Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-03-09

CONTINUED from page 81
withdraw my objection to the resolve;
and l hope that this motion to indefi-
nitelv postpone will not prevail. CAP
plause.)
The question being on the motion to
postpone,
The motion was lost.
The resolve was then passed to be
engrossed.
AUGUSTA CITY HOsPlTAL.
Resolve in favor of the Augusta City
hospital came up on it's passage to De
engrossed.
Mr.. McFADDEN of Dresden:
move that this resolve be indefinitely
nostponed. This institution was char
tered eight years ago as the Augusta
city hospital. 1t does not pretend to
be anything else but a City hospital.
II has been in operation less than
wear. At the time it was chartered
understand that there were pledged
some $4,000 by the citizens of Augusta
TO put in in operation. 1t is now
operating in a hired building, and the
management of the institution has
been so very unsatisfactory that DIR.
Scott Hill and DIR. Randall, and | think
DR.. Thompson and another two.
think, of each school, rendered their
designations because of their disgust
and dissatisfaction at the methods and
manner Of the conduct of the institution.
Now if We must appropriate to every
hospital that may be organized in any
city if the State must appropriate 10
them under one plea or another. that
they are making trained nurses, that
they are taking care of soldiers, that
they are doing a great deal of good to
the poor-I don't know where 1t Will
end. 1t can go on indefinitely and to
any extent and the tax payers must
stand behind it. This is the first APP
preparation that has been called for by
this institution; and unless we propose
to say to the physicians of every city
in the State who want to organize
hospital. I'VE will give you almost any
sum you ask for, only don't commence
too large" then we ought to stop here
and indefinitely postpone this resolve.
Mr.. MANLEY of Augusta: had
hoped that my friend from Dresden
with whom stood side by side in
y
applauded me for what l did in that
contest with him. would have over
looked this little institution and would
have passed it by 1t is true that this
is the first time we have ever asked
for an appropriation. 1t is true that
we had a quarrel among some of the
physicians. l don't know that physi-
clans are more quarrelsOme than any
,.l.1 n1a I,,rt In oil nrnfQGSinnG
they have their jealousies. Four of
the staff did resign. Their resigna-
tions have not been accepted. l took
the trouble to visit every one of these
four physicians and asked them il they
We're in favor of this appropriation of
$1,000 year. They have all assured
me that they desired this appropriation
to pass, and authorized me so to state.
The gentleman from Dresden made
an unintentional misstatement. This
institution was started about IL months
ago. The citizens Of Augusta sub
scribed $1,000 for the purpose of erect
ing a small hospital. We never in
tended to start out on a large scale
and become a great hospital like the
one in Bangor and in Lewiston and
Portland. We decided--or the commit
tee did, for ! want to state that l am
in no way connected with the institu-
tion--that they would not make this
a great hospital; it was not needed
They said they would have small
institution, one that they could take
care of without great expense, and
they hired house, admirably located
and suited for this purpose, for six
years; and the citizens Of Augusta,
last year. paid Of their own free will
in money to this institution about
$500. When the soldiers came here,
last fall, at the request of General
Richards a large number OF them were
placed in that hospital. There were no
proper accommodations for them out
side of it. We took care of them there.
If we do not get the amount of that
bin back we shall be badly in debt,
but the citizens of Augusta will take
care of that.
This institution is located in this city,
1t is conducted and managed by gen..
tlemen of ability and character-my
colleague Is one of the directors of the
institution-they give their time and
attention to it freely, without pay or
compensation; they contribute their
money to its support. Augusta is pc
culiarly situated. We have once in
two years the Legislature here. We
have every year the muster of the
militia of the State. Men are taken sud
denly ill where an operation must be
performed instantly. We have good
hospital with competent and skilled
physicians. where every one can go
freely, and if they are not able to nav
they are treated without expense
When the matter was first proposed
they came to the Legislature and ask
ed for $4,000 on condition that the cit
liens would raise $4,000 to build a
building. Knowing what the condition
of the treasury would be. l very frank
~ told them that l should oppose any
such proposition. l did not think we
had any right to come and ask the
State to give anything towards a
building until we had first ourselves
built building. raised the money and
put the money into It, but did think
E 1t was fair that We should have some
little help from the State. as the other
sections had. And l said to the finan-
cial committee that l did not want
them to consider the proposition of $1O,-
IVY. *5OOO year. and stated to them