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City Morgue
1897
02 17 A MORGUE AT LAST
After Much Discussion
the Council Takes Definite Action
Proposed for 116 S. First St.
The city
is at length to possess a morgue where the bodies of dead strangers may be
properly attended to without resorting to the seemingly inhumane practices
which have been in vogue here from time beyond memory. The question has been under discussion for
years, but the city fathers have never taken decided action. It seems now that
the morgue is to be a reality. At last
night’s session of the council the following report was read:
To the
Honorable, the Mayor and Common Council of the City of Watertown, Wisconsin:
The board
of public works and the committee on public building's, to whom was referred
the plans and specifications for a morgue and the advisability of constructing the
same and the probable cost thereof, make the following report: We disapprove of
the plans and specifications, but deem it advisable to construct a morgue, and
recommend the “Old Engine House" site situated in the First ward of this
city [116 S. First] as the proper place for the same; the probable cost of
repairing the building, including roof, and fitting room in same for purpose of
a morgue will not in our opinion exceed the sum of $500.
All of
which is respectfully submitted.
Nicholas Thauer,
Henry
Bieber,
A. E. Needham,
Board of
Public Works.
Alf.
Meyer,
Jas. J. Prendergast,
H.
Wertheimer,
Committee
on Public Buildings.
Before the
question on the adoption of the report was put, the mayor stated that unless
objection was raised Edward Specht would be allowed to speak on the
recommendations of the report. Mr.
Specht said petitions had been freely signed remonstrating against the location
of the morgue as proposed. He called
attention to the fact that it is in the heart of the city and that the
surroundings are not suitable for its establishment there; that the property in
question has laid idle for twelve years, is in very poor condition and a
detriment to the neighborhood. He was
ready to purchase the property at a fair price if necessary
to prevent the proposed action. In reply
to his remarks a number of the aldermen were heard. It was the opinion that the charter would not
permit the property to be disposed of except at auction, which would not be
advisable, as no price could be guaranteed. It was doubtful if a morgue could be located
elsewhere as cheaply and suitably. Alderman
Needham explained that the plan was to locate the morgue in the basement, with
a rear entrance, out of sight of the surroundings. The report was adopted by a unanimous vote and
a resolution calling for plans to refit the building to be submitted at the
next meeting was passed later in the session. Watertown
Republican. February 17, 1897
02 24 DO WE NEED A MORGUE?
Council Is
Apparently Not Discreet —
No Occasion for Spending the Taxpayers’
Money.
Since our
last issue our eyes have been opened to the fact that
the proposed action of the common council regarding the establishment of a city
morgue is wholly without precedent, an imposition on the taxpayers and a
senseless proceeding. In the first place
is it customary for cities to establish morgues? Can the members of the council cite any city
that has a public morgue? We think not. They are generally the private concerns of undertakers,
and perhaps in rare cases county institutions. It stands to reason that cities have no
business erecting morgues. The care of
dead strangers is wholly a county charge, all expenses being met by the county.
Why, then should our city authorities
interfere and expend $500 of the taxpayers’ money for no reason whatever? Has the city money to throw away? It seems to us sheer nonsense that the
tumble-down eye-sore on First Street, known as the old
engine house, should have any money expended on it. The city had much better dispose of it.
When this
matter is seriously considered, most everyone will agree that the council has
no right to appropriate money from the city treasury to be expended on a
morgue. If one is to be established here
let the county pay for it. The matter
certainly comes under the head of expenses entailed on account of dead strangers,
who, as is well known, are county charges. The action of the council on this matter at
the last meeting should be reconsidered, or else Mayor Racek
should veto the report and the veto should be sustained. Such action would be in the interests of the
taxpayers. Watertown
Republican, February 24, 1897
03 24 MORGUE QUESTION SETTLED.
Room to Re
Fitted up in City Hall on
North First St.
Repairs for Old Engine House
Action was
taken at last night’s meeting of the common council which will no doubt
definitely settle the question of a public morgue. Alderman Skinner offered the following
resolution, the board of public works failing to make any report on the
resolution passed at the meeting February 16:
Resolved,
That a new roof be put on the old jail building at a cost not to exceed $55 and
that the contract for the same be let by the committee herein provided for at
not to exceed said figure; also
Resolved,
That a room be fitted up in the southwest corner of the city hall basement,
according to specifications hereto attached, at a cost not to exceed $65, and
that the contract for the same be let by the committee herein provided for at
not to exceed said figure; and
Resolved ,
That a committee of three be appointed by the mayor to let the above contracts
for said work; and said committee is hereby authorized to enter into said contracts
as above and have the work done immediately; and that said committee
superintend said work and report to this council of its doings at its next
regular meeting. The resolution was
adopted by a vote of 10 to 2, and the mayor named the following as the
committee: Aldermen Stone, Wertheimer and Kessler. Watertown Republican, March
24, 1897
History of Watertown, Wisconsin