The Savannah morning news., 1900-07-08
CITY ASKED TO MAKE A BID.
QUARTERMASTER GENERAL LUD-
DINGTON AND ARMY HOSPITAL.

All Bids for the Building Too Low.
Either the City or Syndicate
Might Do Better, the Quartermas-
ter General Thinks-Mayor Myers
Has Asked for "A Weeks Time in
Which to Investigate-WiII Have
the Matter Thoroughly Looked In
tO-Physicians and Their Friends
Who Have Been Advocating
New Hospital Might Take Advan-
tnge of the Opportunity.
If anybody wants large and fully
equipped hospital at big discount on the
original cost he can make a good deal
with the government just now. AS al
ready indicated by the Morning News the
quartermaster's department of the army
considers the bids offered for the govern
ment hospital buildings here entirely too
low and is unwilling to accept any of
them.
Quartermaster General Ludington has
wired Mayor Myers to know If the city
canont make some use Of the buildings.
or il it cannot put the department in the
way of getting in touch with some syndi-
cate or individuals who would be will
ing to pay more reasonable price for the
outfit than has yet been offered.
The telegram arrived Friday afternoon,
but as the Mayor was at Tybee he did not
receive it until yesterday morning. He
replied stating that the city was not in
position at present to make an offer for
the buildings, but requesting that the gov
ernment allow a weeks time before taxi
inn ftttk lar. Cfo In ~ay~da hat oil
might take the matter under considera-
ton. The quartermaster generals tele-
gram is as follows:
Washington. D. c., July 6.-Mayor City
of Savannah: The highest bid received
for the entire hospital at Savannah under
proposals is $4,000. and is considered en-
Urely too low. Win it be in the interest
of the city for it's uses, or Of any syndicate
or individuals whom you may happen to
know to make an offer more commensu-
rate with the value of the property? 9th
erwise it may be necessary in the inter-
est of the government to dismantle the
buildings and dispose of the material in
detail, using the movable fixtures in other
government work. Please advise me what
you can do in this matter
"Ludington Quartermaster General"
When seen about the matter Mayor
Myers said: II am afraid the city will
portunity offered. While the government
has a large and completely equipped plant,
it does not own the land on which the
buildings are situated, and the lease will
soon expire. / have no idea what terms
we could make. even if we should be so
inclined. with the landowners, and I do
not know Of any available land to which
the city or any otter purchaser could re-
move the buildings. nor have I any idea
of the IF SnNh Tha tay
is one worth investiga ting, however, ana
will be thoroughly looked into"
1t looked very much some time since a.
If the city would embark in the hospital
business on its own account, but the Spe-
cial Committee, to which the hospital
matter was referred has never made any
report, and interest in the movement
seems to have died down somewhat. In
Council at least.
This offer from the government, how
ever, may afford the very opportunity for
which good many people in Savannah
have been looking. There is a very quiet
move on foot among the physicians who
are not in touch with the physicians now
In charge of the present hospitals to build
and equip a new hospital with the aid
of their friends, and with the expectation
of making an arrangement with the city
by which the new institution would re-
ceive ALL or a large part of the funds
now appropriated to the existing hospi-
tails and would in return render additional
services in the way of relieving the city
of part of the expense incurred by the
necessity of having city physicians. This
would seem to be the very opportunity
for which the parties behind this move
ment are looking. and it Is very probable
that they are already giving 1t serious
consideration.
The highest bid for the government hos
pital property here $4,000, was made by
the Isaac Joseph Iron Company of Gin
cinnati. through its local representative,
Mr. Wolff This is the bid that is con-
sidered too low. A representative of the
company recently called upon the Quar-
termaster General at Washington for the
purpose OF urging the acceptance of this
bid and even offered a higher amount
than that named in the bid, but it would
seem from Gen. Ludington's telegram 10
Mayor Myers that this proposition also
was not acceptable.
The board of managers of st. Joseph's
Inirmary considered some time ago the
advisability of purchasing n part of the
government hospital buildings, and re-
moving them TO the property owned by the
Sisters of Mercy on Seventh street, where
II was proposed at that time to erect tbs
new hospital. II is understood, however
that the board has decided TO adhere to
the original plan and to erect the new hos
pltal on the site at Lincoln and Taylor