Cutting Down The Bills

$4,000 Contagious Diseases Bills Allowed

Standard Time Goes

The Supervisors Refused to Allow the Court House Clock to be Changed to Local Time

The board of supervisors adjourned late Friday afternoon, after a lively afternoon session. The main work of the session was on contagious disease bills. The committee in charge scrutinized them closely and each bill was explained to the supervisors. About $1,000 worth of bills were withdrawn or cut down before presentation owing to the attitude of the committee. The bills for contagious diseases reported out amounted to $4,603.55, and of this amount $775.08 was disallowed on recommendation of the committee. It will be remembered that it is only three months since the supervisors met before. 

Two physicians' bills were vigorously pruned Friday. Dr. Neil A Gates, of Dexter, had bills in for $432. They were allowed $341. Dr. John Kapp's bill in the Shadford smallpox case was $400, cut down to $160. This bill was for 16 visits, Dr. Kapp having a contract with the board of health for $25 a day. The board considered $10 a day sufficient and so allowed it. 

Considerable feeling is growing on the board against local boards of health certifying to such large bills and even in many cases encouraging their presentation. There are occasional exceptions. One local board of health rejected several hundred dollars of bills. 

In an effort to cut down the expense of contagious diseases, which is fast becoming the heaviest country expense, a committee consisting of Supervisors Damon, Harriman, Bacon, Landwehr and Warner were appointed to make contracts with physicians to attend all contagious disease cases for which the county is expected to pay. Mr. Damon is to have charge of the Ypsilanti district, Judge Harriman, of the Ann Arbor District, Mr. Bacon, of the Chelsea district, Mr. Landwehr, of the Manchester district, and Mr. Warner, of the Milan district. 

The bill of Ann Arbor city for $918 for the county's share of the Ann street paving was referred to the building committee and the prosecuting attorney for investigation, the committee to report at the next meeting.

The question having arisen as to whether or not the building committee did not go out of office with the expiration of their term of office as supervisors, Judge Harriman introduced a resolution, which was carried, appointing a committee of citizens to have charge of the buildings of the county until the next meeting of the board. This committee consists of Messrs. Damon, Oesterlin and Bacon, the same men who constituted the supervisors committee. 

Standard time was clinched just before adjournment, at least until next October, and by that time everybody will be using it. It gave rise to considerable excitement. A motion to adjourn had been made, but held back to allow some unimportant matter to be brought up. Then Supervisor Lutz, of Saline, moved that the court house clock be set back to local time. Supervisor Oesterlin seconded it and the fun began. Supervisor Miner made an exceedingly forcible speech in favor of standard time and it looked as if the board was in for an extended debate. Supervisor Whittaker cut this short by insisting on the motion to adjourn. He cut off debate on this motion by a point of order and the board voted to adjourn. 

An attempt was made during the session of the board by Supervisor Holmes to materially change the county's method of keeping accounts and to bring all bills, which are now paid by the county clerk before the board for payment. This was finally defeated by a vote of 10 to 13.