The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-09-10
THE HOSPITAL.
Why 1t Should Not be Built on the Poor
Farm.
Let the Supervisors Act Wisely and
Not Squander the Peoples
Money.


supervisors, it is presumed. will be de
cided the location of the hospital for the
care of the insane To the people of this
county, this is subject of vital import
ance. On the part of the board of super.
visOrs, their decision may affect genera
tiens yet unborn.
The resolution passed by the board,
submitted the question as to the issuing
of bonds 1t reads as follows:
Resolved, That the board of supervisors
submit to the people of this county at the
first general election, the question of issu
ing bonds in the sum of $4,000 for the
purpose of building hospital for the
care of the insane. Said hospital to have
a medical and surgical ward and the loea
ton to be decided by the board If super
viSors.
The voters of the county, in acting
upon this resolution, authorized the issu-
ing Of bonds in the sum of SEQ, When
this resolution was before the people for
adoption, it was tacitly agreed and under
stood that the hospital was TO be located
at point easy of access and near or in
close proximity to the centre of popula
ton within the county The people of
Moline, Rock Island and vicinity claim
that under this tacit understanding, the
hospital should be placed in this vicinity
They say the board might as well, and
better. make a bonfire of the bonds if they
are issued with the intent Of placing
the hospital on the poor farm
They say that the county has already
spent money enough in building an
nexes or attachments to structures on the
poor farm. They say that this question
OF caring not only for the insane, but
also for the poor who seek relief by
taxation, is growing to be an enormous
question in which every tax payer has a
pecuniary as well as moral interest.
They say the present process of voting the
peoples money so literally is breeding
paupers, and the children of those they
support are being educated to believe
that the county owes them support and
q living. 1t is charged that the present
system is so loosely run that persons who
own real estate have for years received
aid from the county, although the head
of the family could with ease support his
wife and children. The kind hearted
officials are only msn, and they are, no
doubt, often persuaded against their better
Judgment to respond to appeals for aid.
What Rock Island needs is the inaugu-
ration of a system on this question. that
will be advantageous TO the unfortunates
as well as creditable and advanta-
geous to our tax payers And
in starting the hospital it seems to be an
oppOrtune time to start it in a way that
will oe creditible to us. Hon. Bailey
Davenport has generously offered to
donate the county four acres on the line
of the Milan street railway for hospital
purposes. 1t is beautiful location
high elevation, easy of access location
to which no one should object. 1t is
claimed by some, that the board of super
visors have no legal right to issue bonds
for the erection of building for the in
insane on the poor farm, by reason of the
tacit understanding to which we alluded.
A doubt might thus be thrown upon the
issue Of the bonds and the county be in
volved in litigation. that would be
scourge to it,.
We think we voice the sentiments O
this community, when we ask the SUPER
visors to weigh well and carefully this
subject. The people of this generation
probably have less interest than any gen
Grafton which follows us.