Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 9.djvu/492

 474 THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF SOCIOLOGY

this vast power, and we hope to show that the results under Commissioner Lederle's honest and efficient administration of the board have amply justified this claim. Besides, a citizen has every chance to defend himself against an unjust order of the health officers. For, where he considers an order unnecessary or based upon an error of facts, as stated by an inspector, he may appeal to the department in writing, giving his reasons, Such application is always considered by the sanitary superin- tendent, or his assistants, and where they consider the project justified, they may recommend to the board that there be a reinspection, this time by a different inspector. This is very often done in doubtful cases, for it is to the interest of the department itself that it be very sure of its ground before beginning actual prosecution. As a result, when the Board of Health does finally begin an action, it usually wins its case and is respected accordingly.

Some sample complaints. The miscellaneous character and remarkable form of many of the complaints received from citi- zens often afford amusing reading. Thus, one up-town gentle- man writes as follows to the department :

Are you going to let the goats rule N. Y.? 50 of them from 106 to i i6th St. The Italians own them. Don't let your officers fool you. Send an Irish

Cop tO MACSWEENEY.

Another man put his request in this form :

GENTLEMEN: MARCH 25.

Please send one of your inspectors to the Italian Barber Shop, 763 Q Avenue, There is a Man and Wife and 4 children and 2 workingmen and a dog all living in a little room back of the store, this is dangerous for the neighborhood, and bad for other people who have children, and must be against the Sanitary Laws, the landlady Mrs. Philips lives in 403 W. 51 St.

Thanking you

Many of the complaints from uneducated persons also furnish the poor complaint clerk grammar and idiom with which to con- jure. Here, for instance, is a sample postal card picked out at random from hundreds of others. It was probably written by some old soul who had been driven what might be termed door- crazy.