Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1920-10-27
IFAVORS CUT IN
:HEALTH DEPART N[NT
Mayor Duncan Urges COun-
Gil To Drop Three
Attaches
WOULD SAVE CITY S3720
FavarS Dispensing With Services OF
Bacteriol0gist. Nurse and Cie."-
Department New Costs S172O.

the city health depa:itmelt. resulting
IN a saving to the city Of S3720 IS re-
commeEder by Mayor James NJ. Dun
can in a communication submitted 20
tie city council at its meeting last
n. rh:. The matter was referred 10 the
joint committee en- health and firarce.
Mavor Duncans communication fc.-
lcws:
Alexandria. V:rgssia.
October 26, 1920.
City Ccurcil of
Alexandra, Virginia,
Gert'emen:
AT my inauguration as Mayor OF
;he City of Alexandria ! STATED that
would from time to time take up with
YOU such matters a., in my opinion.
required our consideration.
In pursuance of that polcy ] h'ln"
o ycfIr attention the present ccndi-
tcn cf the Department Of Health.
The Public Health service Of :hc
City of .Alcxam l1,ia consisted en- July
!. 1918 Of tt. fol!owin" officers and
ri the salaries named:
Dr.. F. 4. Gcrman. health officer
5000 per anrum; pr. J. J. GarvcE'
dcputy health officer 500 per a"num;
Dr.. W. 4. Warfieid physician TO poo:
$500 per annum; Tota! $1,000 pr an
NUM-.
which was ii that time the annual
cost to the ely of the maintenance Of
;lsa department. Of health.
On July III, 1918 the city council
mad. an appropriation of $4,000 for
sanitary purposes, and late" addition
al appropriations were made. Al that
time the heath officer received no
sYlary from the city. being paid by
the u. s. Pubic Health Service. Yet
in sn;te of that the net ccSt OF the
heath department to the c;ry was 10"
the wear ending May 81. 1919, S.
6O3 .96. (See pages 3, e. I, s ard 9.
financial report 19lS-l@. An increase
over the previous year CT s. %O3.96.
This was AL prior 70 June !. 1919
the date from which the Health De
pa,itment as new operated, began.
From figures furnished me by tn"
CITY Auditor ard which will appear IN
the Financial Report 1919 to May ii.
1920. when published. It will he seen
that the ncs cost Of the Health De-
pa,tment to the City for tina: period
was S7.529.S7 Of which amount ST.
3Oi.9l or all c,f the enormous total OF
the cos. of THE department but S2249h
was paid as salaries to employees OF
the Department, which shows that
th:c departmcnt is. for the city, a
very expensive luxury.
UP to October -. 1920. the present
wear, the 50 cah!ed ''incidertal en-
,pcrscs of the Health DePatment
which do not include any part Of the
"a .4rv of officers or employees amou''t
to $3333.S7. Ard the officers and en-
picyccs of the Department at TINS
.:mc and their annual salaries are
As follows:
HeaNh Officer, $500 per annum
Deputy Health Officer, $500 per an
mum; Ractericngist. $1,000 per ann;7n'
Nurse. $1,000 per annum; Clcrk S12o
per arnum; total of Salaries alcne
$7720. per anrum.
These figures are taken from -,
tailed report made for me by thu
CITY Auditor which ! VII! gladly fur
nish for your closer exam'fa;l"n' CT
ven c;rn. cf course. secure them d..
rctt!v from the Auditor: ana tnS%
sh'cw an increase IN salaries alone II
two years. CT Si420.N0.
There is also before me-. which
shall be glad 10 have you examine,
detailed report Of the work done Z!
the Department Of Heath for the YEA
from July /. 1919. TO Jurc 20, 1920
and for the north Of September. l!2o
These wrol;s 90 rot, in my cp,ncn
show anything Ike Justification fo
tshe enormous ccs4t cf this Depart
mcnt to the. City of Alexandria. and
urge urcn che Courc;' . very car"i%f!.
examination Of these eXpcn5l sure
with a view TO an immediate reduction
fFnlthq operating. exnsngSfes. OF tne De
( partment. In order that the Counci
may he fully and i,.teTligently advise,