Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-03-19

the -worshipper turns his face to the
east at the break of day; but to my great
disappointment the facts and figures were
not forthcoming. When the gentleman
from Rockland (Mr Fogler) arose In his
place. | turned to him as the Moham-
medan turns toward Mecca. his holy city
and l said to myself that from the able
eloquent. learned, intelligent gentlemen
from Rockland We will get the nforma-
ton that We are looking for; and yet the
statements of the gentleman from Rock
land were of the same general nature as
we have heard all through this debate
When the gentleman from Bangor (Mr
Palmer) arose in his place. | turned to
him as the Christian turns toward the
Holy City of Jerusalem. daughter and
applausel. l said that this gentleman
who all the session has had charge of this
hospital matter. who has been looking
after the resolve day In and day out, Sun
days not excepted.-I said that now the
information is going to roll down upon
us even as the ointment rolled down upon
the beard of Aaron. But what was my
disappointment to find that. after all. the
figures to present. The friends of this
resolve tell us that there are reasons
that there are facts and figures which
can be produced to show why this resolve
should receive a passage, but so far they
have steadfastly refused to give us those
facts If they have them.
Now l stand precisely where did. yes
terday. upon this matter. The gentleman
sorrowful tone that he had been tempted
l am sorry that temptation came to the
gentleman from Lewiston. But the gen.
tleman said that he did not yield to temp
that as l read the Holy Writ it is stated
that the first man created was tempted
and he yielded to temptation and fell
from grace; and am glad to know that
the gentleman from Lewiston is a
stronger man than Adam. daughter and
applause).
do not know as there is any more that
I can say on this subject. / simply wish
to ask those who are with US in this is
sue whether in any discussion, this morn
ing. any new light. any new facts or any
new figures have been submitted to You
showing why you should change the
attitude which you have taken. Gap
plause.)
Mr.. Palmer of Bangor: I think l I'M
derstood the gentleman from PresQue
Isle to say that there We're no insane in
his town.
Mr.. Smith of Pressure Isle: ! said that
we had none in Presque Isle that could
not be taken care of. (Applause)
Mr.. Palmer of Bangor: You are having
them cared for at the hospital across the
river
Mr.. Smith of PresQue Isle: | wish to
say. in answer to the gentleman from
Bangor. that when l was at home a few
weeks ago. ! made special and particular
inquiry of a prominent physician in
Pressure Isle. if he knew of single in
sane person in that town that needed the
accommodations of n new hospital at
Bangor. or one who could not get hos
pital accommodations at Augusta. ard
he informed me that he did not. l made
inquiries of other physicians and they,
gave me the same answer; and | submit
that / am as fairly well acquainted with
the condition of things in my own town
as the gentleman from Bangor. who
reads printed reports sent out by some
body who has never been there. Gap
plause.)
Mr.. Macomber of Augusta: I move
that when the question is taken it be ia
ken by the yeas and nays.
Mr.. Hamilton of Biddeford: l opposed
the resolution in February because /
thought it was intended to deceive. that
it was not a fair resolution. l opposed
the resolution. today, for the same rea-
son. The resolution before called for
5000 200 to complete hospital. and we
We're told that we could not complete it
for any less. The resolution. today. calls
for $275,0o0. and we are told that we can
now complete it for that sum. So the
resolution before was deceiving. and the
resolution now, in my judgment. is de-
ceiving. | believe. ii this resolve passes,
that it will be many years from now be-
fore any hospital will be completed there.
and | believe that is the intention and
purpose of the resolution that it shall not
be completed until a million and a half or
two millions of money is laid out there.
When the i.rst resolution was introduced
there was no statement of facts con-
nected with it. After some talk they fur
nished a statement. and afterward they
furnished us with this paper in blue. Con-
nected with this resolution you find only
a narrative of events in place of a state
ment of facts. You find nothing upon
which you can base your Judgment as to
the cost of completing this hospital. Look
on the last page of the statement this
items are as follows: ! turn it over and
find blank. What follows? A blank
follows. And that is just what was in
tended to follow When the commission
was appointed by the Governor and
Council in 1895. they were appointed to
complete hospital. and didn't that COM
mission SO understand it at that time?
Thin commission had its own pay. be-
cause all the money was to be paid TO
the commission not upon any voucher.
but all paid to the commission. No re-
port was made by that commission. We
are left as much in the dark as this mar
that an estimate giving a full account of
the expense necessary for the reception
of patients is as follows. and then fol-
lows a blank And that is the way it has
been since 1895, when this commission
was appointed. until the present time.
When we wanted any information, we
found a blank. And that is the narrative
of events.
| find on investigation that in the hos
pital at Philadelphia the average cost of
that hospital per patient Is 1880. A hos
Dital in Massachusetts costs $lO55 a pa
tient. Another costs little over $1,000
patient. If this resolve passes here and
the building is completed according to the
resolve not according to the plans and
specifications which they have furnished.
it will cost us some $500 a patient. Can
the State of Maine afford to build hos
pital that costs that amount? Have We
so much more wealth than Massachusetts
or any of those other states, that we can
afford it? ! say that the man who has
so expended this money and arranged
this thing that We are to have hospital
which will cost us $500 a patient, | say
he is incompetent, he has not used this
money to the best advantage. there Is
a wrong somewhere. because the average
cost in all those other rich states. where
labor is higher and material is higher
the average cost is only about $1,000 a pa
tent while here in the State of Maine it
is costing us $500 patient. l don't want
such a record against me as voting for
hospital that is costing $500 a patient
when the average of the best-equipped
hospitals in the world is only $500 a pa
tient.
The commission was appointed. The
14th of May, they put in bills for only II
months. not for two years They have a
charge for a lunch costing 81. and hack
hire for So and S. and rooms at hotels
for 81 and IS a day apiece. l object to the
State paying il. From the 14th of May
until July /. the commission spent $1372
From July to October. they spent $l3A
We are told that they were getting in