The daily sentinel., 1901-12-20
Mass Meeting.

e~Ase
was held in Salida last night to deter
mine what course should be pursued.
and Attorney Richardson, of the arn. Of
Patterson, Richardson l. Hawkins Of
Denver, was present to advise the men
what to do and how to get their proper
ty in their own name. .F
Tho cause of the whole rumpus 10 this:
DR.. Cochems has been discharged. For
nine years has DR.. Cochems been in
charge OF the work at the hospital at Sa-
Ida. He has given entire satisfaction
and the general desire Of ali the employ
ees has been to keep him at the head Of
the institution. sEF
The control OF the hospital at Salida
was supposed to be in the hands OF
board Of trustees, elected by the vote of
the employees Of the road, but the board
which was 80 elected never had the
slightest authority. At their meetings
and conventions. every ything always went
according to the way DR.. J. W. O'Con-
ner, chief surgeon Of the road, dictated.
The employees desires we're as nothing
to the chief surgeon. The men, who
we're each month contributing to the
fund for the support Of the hospital,
soon grew tired OF this, and the Denver
& Rio Grande Railroad Employees Re-
lief Association was formed. An agree
nent wac formed between tho sssocis.
ton and the company that the full charge
OF the hospital and all the funds collect
ed for its support should be ip the hands
OF board Of trustees elected by the
railway employees, and that the COM
pany nor the compaay's surgeon should
not interfere in anyway with the doings
Of either.
Recently, however, DR.. O'Connor has
been reappointed as chief surgeon, and,
as ono OF his frst acts in the Office was
to make the following order in a q letter
to Dr.. Cochems: "A
Denver. Colo, Dec. IA. 1901.
DR.. r: N. Cochems,
Salids, Colo.
Dee. Doctor.-Jn the reorganization Of
my staff it becomes necessary to discon-
tinus your services as local surgeon OF
the Denver 4 Rio Grands railroad at Sa-
Ida, Colo, after December 16, 1901.
You will turn over to DR.. ]. F. Roe, To-
cal surgeon OF the Denver Il Rio Grande
railroad at Sslida, Colo, all sick and in
Iursd employee of the Denver 4 Rio
Grande Railroad Company now undet
your care. You will remove all your
private patients from the Denver 4 Rio
Grande hospital at Salida as soon as pos
sible, consistent with the safety of those
patients. You will turn over 70 r. Aue-
zanne, superintendent Of the Denver &
Rio Grande hospital, all books and pa
pers and otnsr material in your posses
sion belonging 20 the medical depart
ment. Yours truly,
(Signed) J. W. O'Connor.
Chief Surgeon.
The association has several reasons
why they want tho management Of the
hospital located at Salids, and not At
Denver, where DR.. O'Conner had his
headquarters. Among then, are the fol
lowing:
First: Our only hospital is located at
Salida.
Second: 1t is the geographical center
Of the Denver 4 Rio Grande system.
Third: 95 per cent of our surgical
work is performed at Salida hospital.
The headquarters OF our association
should bs located where the most Of the
medical and surgical work is done.
Fourth: We would save 800 per an
mum in office rent.
Fifth: Our chief surgeon and secre-
tary would be Of far more service to our
employees il located where most Of the
medical and surgical work is conducted.
Sixth: Our chief surgeon should have
direct supervision Of our anairs, both
financial and medical, aud sheuld not be
compelled to depend entirely upon writ
ton reports sent to him long after mat
ters have transpired.
Seventh: With our chief surgeon In
Salida he can, with his secretary, per-
form every duty now performed by our
chief surgeon, saving to US the salaries
of two Of them, amounting at present to
q, 500 per annum, an absolute saving to
the association.
The name at the entrance to the hos
~ =