The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-05-07
OrIeln and Obiects or thn uosn,,.,

back in the past as the year 1880 nAbout IN
end Oh ms year, says an old, time-stainet
volume, which gives a sketch of its foundation
and history during the first i've years of iu
existence, some persons who had frequent op
portunities OF observing the distress of suct
distempered poor as from time to time came e
philadelphia, for the advice and assistance O
the physicians and surgeons of that CITY: hoV
difficult it was for them to procure suitable
lodgings, and other cOnvemences proper fol
their respective cases, and how expensive the
providing good and careful nurses, and Other
attendants, for want whereof many must suffer
greatly, and some probably perish that might
otherwise be restored to health and comfort,
and become useful TO themselves their
families, and the publick, for many wears
after; and considering, moreover, that even
the poor inhabitants of this city, though
they had homes, yet were therein but badly
accommodated in sickness, and could not be 40
well and so easily taken care of in their sepa
rate habitations as they might be in one conye.
nient house, under one inspection and i'm the
hands OF skiltul practitioners; and several of
the inhabitants of the province who unbapniiv
became dIsOTdered in their senses wandered
about, to the terrour of their neighbours, there
being no place Except the house OF correction)
in which they might be confined, and subiected
TO proper management for their recovery and
that house was by no means fitted for suc1 nur.
poses; did charltably consult together, and con-
fer with their friends and acquaintance, on the
best means OF relieving the distressed under
those circumstances; and an Indrmary or Hos
pital in the manner OF several lately established
III NIedl DIlldlH, UelUB proposed, was
rally approved, chat there was reason to expect
a considerable subscription OF the inhabitants
OF ths city towards the support OF such Hos
pital."
The expense attending such an enterprise.
however, was considered too great to warrant
an expectation of success, unless the subscrp-
tiOn became general throughout the province,
and the assistance of the Asse Iby was OBJ.
tanned. For this purpose general petition was
drawn up and presented to the "HonorabIe
House OF Representatives of the Pro vince of
Pennsylvania" on the 23d of January, l75O-5I
This petition SET forth the facts enumerated
above, and in addition pleaded the cause of the
impoverished sick by saying that ''somethinp
further seems wanting in favor of such whose
poverty Is made more miserable by the addi-
uonal weight OF grIevous disease, from which
Ihey might easily be relieved, if they were not
situated at too great a distance from regular
advice and assistance, whereby many languish
out their lives, tortured perhaps with the stone,
deVoured by the cancer, deprived of sight by
cataracts, or gradually decaying by loathsome
dlstempers."
The Provincial Charter.
A Dill Tor accomplishing the object in view
was read the first time on the lst of February
Following, but for time it was in great danger
OF defeat, by reason of the inability of MANY
OF the members TO comprehend the neces.
slty or usefulness of the enterorise, and the
expressed lear that the expense OF paving the
physicians would soon eat up any fund that
could be raised for the purpose. Three gene
rous physicians-Lloyd Zachary, Thomas Bond
ana Phineas Boud by name-obviated the last
ooJecton by volunteering to attend the Hos
RItaI ior three years without charge; and on
the 7tn OF February the bill passed the House
ana received the Governors assent in Nav fol-
lowing.
- This act provided for the establishment of ga
hOspltal, for the reception and reiet of luna
ticks, and other distempered and sick moor
within this province:' and further provided that
lhe original contributors of the sum of ten
pounds or more should assemble on the first of
III q Dh fD1i III, 1T
after contribute like sum should meet on the
nrst Monday in May, yearly tOreyern at some
convenient place in the city, to elect by ballot
@ IweIVe persons out OF their own number to act
rs managers of the contribution and Hosnitai
until the next election, together with one other
person TO I'LL the position of treasurer This
BOARD OF Managers were empowered to make
uo 9Il tne necessary rules and regulations of the
nosPltal, provided they were not repugnant to
the laws OF England OF of the province, and
were duly approved by the Chief Justice the
speaker OF the Assembly, and the Attorney
General for the time being. 1t was further nr5-
Vloed that the Hospital should be omen to Htha
SICK and oistempeIed poor from any part of. the
province without partality or preferences u The
he caHtiS PIGVlaed that as soon it should
tne tlme Oelng, that capital stock of f2OO6 had
! oeen raised Dy contribution, the Speaker should
ISSUE ISSUE warrant on the provincial treasurer. or
uuslees OF the loan office, for the navmenf Of
TWO yearly instalmeuts of Gloon eac5 az tIo oa
treasurer OF the Hospital. This aDpronriation
was 10 pe applied TO the founding hn1Idino Ia
tuIalt tturnltening Oh the Hospital; while the in
9eIest OF the contributions was to he
4eVoted TO the accommodation of the notjortS
IN c0hclusl0n, 1t was provided that an occoI,,1t
OF az tue disbursements together with a Iist Of
i, i .He ec%pn'Toutlons, con should be published ANN.
any III tue Gdzette, or other neWsnaDers. thot
Ihe DOCKS OF the institution should ot aII ti,,
pe open 10 the inspection of visitors annointo5
py the Assembly; and that in case there SbiI
noI pe constant succession of contributors to
meet annually for the election Of Mo'o MoIo w
then the entire estate and AFFAIR." n. tb
shoulu pc under the management of sncb po,"i ppo.
sons as the General Assembly might troDi .P Pel'
to time appoint for the purpose ''0i" "lne
In short time the subscrintion co,,.;1,..,,
exceeded the amount required nv ,be act o,s aoty
the appointed time majority of the con III 4 az
tors assembled at the State House in pnIiasnI
phia, and elected John Reynall as TreasnTeT
and the following persons as Manapers. IoateCt,
Crosby, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Rond
Samuel Hazard, Richard Peters, Israel Pemha
ton, Jr., Samuel Rhodes, Hugh Roberts -JoseDL
Morris, John Smith, Evan Morgan, and Charles
Norris.
A Grant of Land from the Proprietor,..
Is Rejected.
After inspecting several lots of ground in tht
city, the Managers came to the conclusion thae
one belonging to Thomas and Richard Penu
the Proprietarles of the Province, and situated
on Mulberry (now Arch) street, between Ninth
ana Tenth, was the most suitable, as 1t waj
situated In an unimproVed part of the town, anC
would afford tue necessary open air for mauy
years TO come. They therefore presented TO the
tIoPIletarles petition, setting forth the objec
IN view, and requesting the grant of this lane
1Or the purpose. The petition was answered in
Octooer, i76l, but in manner that was fal
rom satisfactory to the Managers anC
SSn Soli'rlOuIo[s. ~ The Proprietaries offered to
OF lot on the north side of sassafras 7noV
Racel street, between Sixth aud Seventh haine
aporuon Oh tne ground now enclosed in Frank