Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-08-05
NEW UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL.
First Mass Celebrated in the Institu-
ton in Georgetown.


The first mass in the new Georgetown
University Hospital was celebrated this
morning at o'clock in the community
chapel on the third floor of the building,
place set apart for the of the Sisters
of the Order of st. Francis, who have
charge of the institution. Rev. Father Full
ton, S. J., of Georgetown University was
the celebrant and the mass was attended
by six or seven people in addition to the
four sisters. The service was unusually i'm
pressive, the occasion and the surroundings
being very effective. From now on masses
will be said with regularity at the hospital.
Services will be held every morning and
Sunday also, to which only the sisters of
the place will attend. Later on, when the
hospital shall be opened, such of the pa
tients as may wish will be allowed to as
siSt at the mass.
The chapel is in the central portion of
the third floor of the building, with south
ern exposure. The contents of the room
are the gifts of Mrs. Thomas F. Ryan of
New York city. The altar is exceedingly
pretty. TIE central piece being a statue of
the Sacred Heart The furnishings and dec
orations of the altar are in keeping, max
ing a good contrast pleasing to the eye.
10 the left of the altar is a statue of the
Blessed Virgin, while opposite is statue
of st. Joseph. Both of THESE works of
art, and, mounted on pedestals, are sure
The stations of the way of the cross are
placed on the side and walls. The
stations, fourteen in number, are without
q doubt the finest of any in the city. They
are small in size and the work on them is
minute. The figures in relief, while
the expressions the faces are perfect
The scenes have the walls CT Jerusalem
as the background in several of the sta
tons. The beauty of these was remarked
by all the visitors who attended the mass
this morning.
For the opening service in the chapel
there were plenty of flowers. The Sisters
of the Academy of Visitation sent down a
number of potted plants andesome cut
flowers. while Mr.. John McCauley the head
attendant at the place, furnished several
bouquets for the alNr. After the mass ben
ediction of the blessed sacrament was Civ
en-, concluding with the chanting of the
Te Deum' by the sisters.
The hospital itself will not be opened
until about Monday, August 10 The emer-
gency room is ready to receive patients
though some of the instruments and dress
ing material for wounds have not as yet
arrived. 1t is believed that everything will
be held back and the whole place opened
at the same time. This will mean that the
emergency room and the ward rooms will
pc ready simultaneously to receive patients
1hlS was thought to be the wisest stem he
cause 1t might happen that a serious case
would be received before the other part Of
the hospital opened and the retention of
the injured person in the place would be al
hhoot iIhpOSSlDIe unless Ire hospital proper
was in operation with all its facilities
All of the beds i'll the new hospital have
been put in place, numbering thirty in all
including the wards The operating room
On the top floor is used a general ward
Tor free patients and twelve cots are placed
IN TINS one room, with additional cots in
adJoInlns rooms. If more cots are required
the hospital could easily accommodate ten
additional.
In a short time n circular letter will be
sent to all of the physicians in the city, to
the police department and all others inter-
ested announcing the opening of the place
The opening itself will not be public. At
present there are four sisters at the hos
pltal, who came direct from ST. Agnes
Hospital, Philadelphia. The services of
1our more sisters will be required, making
eight in all.
Preparatory to the opening the Commits
sloners have issued an order for the LAYING
OF cement sidewalks i'll front of the build
ing on N street, and also on that portion of
the property on SJth street, at total esti-
mated cost of $3.50 A cement driveway will
also be laid in front of the hospital for the
accommodation of the emergency cases
which may be brought in the patrol wagon
or other vehicle.