San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1895-09-29


reporter Of DIR. Menger, the popu'
lar and efficient city physician, yes
terday.
''Now l don't know that, but you
can find out in the city auditors
office. All reports are sent there by
the steward"
"What does it cost to run the
city hospitals" was the question
put first to City Auditor Meyer and
then to Assistant City Auditor
Sauer.
"Don't know" was the answer.
"The only thing we have got are
the stray warrants that come in
every month to be paid out of the
general fund. We don't keep any
record. Very likely the steward at
the city hospital can give you that
Information. They ought to have
it,
"What does it cost to run the city
hospital?" was the question put to
DIR. Ed. Clavin who holds a posi-
tion at that institution.
"The auditors Office keeps that
information" said DR.. Clavin. Gan
bills are marked o. k. and sent to
that Office"
Phillip Gerlach was next seen.
Mr.. Gerlach says that he is stew
ard of the hospital. When asked
HWhot Inao IL ooct 70 RIM tho city
hospitsl?" Mr.. Gerlach also refer
red the reporter to the city auditor,
saying that all the bills are sent to
that office.
Even Mayor Elmendorf does not
know how much it costs the city to
run the city hospital. To that
question by LIGHT reporter he
said:
az am told that it costs the city
10 cents a meal"
But as to dollars and cents, as to
expenses by day or by week, Mayor
Elmendorf knew not.
And the councils committee on
sanitation and hospital is likewise
in the dark. Even now Alderman
Dreiss, its chairman, is trying to
lind out how much 1t costs the city
to run the hospital.
LACK OF SYSTEM.
This same loose disorder and
lack Of system pervades the entire
management of the city hospital.
1t is found everywhere from the
mayor and hospital committee,
down.
DR.. Clavin and Mr.. Gerlach both
say that if the hospital committee
would arrange to purchase things
in large quantities, the supplies
would come cheaper.
"The trouble is," says Mr.. Ger.
ZACH, "that we buy supplies at re-
tail and dish them out at whole
sale. That is where the trouble
lies. One month we are ordered to
buy at one store and the next
month at another. That Is no way
to do business. We pay retail prices
for these things when we could
easily save commission merchants
and retailers profits by purchasing
them in wholesale"
Another thing is this: The pay
rolls in the city auditors depart
ment show that DIR. ClavIn is the
hospital steward. Mr.. Gerlach,
however, told a LIGHT representa-
tive that he was the hospital stew.
ard, whereas the pay rolls show
that he is a paid attendant or
nurse. DR.. Clavin acts as assistant
city physician and Mr.. Gerlach as
steward. The cook, so the LIGHT
man has it on the best of authority,
cuts no little figure in the manage
ment Of the hospital, aud at times,
so a good authority says, it is
difficult to say whether DR.. Clavin,
Mr.. Gerlach or the cook is running
the city hospital.
THEY LIVE HIGH.
Although things are sometimes
rather confused in city hospital
circles, there is one thing which
is never overlooked. That is the
hospital dining room.
1t is simply superb-at meal
times.
In fact Mayor Elmendorf is quot.
ed as saying that the hospital peo-
pie have better table served to
them than the mayor himself sits
down to. The mayor pays for his
table and the city pays for the
liable Of the hospital.
Here are few items for which
the city pays. They were hospital
supplies and were bought last
April: Warrant No. $40 was drawn
by Mr.. A. Woeltz in payment for
the bill. The following are only a
part of the delicacies: Ham, break
fast bacon, strawberries, oysters,
cream crackers, mixed pickles,
dairy butter, canned peaches,
canned tomatoes, canned corn,
canned pears, Holsters, mustard
sardines, jams, maple syrup, goose