The daily gazette., 1883-09-03
The 4th Day of September
's-----7---
OUR GREAT NEED.
Something for Wilmington's g sPhilanthropic
Citizens to Ponder Over.

Something for wilmington g sPhilanthrOpic
Citizens to Ponder Over.
To THE EDITOR OF THE GAZETTE: Sir
Our people need a hospital for contagious
diseases, more particularly smallpox pa
tients. We cannot hope to be rid of small.
pox Tor any great length of time; we are too
near the cities of Philadelphia and Balti-
more. The weekly reports show that small
pox exists in the hospitals of said cities all
t, time. Mechanics and laborers are con-
tinually coming and going from our city.
These people come from all parts of the
United States and foreign countries.
think 1t is clear to any and all persons who
will give this subject of travelling from place
to place a careful investigation, that we are
likely to have the smallpox brought to our
city any day by this rowing set of people.
Now the question is, how are we to get such
hospital erected | believe most of our
taxpayers say, "Hold, enough; no more
increase of the bonded debt of our city,
This being the feeling our city Legislators
will take no steps toward erecting such a
building; what are we to do2 Fold our
hands, remain silent In regard to this i'm
portant matter and allow the reputation of
our city to become by-word, and first. class
working men shun us because we make no
provision for them in case of emergency 7
Can we have building without the aid of
The large manufacturing establishments in
our city owe 1t to the poor workingmen to
provide such place for their comfort when
stricken down by this dreadful disease.
believe that If a committee of our wealthy
men would take this matter in hand, they
could raise, say $25, 900 In one week, which
would be ample to erect such a building as
we want now. The expense of maintain
ing the hospital could be borne by
the city. If some great confagration OF
/ some deadly disease were to visit any of our
towns in this State and the people were rem
| dered homeless, with death and starvation
staring them in the face, ask how long
/ would it take our people to raise $25, ,0OG
or more, to relieve their wants and save
them from death 1t would be done at once.
Our people, when aroused, are generous
toward suffering humanity. What we want
at this time is some one or more of our In.
fiuential men to take this matter In hand
and agtate 1t as a measure of the greates
importance to all of our citizens, and do Il
at once. Delays are dangerous. By re
manning silent, and giving this subject nj
thought, and allowing things to move along
In the old ruts, may cost the business mel
| of this city $500, 900 besides many lives.
Now, what will cause this loss l answe
fifty cases of smallpox in our city Will d.
It, Fifty cases at one time may cause fy
hundred cases to exist before the diseas
could be controlled. With a hospital pro
perly managed, the diseaseca be kept unde
control, and our city saved the humiliation
of becoming a pest house. New Castl'
county can build Court House, Aims
house, numerous expensive bridges and th
like, but our city will do nothing in thi
matter. In other cities the people kee
ahead of e.county. They make the in
proVements and do all things necessary
cause the people to keep pace with this prt
gressive age. Who will agitate ibis subje'
at oncef K. b. FRAZER.
WILMINGTON, DEL, Sept. l. 1888.