Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1873-01-29
The CITY HospitaI.

EDITORS CHRONICLE: Most persons VIII |
heartily endorse what has been so well said |
by former correspondents of the CHRON- |
ICLE of the necessities for a hospital in |
Knoxville. These can hardly be eXager-
ated. Every days experience demon /
strates more forcibly than my language |
can, this great want Then to say moth
ing of the higher claims of humanity, NOR |
ality and religion, the material interests of |
the town would be largely subserved by
such an institution. 1t is foreign, howev~ !
er, TO the writer's present purpose to speak |
of that phase of the question, hoping that
others may do it, and the subject kept con-
stantly before the public eye, till some
thing shall be accomplished in the direc- !
tion indicated worthy of our growing
town.
Without distrusting the motives of "Non
Quis Sed Quid,n in Il November issue of
the CHRONICLE, from my stand point,
most unqualifiedly dissent from point or
two in his communication, which would
seem to call for reply, and 1T was
presumed that the gentlemen who hold
in trust the donation of real estate
and money that has been made
for hospital from their supposed
interest in the matter, as well as their IA
mliarity with all the facts in the case,
would have noticed them AS they have
not, allow an outsider, though by no
means an Indifferent one to the wants of
the city or the claims of humanity to say
q word for the lot already under fence as n
most eligible one for the proposed hos
pital.
So far as the writer's observation has
gone, other things being equal sites have
been selected for buildings of this charac-
ter away from public thoroughfares, away
from the noise and confusion incident to
commercial centres, and the din OF the
work shop, and where the advantages of
GOOD air, spacious grounds and pleasant
it,rr hn
then when town has outgrown itself,
such institutions have found themselves in
the hearts of towns, but uniformly to the
regret Of their officers, and il some instan-
ces such localities have been abandoned at
great sacrifice, and more desirable points
secured. Now, the locality in question
seems to meet all the requirements sug-
gested above. Easy of access, it is re
moved from most Of the noise, hustle and
confusion of town, from the bad air and
noisome smells always generated by cities.
The grounds are high, dry and spacious,
commanding extensive views in every d-
rection and presumably healthy. Though
the locality was donated for hospital pur-
uoses it is very doubtful if a more eligible
site could have been secured, had the ply
sicians mentioned by Non Quis Sod
,luid - been made q committee to select
location for the purpose of a hospital in
or out of town. SO much for the utter
neligibility of the piece of ground known
as the hospital lot.
But it seems, in the estimation of your
correspondent, that the lands are not worth
retaining, or, to use his language, are of
little worth. This is certainly news to
most property holders in this part of town.
1t had been supposed that the lot was
really valuable, and from the eagerness
with which property in that neighbour
mood has been sought, and from the prices
paid for lots, certainly not more desirable,
IT must be that your correspondent is not
well posted, or does he take the alternative
Of the fox in the fable ?
While not as valuable for very many
purposes as Gay street property, for the
specific purpose for which it was donated,
it is vastly preferable and more valuable.
The size of the lot is such that buildings
can be so erected as not to be iuterfered
with by any buildings likely to be put up
on adjacent property, so that for the pur-
poses of hospital it can never be less
valuable. If by an eligible lot your cor
respondent would select one nearer the
business of the town, the money required to
purchase such n lot, for it must be larger
than for ordinary building purposes, would
20 far in putting up suitable buildings
upon this site.
But it is objected that this property is in
litigation. 1t may be So but so far as the
writer has been able to learn, the court re-
cords show no proceedings of the kind. 1t
is apprehended that if such proceedings
have been threatened it is only threat, a
game of bluff by interested parties. And
if the gentlemen who are in occupancy
would go ahead and complete the work in
augurated by the lamented dead, nothing
more would be heard of litigation, and
they would receive the benedictions of a
grateful PEOPLE