El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1918-10-28

About half dozen special city Of
ficers were commissioned for duty at
the several large stores Of the city
Monday morning. to assist In the
check Of influenza. in accordance with
the following board Of health regula-
lions:
Rule for OrercrovdinE.
Special officers are 10 be located in
crowding, there shall be no special
bargain sales nor any places open
for business after s o'clock Saturday
nights in FL Paso during the remain
der Of the time the city is in the grip
OF the influenza epidemic.
After a series OF meetings beginning
Saturday afternoon at o'clock at
mayor Charlti Davis's office and cul-
ninating sunday afternoon at o'clock
AZ his home. where committee OF
business men conferred with the board
OF health, this rule was finally
adopted
Ban on Lettering.
The meeting Saturday Afternoon was
by the health board ITSELF which
adopted a resolution that no stores
nor public places Of any kind are TO
allow more than 25 people other than
employees to congregate at any one
time, and the health officer Of the
city Is empowered to close all places
where people are allowed to congre-
gate for nonessentiaI purposes. and
lettering for nonessential purposes is
hereby prohibited"
Chief Of notice Charles Pollock was
instructed TO enforce the regulation
at once, and its general terms caused
some confusion as TO which places
were affected. some restaurant men
believing that they were neither
stores nor places where nonessentiai
activities went on
Store Owners Agree.
Sunday morning a number or mer-
chants met at the chamber OF COM
nercs to discuss the matter and re-
solved that all stores agree to pay
for men TO avoid dangerous conges-
ton, and all agree to be regulated by
the rule Of 25" A committee was ap-
pointed 10 confer with the health
board, as follows: A Schwartz, Jake
Miller. Edgar Kayser, A s Howard.
Clarence Piclkrel. p z. Masters and
Tom King.
This committee met at the Univer-
sitT club during the Afternoon and
adopted recommendations for the
health board as follows That the
number Of persons in any one store
that the city appoint an officer. sala-
ries to be paid by the stores, for each
store, to avoid congestion; that all
special sales be eliminated"
Members OF this committee, and r.
" Dudley and the city health board
gathered at the mayors home at 5
o'clock and the matter was discussed
in great detail The business men
were unanimous IN the desire TO do
everything necessary to check the in
fluenza epidemic Mr.. Schwartz sug-
gssted that there were many details
not covered by the resolutions adopted
so far For instance. he cited eleva- I
tors. which. he thought. should not
be crowded He also suggested that
police officers prevent the gathering
OF children about the stores.
Dr. White Has Authority.
After considerable discussion. the
health board decided that its original
resolution remain. but that the health
officer, Or. H s White, be empowered
10 use his discretion in enforcing the
provision. that the large stores ap-
point officers TO prevent croWding;
that al stores close at 6 o'clock Satur- /
DAYS
Except that the city health officer /
may prevent overcrowding therein, Z
restaurants were considered not at I
fected by the original IS persons or I
der As the matter now stands. rea- /
sonable precautions must be taken TO /
avoid crowding and if in the opinion /
OF the health officer this is not done, 1
then there is a violation OF the order /
The various large stores through rep I
at the meeting at the /
mayors home. agreed to engage spe-
cial officers at once TO prevent all I
These officers viii &c &
about the stores and politely inform 4
all persons tending to gather unneces-
sarily to idsperse at once.
To Apply Rule of Reason.
TIE original order setting . per
sons as the limit for any one store \
viii not be enforced to the letter, as it /
appeared reasonable that some OF the \
larger stores could with safety ac-
commodate more persons than that 4
with perfect safety The rule viii re-
main in technical force, however, so
that, If any storekeeper allows unrea-
sonably large crowds to enter, there 1
viii be a legal provision for the case.
As the matter stands, 50 persons might
be a crowd for some stores. while in
others 100 would not be. The discre-
ton OF the city health officer shall
rule in all cases
No Soldier Deaths.
For the first time in two weeks no
deaths were reported at Fort Bliss or
IN the army camps Monday. Only IS
influenza cases were admitted over I
Sunday: g were discharged from the
base hospital and 216 cases Of the
disease are being treated In addition
is soldiers Of the district are SUI
,ering from pneumonia
Better Mt AOy Hospital.
The situation at the Aoy emergency
hospital was very gratifying Mondap,
having had only one death since Sun
lay noon. and being ready to discharge
3 patients. which will leave only %