Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-11-26
TIE CONTAGIOUS HOSPITAL.
What the Secretary Of the Columbia
Heights Association Says.

What the Secretary of the Columbia
Heights Association Says.
Mr.. George Simmons. secretary Of the
Columbia Heights Citizens Association, on
being questioned by Star reporter on the
attitude of his association on the subject
of the proposed location of the contagious
disease hospital said:
Perhaps no site that could have been
selected for the hospital would have been
der is that the Commissioners. who have
heretofore been regarded as careful busi-
ness men, should have made such a serious
mistake. OF course, the subject is Of vital
importance to the members of our ASSOC
citation. who are nearly all residents OF
the invaded section, and we will be found
in the hottest of the fight against this out
"Our fight against the contagious hospital
dates back to last spring, when an unsuc-
cessful attempt was made to place Ii In
the grounds of Garfield Hospital, and the
enmities then engendered had. / think,
much to do in influencing the Commits
sioners In making the present selection.
They keenly felt the sting of defeat, and
revenge. Indeed, the site now sought to be
utilized for the purpose was acquired last
June just after the Garfield Hospital pro-
1ect was abandoned.
There can be no Justification of this
selection from any standpoint, whether Of
public utility or public or private interest.
~ medns financial ruin to many q poor
man VINO has invested all Of his earnings
In nome or In lot as an investment, for
there Is no dfsputing the fact that the es-
tabiis hment OF such an institution In our
MIDST means ruinous depreciation of sal-
ues. One discouraged young man remark
ed to me today that all of his savings for
tne past ten years were recently invested
near the proposed site, and that he now
felt as If all was gone. This is only one
case In many where great individual hard
shlps would result. And looking at the
matter from public point of view its
working would be equally ruinous.
Mount Pleasant is the most fiourishing
or our suburbs, and in a few years, IL not
blighted. will be the center of a vast popa-
lation. During the past two years of finan-
cial depression 1t has enjoyed unusual pros
perity, more buildings (structures of q
costly character, having been constructed in
II than In all the other suburbs combined.
All this developing activity means rich adj
ditions to the Districts Golfers in the mat
ter of Increased taxes; but now il Is pro-
posed to strike down this liberal contribu-
ton of finacial wealth! And why? 1t can
not be for want of a more suitable location
for the hospital There must be some other
reason, and some are uncharitable enough
to suggest a mercenary one But. OF
course, do not subscribe to this, for our
Commissioners are honorable men-men
who are above any suspicion of the kind.
Consider the location from q sanitary
standpoint. and the objections are still
more serious. The Mount Pleasant plateau
stands high, and its sewerage system ex-
tends into and through tie city to the
southwark and sourheastward. Now, this
proposed site is on the verge Of two large
sewers, which carry their filth into and
through the city. 1t is well established
fact that the germs of contagion, especially
that of smallpoxare conveyed through such
channels. / read an account some time
since of a dreadful smallpox epidemic that
ravaged one of the larger Barbarian towns.
in which the fact was brought out that the
disease reached the town from an elevated
49,. ~sx.N t1rAtt rE
will be seen that the health Of the whole
city would be menaced by the establishment
here of the pest
''The main object of a contagious disease
hospital is to prevent the spread of disease
by means of isolation, but the Commis-
sioners would reverse matters by placing
the pest in the midst of population. thereby
greatly aiding the spread Oh disease , ..-
ceed / have too much confidence In the
honesty, integrity and good sense OF the
tribunals to which we are going TO appeal.
But we must not indulge that oyerconn-
dence born Of a righteous cause. What Is
most needed now is a rest from the agita-
ton of this subject The act OF Congress
under which the pest house Is sought TO
be established was approved In March,
1893 and ever since that time, nearly two
years ago, the residents Of differ ent sec
lions of the city end District have been
subjected to unnecessary worrlment py
having hoisted over their heads the specter
of a contagious hospital. The Commission
ers have sh own themselves entirely inca
pable of properly attending to the matter.
and 1t ought to be placed in other and
more capable hands. 1t may be that their
other duties have been too exacting to
give proper attention to it, and have no
doubt but that they would like to be re-
lieved of the annoying duty.
II would, therefore, suggest the follow
ing as a practical and satisfactory method
of disposing of this troublesome question:
Let the law be so amended as to limit the
territory within which the hospital shall
be established by providing that IL shall
not be located within one or two miles OF
the original limits of the cities of WASH
ington and Georgetown, and that the site
shall be selected by the surgeon general OF
the army"