The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-06-04
THE HOSPITALS AND THE CITY
TWO OPPOSING VIEWS OF THEIR
CLAIMS FOR RELIEF.


Less to Charity Than other Cities
of Its CIass-SIr. George j. Mills
shows That the Savannah Hospital
Is CARING for city Patients at
Cost &c the City of Less Than 80
Cents Per Day, and Cannot BE Con-
sidered other Than a Charity.
The petitions Of the Savannah and Tel
fair Hospitals for relief from assessments
for the Improvement OF Drayton street, of
the Telfair Hospital for relief from pay
ment of taxes upon It's income bearing
property, and of the Savannah Port So
ciety for relief from taxes upon its build
ing on ST. Julian street were held in abey-
ance at the last meeting of Council. They
wiz be given further consideration by the
committee of the whole at it's next meet
ing and possibly acton may be taken at
the next meeting of Council.
The representatives, and friends of these
three institutions are very much interested
in the outcome of their petitions. Both
the Savannah Hospital and the Telfair
Hospital were badly crippled in their
finances through losses in the Central
Railroad. Formerly they enjoyed an al
most Independent position, but now their
financial position is the reverse of salts
factory.
The Savannah Port Society completed
its handsome building on st. Julian street
CHIEFLY through the generosity of a few
large-hearted citizens. While not a char
liable enterprise, it is strictly a phlan-
thropic institution and is not operated
for profit. The members of the board of
trustees were very much surprised when
they were notified that the institution
was liable for taxing upon its building
and grounds. Heretofore, not having
owned any building, the question of taxes
did not enter into consideration. The in
come of the society is small and to pay
taxes upon the fun value of the property
would seriously embarrass the society.
1t is likely that a compromise will be
reached in the case of the Port Society
by which the society will be let off with
small amount of taxes. 1t is said that
| the Supreme Courts of other states have
held in similar cases that property devot-
! ed TO phlanthropic and charitable pur-
| poses IS liable for taxation only for that
PuItioi a OF me property Wnich bears reVe-
nue.. The fact that the revenue so OBJ
tanned IS used TO carry on the charitable
| and phhanthropic work of these institu-
! uonS is held TO be of no effect from a
legal standpoint The use made of the
| revenue is held not to be material, the
| tact that any portion of the property
| make that portion liable to taxation.
AS the Port Society only receives a rev.
/ enue from its dormitory where beds are
/ rented TO seafaring men at very rea-
! sonable rate, the other facilities and ac-
| commodations being free, II could be ar
! ranged to return the dormitory portion at
! a low valuation and thus escape with
| slight taxation. The same ruling might
/ be applied 10 the Savannah and Telfair
| hospitals, however, TO their disadvantage,
| as both of these institutions have wards
! devoted TO the treatment of pay patients
! At present none of the hospitals pays any
| taxes on its grounds and buildings.
! The managers of the Teifair Hospital
! are very anxious to be relieved from The
! payment OF taxes on their income bearing
| property, which consists largely of city
! real estate. The taxes amount to between
| $500 and 500 annually, and were always
| paid up 70 last year, when petition was
! presented to Council, seeking relief from
! the payment of the first half years taxes
| The committee 10 which the matter was
! referred reported favorably to the petit
| tiOn but for some reason, possibly an
! oversight, the report was never ratified
| by Council.
Mayor Myers. in speaking of this mat
! ter, said there is room for serious doubt
! as to whether the city has the right to ex-
! empt any income-bearing property from
| taxation. The courts has heretofore held
! that such property cannot be exempted
! Churches, schools, hospitals and asylums
! are exempt from taxation, but not the
! property in which they have their in
! vestments and from which they derive in
| come. This is subject to taxation the
! same as private property
The city has never made any appro-
! priation to the Telfair Hospital" said
/ Mayor Myers. Il consider it a private
charity. but at the same time it IS doing
| who represented the Telfair Hospital be-
/ fore the committee of the whole made a
Very able argument in behalf of the in
| stitution and Of the charities generally
/ He made the point that Savannah is CIV
! ing less TO charaties than other cities of
! the same class, and this true. This is a
/ strong point. At the same time the CITY is
in much the same position as the
| charitable institutions. It's budget is
| larger than its income and the chief guess
! tIon now is as 10 where il can economics
and not as to where il can increase ex-
! penditures."
Mayor Myers was inclined to take the
view that the Savannah Hospital is a pri-
| Vate institution, and that as such it has
no right TO any exemption from street
THE hospital is managed entirely by
| its own board" he said, "and the city has
| nothing 10 do with its management Ii
! receives pay patients and the city pays
| il $1,000 year to care for city patients
! The county also gives il 5000 a year. As
| il receives pay for the work done | 90
| not see how IL can claim to be a charita-
| bic institution. The physicians of the city
complain that they are not allowed 10
! treat patients whom they may send then
| to the free wards, and that they are not
allowed the facilities and advantages Of
! the Hospital. This would indicate thar
| it is private institution. If such be the
! case, il has no claim for exemption
with the money which the city and
! county give to the hospitals of the city
! about $1,000 per annum," said Mayor
/ Myers, "a irst-class hospital could be sup
/ ported which could be conducted as a gen
/ timely public institution. If the trustees
/ OF the Savannah Hospital find themselves
| unable TO carry on the enterprise / have
! no doubt the city would willingly assume
/ charge"
From the expressions of other members
/ of the board, however, it is not unlikely
! that the relief asked for will be granted
/ so far as the Drayton street assessments
| are concerned.
Alderman George ]. Mills. who is very
/ closely associated with the Savannah Hos
| pital said he. thought that the position
| taken by the Mayor was not wen founded
! The savannah Hospital is not a private
| hospital" SAID Mr.. Mills, because it is
| not conducted for gain. 1t IS purely a
| charitable institution and all its receipts
| from every source 20 to the support of
| the institution. 1t is conducted exactly
| upon The same plan as that of other hos
| pltals throughout the country, and The
! plan is one which experience has shown
! 10 be wise. IL IS true the city approprl-
! ates $3.50 year to the hospital but
| this can hardly be considered as paving
I Fsrrs 3 L.. i