The Portland daily press., 1874-10-09
Maine General Hospital.

The following is the report in full of the
Board of Directors Of the Maine General Hos
pital, crowded out of yesterdays issue:
The Directors of the Maine General Hospit-
al, in compliance with article Z of the bylaws
of the corporation, beg leave to present the fol-
lowing report:
1t may be remembered that ir the report sub
mitted last year. we stated that the money OBJ
tanned from the fair would be appropriated in
the liquidation of debts then existing, and to-
wards finishing the eastern pavilion and build
ing the kitchen, laundry and boiler house, n-
Guiding the steam heating apparatus, agreeab'y
to plans approved by our architect.
Satisfactory progress was made during the
summer and autumn, and in November work
was suspended, as usual, for the winter.
On inquiry as to our financial condition, our
treasurer reported u nearly exhausted treasury
but freedom from debt,-that additional money
must be raised to fulfill the purposes referred
to, and especially to furnish the hospital and
place it at the opening in suitable condition
for the reception and treatment OF patients.
In this exigency, your directors deemed it
expedient to invoke the aid of the state. Ac
cordingly memorial was presented at the last
session of the Legislature asking for an appro
priation of twenty-five thousand dollars. The
petition was favorably entertained, and a re.
solve for the amount specified passed the Sen
ate and House with great unanimty and re.
ceived the willing approval of the governor.
With resources thus acquired, work was recon.
menced in the early summer Of this year aud
has progressed uuinterruptedly to the present
time.
We now have the great satisfaction and
pleasure of announcing that the pavilion is
finished and nearly furnished-with boiler
house, laundry, kitchen. heating and cooking
apparatus attached, complete in all their parts
both for present and future wants-and that it
hn ndy fnrN haf< al1 IL
the month.
The entire work of construction, thus far, is
believed to be thorough and permanent GER
tainly for many years, and we trust it will re-
ceive your close and critical inspection.
Appointments have been made and accepted
70 some of the most important offices of the in
stitution. And to correct an error which we
have reason to believe widely prevails in the
community, we desire to .sav that the services
of the physicians and surgeons who may com
pose the medical and surgical staff of the Hos
pital will be rendered always without compen
satiOn.
The eastern pavilion can he made to answer
our purposes for limited time, but it is very
important that the central building be fin.
ished at the earliest possible day.
We shallineed the rooms it will furnish for
the use of the executive officers, and especially
for private apartments for that class of patients
who may be able and willing to pay liberally
for the manifold comforts and benefits, which
a well conducted hospital will always afford.
We believe that the central building, if fin.
ished, would soon be a source of substantial
revenue to the institution.
General Hospitals are supported in part by
payments OF reasonable board from all pa
tients who may have -or can command the
requisite means. 1t should be remembeled,
however, that such institutions are or ought,to
be great public charities, and in the absence of
state or municipal endowments, they can be
made so only by gifts and bequests toward a
general fund, and the establishment of free
beds, or by contribution for free bed fund
the interest Of which to be appropriated ex ,
clusively for the benefit of the poor.
In this connection permit US to say that sub.
scriptions for that object in small and large
sums are constantly made to the Massachuse It's
General Hospital. and have been from the
period of its opening to the present time, till
the free bed fund, as it is called, irrespective
of the general fund, amounts to more than six
hundred thousand dollars.
We earnestly hope that the wealthy and hui
name throughout our state, by generous con.
tributions, will enable this institution to en-
brace always in its benefcent aims the poo]
and destitute as well as the af1uent classes OF
society.
The hospital buildings, as contemplated in the
plan of our able architect we do, not expect to
finish in q day. 1t will require. more than one
decade to bring them to the completeness anG
perfection which we believe they will finally at
additions can always be made as future necessi
ties may require, and in conformity, we conf
IDENTIFY believe, with all improvements which
the most advanced principles of hospital con
struction may be able to suggest.
The Treasurer's account herewith presented
has been examined and audited by committed
appointed for the purpose, and it shows an un
expended balance in his hands of twelve thou
sand, five hundred and eighty-six dollars ant
sxty-four cents, out of which bills for work ant
material not yet presented will have to be paid
as well as the expense which will be incurred
in grading the grounds and enclosing them with
q suitable fence.
If the financial interests of the hospital will
admit of it, we recommend that three thousand
dollars be appropriated towards finishing the
first and second stories of the central building.
JOHN L. GILMAN,
ISRAEL WAsHBURN, JR
ANDREW SPRING,
A. w. H. CLAPP,
HoRATIO N. JOSE.
WILLIAM DEERING,
JOSEPH ii. WILLIAMS,
SAMUEL F.. HERsEY,
GEORGE WALKER.