The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1901-12-17

Action Immediately.
Pursuant to the call of Chairman D.
McEachern of the Board of County
Commissioners of New Hanover coun-
ty, the Boar Of Mag1strates met yes
terday in the superior court room at
the court house at Il m, to consider the
question of authorizing the commits
sioners to appropriate $500 for the
countv's part Of the $4,000 needle to
furnish and equip the James Walker
Memorial hospital and to provide for a
loan for that purpose if necessary.
The roll call showed that the follow
ing justices of the peace were present:
s. P Adams, w. II. Bernard, Samuel
Bear. Jr., John H Beery, q. J. Boney,
G.. w. Bornemann, J. II. Branch. John
L. Cantwell, r. c. cantwell. Washing
ton Catlett, r. 3. Glove, Samuel p.
Collier, Timothy DonIan. Owen Fen
nell. F. H. Fetchtig. s. H. Ffshblate,
John J. Fowler, H. L. Fentress, John j.
Furlong. s. G.. Hall. John H. Handy, j.
Norwood Huske, Marcus w. jacob. b.
]. Jacobs. j. D. Kelley. p. F. King. F.
A Lord. J.. F. LittletOn. j. NJ. MCGOWAN,
w. A MCGOWAN, Martin Newman, w.
H. NOrthrOp, Jr., w. l. Parsley, W. E.
Perdew. W F. Robertson, +. T. Skip
per. George G. Simmons. ]. Alves
Walker, W. J. Woodward, w. z. Worth.
In addition to the magistrates, there
were present Chairman d. McEachern,
Commissioners w. F. Alexander, II. /.
VolIers, and +. y. Montgomery and a
number of interested citizens
a quorum being present. Chair
man McEachern called the meeting to
order and said it was usual to elect a
chairman and that would be the first
business in order.
On motion of Justice J.. NJ. MCGOWAN,
Justice w. F.. Robertson was unani-
mously chosen as chairman. Mr.. John
McLaurin acted as clerk.
Upon taking the chair Justice Robert
son said he had no intimatiOn that he
would be elected chairman and as
chairman McEachern, of the board Of
county commissioners. was more fa-
miliar with the purpose for which the
meeting was called, ne requested him
TO state the object of the meeting.
Chairman McEachern stated that the
object of the meeting was to take action
on the request of the board of man.
ayers of the James Walker Memorial
hospital for the donation by the county
of three-ffths of the Sc 1000 necessary
TO furnish and equip the hospital and to
authorize the appropriation and the
making of a loan for that purpose II
it is found necessary to borrow the
money in this He stated
further that there had been some ques-
ton as to the legality of such al APP
preparation, as the James Walker Me-
mortal hospital is a private corporation
and is not under the control of the
county authorities. Several lawyers, he
said. had been requested to look up the
law and give their opinion as to the
legality of the proposed appropriation
and as he saw the Hon. George Roun-
tree present he said the meeting would
like to have his opinion.
Mr.. Rrountree said the legality OF the
proposed action was n matter that
ought to be looked into. He stated that
he and Eugene Martin, ESQ., had looked
up the law and after consulting the
Code it was their opinion that there
was no doubt that the board OF com
missioners had a perfect right to make
the appropriation as the hospital was
a public necessi y He declared that the
courts had so held, and that 1t did not
make any difference whether the James
Walker Memorial hospital was u pri-
vate corporation or not ii was Il public
necessity. being like the state board of
education which is 4 corporation, yet
with public functions and as such it
was under the care of the state. He
aid the hospital corporation was q
peculiar one from the fact that its
board Of managers are p~erpetuating
and the succeeding members of the
board are not elected by the commits
sionerS or aldermen. He remarked that
If any difficulty should arise over that
fact il could only be temporary. as the
charter ould be amended by the legls-
lature so the matter could be remedled
Speaking further, he said the Code gave
counties the authority to establish ano
maintain hospitals, and that undel
the Code the commissioners can make
appropriations for pubic necessities be-
yond the shadow of a doubt. He added
that it was very roper too. for ths
public TO bear the expense Of furnish
ing and e%quippiug the hospital and 1
was hardly right to provide for it by
private subscription, as the hospital wa:
COR the general public 8 good.
AT the request Of Chairman Nc
Eachern. Justice Sam. Bear. Jr.. whC
is a member of the board of hOspita
managers. stated the necessity for max
ing an appropriation to furnishing and
equipping the hospital. He said tn,
late Mr.. James Walker had built anC
donated an elegant hospital and 1t wa
standing idle, for lack Of equipment
Drs. George G.. Thomas. and Thoma
r. Little. the superintendent had mad
an estimate that it would take $4,000 I
furnish the hospital ard the board o
managers had attempted to raise tn
amount by private subscription. The
had raised in his way only 81. 500, an
the board found it difficult to convinc
the citizens that the hospital should b
furnished and equipped at private e x
pense when the general public is to b
benefited. He said the hospital wa
nothing else but a public institution
and so far as the objection to the self
perpetuating board of managers is con
cerped the board would have no ob1ec
lions whatever to ave the charte
amended in that respect. He said tn
aim of the board only was to conduC
the hospital for the public good, an
thew hoped by a system of endowmen
TO sooner or later maintain the hospits
without calling on the county n cit
for support. He referred to a plan G
selling or endowing rooms in the hos
pital to persons who desire to max
them memorials for some relative. S a
by securing the interest on $1,000 for
room for the purpose of maintaining
This plan had worked satisfactorily !
other hospitals and the board Of man
ayers think it will be practical to aooI
that nlan harn