The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1884-10-26
4 GOLDEN YOUTHFUL.
Seven Thousand Dollars for
Four Days Work.
4 DENTISTS LITTLE BILL.
whst It Cost President BIanoo for
Filling His Family
Teeth.

The following appeared in the New
York Tfuss of July ID, concerning a bill
vbiob was sent to Gen. Blanco, the
venezuelan President, last week, for
nrofessional work, fer Mrs. Blanco and
two of her daughters. The three ladies
acting on the advice of friend in this,
city. went to Dr. Atkinson, at No. Al East
Ninth Street. and arranged with him
for treatment. This was one week ago
last Monday, and as the President and
his family were going to sail on the fol-
lowing Saturday, there was necessity
for haste. DR.. Atkinson set aside other
engagements, hired additional help, and
vent TO work. The day before the.
family sailed, the ladies left the doctors
office believing that their teeth were as
sound as dental skill could make them,
and prOfessedly satisfied with the work.
A bill was sent to President BlancO,
charging 81, 900 for the service He was
somewhat astoniShed at what he be-
ieved to be an enormous price for four
days' work, and showed the bill to
friend. The friend was likewise astoun-
ded. He put the bill in his pocket took
it into the billiard-TCOm, and. told the
story as capital joke to his .acquaint-
ances. 1t was repeated over the billiard
tables, drifted into the bar-room, stirred
up with the social milk punch, and was
chuckled at by professional men in the
reading-room. President Blanco was
not at all pleased with the notoriety he
vas getting, and would have paid the
bill to avoid publicity, but his friends
dissuaded him, from doing So The
gentleman to whom he had shown the
6M in the first place called on DR.. Akin
son, and suggested that perhaps there
vas q mistake. -
"Oh nc" said the doctor, mot at all
That Is the amount of my bill.
The friend went away protesting that
The sum was an imposition and would
not be paid. President Blanco went
away, and left sum of money (said to
be 81 500 in the hands of a business firm
whom he had some dealings with, re-
questing them to come to an amicable
settlement if they could do so.
Dr.. Atkinson lost his temper when he
heard that other people were inclined to
interfere in his business and make the
matter public, but he declined to have
anything to say for purely professional
reasons. A fellow-dentist, who had
talked over the matter with DR.. Atkin-
son, and was acquainted with the facts,
said; "Dr. Atkinson considers his pro-
fessional services worth $50 an hour,
and if people go-to him suppose they
must expect to pay him his price. Mrs. |
Blanco knew that her bill would be large,
though there were a few charges which
she probably did not take into consider
a ion. DR.. Atkins0n'5 three sons are
engaged with him IN the business. When
he employs them on his own patients o.
course he pays them by the hour.
am told that the dentists worked with
the three ladies in the chair from early
morning until dark, and the artificial
part was done on extra time in the eve
ningS. OF course that went into the
bill. Then, at President Blanco's re-
quest, all other engagements were set
aside until this work was done. That
involved loss of custom, which was
probably taken into consideration"
II compromise is not reached an
appeal viii be made to the courts.