The Opelousas courier., 1884-08-16
a Royal Charity.
History, Present Condition and Needs.
of the Great Free Hospital of
Louisiana.

AuO III v SuAh wv
plete and comprehensive in its organl
cation and generous and unstlnteo I'D
it's wide-reaching nevoienc Ii
is at all times an object of interest to
all who know its good works., but
lust now it particularly commends it.
self to public attention because OF the
increased number of extensive and i'm
portant additions recently made.
Some brief history of this celebrat-
ed institution will not be amiss. From
an old chronicle of New Orleans it ap-
pears that
THE FIRST HOSPITAL
for INDECENT persons in this city was a
wooden building on the west side OF
Rampant street, between Toulouse and
St. Peter streets. 1t was destroyed by
a hurricane in 1879.
In 1884 under the Spanish domlna-
ton, Don Andres Almonaster y Roxas,
whose noble character and benevolent
disposition have been so often display
ed in the history of this city, applied
to Carlos III, King of Spain, for per-
mission to erect at his own expense
another hospital building of brick, on
the site of the wrecked one, and hav-
ing received it, built there at the cost
of S14, 900, a structure, which he call
ed the new Charity Hospital of st.
ECharles, in honor of the King. The
| building was finished in 1886, and was
additionally endowed by its founder
with a evenu of $500 a year, being
the proceeds of certain rents from GER
tain buildings corner of st. Peter n
New Levee streets. He also donated
to the hospital five slaves. The King
of Spain, by a Royal cedula, dated at
Araniuez, April %, 1892, applauded
the charitable actions of Don Almonas-
ter. and created him Patron of the
Hospital for life with right of reversion
to his heirs, under whose directions
the institution was administered to
Nsrch g, 1911, when Madame Mlcaelle
Almonaster, the surviving %patroness,
conveyed all her right, title and inter
est in the property to the city eorpor-
alton of New Orleans.
In the meantime
THE ST. CHARLES HOSPITAL
was destroy by fire, and buildings
were erected in 1915 for hospital pur-
poses on the premises now occupied by
the the Louisiana University, on Com
mon street, between Baronne and Dry
AIDES streets. These buildings were
subsequently sold to the State for $685.
900. and were occupied by the State
Government for the Legislature and
State offices, while the main building
of
THE PRESENT CHARITY HOSPITAL
was begun in 1881, on the square OF
ground which is now wholly occupied
by the hospital. This bnilding is still
standing, and is the imposing structure
which is seen as the Common street
front. 1t is 200 feet long by rs feet
deep and is three stories high. the Gen.
trail portion being crowned by acupola.
| This building was erected at a cost of
about $500 0 including thu cost of
the land. The new hospital was able
to shelter and care for $40 patients and
was pravided with what were consider
ed half a century ago all the modern
improvements.
TIMES CHANGE,
and fortunately the Charity Hospital,
which had come under the are of the
State of Louisiana, vas in the main
we'll conducted and provided for.
From time to time such improvements
and additions as were found to be re-
auired were made, and under the adj
ministration of Gov. Francis I.
Nichols, a considerable building to be
used as female wards was added.
An interesting epitome of the vari-
GUS benefactions to the hospital is pre-
sented by the inscription on
A MARBLE TABLET,
let into the wall. This tablet tells its
story as follows:
The Charity Hospital of Louisiana
was founded in the year Of 1856, BY
Don Andres Almonaster y Roxas, tt
whose generous endowment, the mu.
nificence of the legislature of this State
and the liberality of the State of Penn,
sylvania, the community is indebted
for the means of erecting this edifce
built in the year 1882, his Excellenc,
A. B. Roman, being the Governor AMI
ex- ofico President of the institution
To record which and inscribe hereol
the names and contributions of it's dis
tinguished be~nefactors, this tablet ha
been erected.
Etienne Borel. 81, 600 90, Chas Sc hmidt 8 500 0
Robt. Cune-- 1000 90 John Burnside
J'lian Poydras, 10000 0
real estate stephen Hen
estimated. 35, 200 90 derson, Cot
Nancy Daven- soo al ton Press
port--.. QUO w Property es-
Eug Mccarthy 600 00lR. Y. Charm
re Taylor. 523 sol bury.-.... 1000 0
The most considerable improvement
that have ever been made TO the hos
pital have been a distinguished featur
of the administration of
H PRESENT GOVERNOR
of the State. The Governor of Louis
lana ia. ~ex-oficio, President or th
board to which the care of the insti
tuition is committed, and Gov. s. =
McEnery has always regarded the hos
pital with peculiar interest and solici
tude, and has been indefatigable in hi
efforts to give it encouragement an
support, and under his patronage th
GREAT PUBLIC MOVEMENT
which resulted in raising what is know
as the building and sewerage fund wa
contaminated. The history of thi
special benefaction is briefly but clear
~ set forth in the report of the Score
tary of the hospital, Hon. Edwin
Marks.
} From it it is learned that on Feb.
1888, the Board of Administrator
z / fhrn.anL- H. - rrr.,