South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-03-03
D|SM|SSES CHARGES
AGAINST STRUDBE
Local Milk Dealers Agree to
Withdrawal of Complaint
to Council.

Charges against Sanitary officer
Harry Strubbe. alleging misuse Of Of
fIce in encouraging an out-of-tOwn
milk dealer TO establish business in
Mishawaka in competition with local
dealers. which were filed with the
council three weeks ago and heard
before a councilmanic investigating
committee last Wednesday night,
have been dismissed and the case is
closed. The settlement OF the con-
trOversy was brought about by
Mayor Gaylor, who held a private
conference with the milk dealers inn
mediately after the hearing Wednes-
day night and induced them 10 agree
to Withdrawing the charges against
the sanitary officer
Friday Mayor Gaylor prepared
statement, which he submitted to
seven Of the local milk dealers who
were among the compiainants
against Mr.. Strubbe, all of whom
agreed 10 the conditions of the docu-
ment. Three Of the complaining
dealers could not be reached by tel
ephOne by the mayor for a submits
sion of the statement. but as the ma
jority of the dealers had Endorsed IL,
the executive considered that num-
Der sufficient
The statement is as follows:
After the hearing adjourned
Thursday evening invited the milk
dealers present to remain for a few
minutes conference. l told them
that in the three years and two
months which had been mayor that
not one of them had ever come to me
with a complaint Of any kind. and
that / felt that under the circum-
stances il was only fair that they tell
me frankly what their grievances
were and give me an opportunity TO
correct any matters concerning
| which they had made complaint.
| They agreed that my position was
| fair and just and we had a very full,
| free and friendly discussion of their
| grievances, which involved the ques-
tion of the passage of an ordinance
requiring the pasteurizatiOn of all
milk sold in the city. the esta blish-
ment of a municipal milk plant and
| the alleged activities of Mr.. Strubbe.
sanitary officer. in encouraging the
establishment of "a pasteurized milk
| plant in the city.
Il frankly told the dealers that at
no time during the life of this adj
ministratiOn had there been, nor was
/ il expected that there would be, an
| ordinance passed requiring that all
milk sold in the city be pasteurized.
! Il also told them that the city had
never for a single moment consider
! ed the matter Of establishing a mu-
| ricipal milk plant and that in my
| opinion there was no law by which
| the city could legally engage in such
business even if il desired TO do so.
| With reference 10 the activity of
] Sanitary officer Strubbe. in connec-
| ton with the new milk plant recent
| ly opened in the city, l frankly told
the dealers, as / had previously told
/ Mr. Strubbe, that / felt that he went
| beyond the scope of his duties as a
/ public official in permitting the pro-
I prietor of the new plant to accom-
| pany him on his round of the grocers
| Of the city or 10 in any way use his
| official position either for or against
any business man or set of business
men in a controversy of this kind.
The dealers admitted that their
| relations with. Mr.. Strubbe had been
| pleasant and agreeable up TO the
time of this controversy, and that he
| had accommodated many of them
! at different times, and il was a
( pleasure for me TO assure them that
in all his reports OF them to me he
/ had always spoken of them in terms
J of highest praise, that their stations
\ and wagons were exceptionally well
kept and in good sanitary condition,
and that without exception the tests
| of the milk handled by these dealers
was always above the average, and
that Mishawaka citizens were receiv-
ing from these men pure and
| wholesome supply of milk.
| 4 am also glad in this statement
10 call attention to the report OF
/ Caroline Bartlett Crane. the sanitary
and civic expert. who made a survey
of Mishawaka in the fall OF 1915. Az
this time she made a thorough in
spection OF all milk stations in the
] city and il, her report said that
/ these stations were of a much high
| er average than usual. we'll de-
served compliment to the milk della
I ers of cur city.
After this conference. and the
| explanations made and assurances
\ given by me, the dealers present
/ agreed that further Investigation
was not necessary.
RALPH ". GAYI,OR.