesses.
whether or not the city. In view OF
reduced revenues. will feel that IL
can afford to increase the pay of Its
health chief is a matter that IL caus-
ing some concern in official circles.
When the estimate eff the needs OF
his dera = ment are made by DR.. Levy.
1t Is expected that he will follow
Chairman Hirschberg's advice and
present a separate paper setting forth
the amount at which his future sal
ary should be fixed. and his reasons
therefor DIR. Levy last night declined
TO discuss the matter, stating he may
have something to say at the proper
time.