The Washington times., 1895-02-10
NOT FOR SMALLPOX CASES
Pleasant Plains Hospital for
Minor Contagious Diseases.
REPLY TO SENATOR SHERMAN
Declaration of the Commissioners That the
Ohio Legislator Was Wrong in His Speech
Annual Report Quoted to Show the Posi-
ton Of the Local Rulers on the Subject.

The District Commissioners say that Sena-
tor Sherman was arguing from incorrect in
formation in his recent speech before the
Senate. when he declared it to be the pur-
pose OF the board to include smallpox among
the diseases to Do treated at the hospita
which it was proposed to erect at Pleasant
Plans.
They point to their report upon the sub
ject. parts of which have been heretofore
published in The TIMES, as a refutation Of
this statement, and while they eoneede that
the Senator believed what be said, the fact
that the statement went unehallengsd at the
time renders it desirable from their stand
point that their real purpose should be again
stated.
President Ross and Commissioner Powell
both informed THE TINES reporter that the
location of hospital at Pleasant Plains was
for the treatment of minor diseases only, and
repeated what was said upon the subject
in their annual report, which was substGn-
italy as follows:
in the appropriation bill for the last fiscal
year the Commissioners were authorized to
purchase a site for contagious hospital
They were advised by those deeply interested
in the matter, and who were largely instru-
mental in securing the appropriation there
for, as well as by prominent members OF the
Medical Society of the District OF Columbia,
that no smallpox, cholera. or other diseases
OF highly contagious character would De
treated there, the sole object being to provide
a suitable hospital for the proper isolation
and treatment OF minor diseases OF a con-
tagious character, such as now exist IL most,
if not all, of the large cities in this and
European countries. They were further ad-
vised that a site suitable for the purpose must
be located on high and weli-drained ground.
free from liability 10 malarial influences, con-
venient of access. and not remote from the
center OF population.
TRIED TO BUY PRIVATE PROPERTY.
"Failing to secure site upon United States
or District property the Commissioners made
several attempts to purchase private prop
erty for the purpose. After months of unsuc-
cessful effort to secure a site satisfactory to
the owners OF contiguous property 1t became
apparent that. owing to the prejudice exist
ing in the public mind against such hospi-
tai and the general belief in its damaging
character, it would be impracticable to pur-
chase a site with the consent of the adjacent
lot owners. Therefore the Commissioners
proceeded to acquire title 10 lots 6, Z, %, and
49, block 8. in Todd an1 Browns subdivision
of Mount Pleasant Plains, without consulting
the owners of the adjoining property
1.-The site selected was believed by the Com
missioners TO te eminently suitable to the
purpose and to fulfill ali the requirements of
the case. Not being on any thoroughfare, it
is rs free from objection rs it would be pos
sible to find. 1t had been suggested by
officials of the Garfield Hospital and Of the
Freedman's Hospital that the ground be-
longing to those institutions afforded suitable
and desirable sites fo- contagious hospital;
the advantages. aside from the convenience
Of location in either case. being that one
corps of physicians could attend the patients in
/ thetwo hospitals. This proposition was favored
by the medical staff of both of those hospitals.
! but owing TO the opposition OF Howard
| University and TO some OF the trustees OF the
Garfield Hospital, these sites were atan
doned and the present one selected for,
/ among other reasons, its convenience TO
/ those hospitals. The reasonable price al
/ which the ground could be purchased (2715
/ cents per foot), considering the small amount
/ of the appropriation, was an additional
! factor in favor of this site.
"As soon as it became known that it was pro-
/ posed to locate a contagious hospital on
/ these lots the residents and property holders
| in the vicinity and along the entire northern
| boundary line of the city, between Seventh
/ and Sixteenth streets, and extending as far
north as Brightwood, became very much ex-
! cited over it. and forcibly Indicated by reso-
| lutions passed at public meeting and by
| numerous letters IN the newspapers, their
/ opposition to erecting a hospital anywhere
! in that region. The protestants numbered
| among them many of our most prominent
and influential citizens, who are deeply i'm
| pressed with the idea that the hospital is to
/ be pesthouse and that its erection there
will endanger the lives of the residents in the
/ md fl-- in,r ba linz ,i
| property within the limits mentioned.
No DANGER TO RESIDENTS.
'The deep-seated prejudice of these people
and the character of the opposition to the
erection of hospital upon these lots leave
no doubt in the minds of the Commissioners
that the protestants. however unreasonable
and chimerical their fright may be, are sim
! cere and earnest in their opposition, and that
they believe that their lives and property
would be put in jeopardy by its erection
! there. How a hospital on these lots, in
/ which such diseases as scarlet fever and
I diphtheria only would be treated, could en-
/ danger the lives of the residents OF Mount
! Pleasant and Brightwood. from one to thres
miles away, or impair the value OF property
] in tho>e suburbs, is beyond the power of the
Commissioners to comprehend. They do not
desire, however to force upon the people o
this or any other section of the District an in.
stitution so unpopular as this hospital has
proved TO be, and they are reluctantly driver
to the conclusion that the people do not wan
it anywhere. Its necessity is recognized by
almost everyone, but when site is proposed
no matter where-it raises a storm of oppo
sition.
mo other suitable site can be selected Il
which all the objections raised to this on,
will not apply with equal force. II the con
sent of the owners of abutting property be
condition of choosing site, we must Civ
up the hospital, result which, in the inter
est OF charity and humanity should not b.
permitted
J. The Commissioners also advised the pur
chase OF additional ground so as to isolat
the buildings from any other which may b.
hereafter put upon adjoining lots, ant
suggested that should Congress deem it wis
to provide for the erection of hospital oil
the site chosen, a proviso be added prohibit
ing the treatment therein of any diseases
more contagious than scarlet fever, measles
and diphtheria.
|
Kismet Councils Entertainment.
The entertainment to be given by the Kis
met Council, Royal Arcanum, next Wednes
day evening at the National Rifles Armor,
promises to be both interesting and amusing
For the occasion Kismet Council has securet