Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1902-03-04
DOES SANTA FE WANT
THE SAN|TARIUM
A Full Discussion Of the Question Should Be
Had al a Citizens Meeting Called BY
tho Board Of Trade.
GOOD REASONS FOR AND AGAINST
MILITARY SANITARIUM AT SANTA FE

N'1~N|'N'NN
the pro and con Of the question coult
| be had.
The opponents to the establishment O.
a military sanitarium on the For
Marcy reservation assert that it shoult
be established several miles outside o.
the city limits. 1t would keep peopl'
from settling in the city on account 0
the danger of contagion If it is estab
llshed In the heart of the city.
That the movement for a sanitariun
| sale of the reservation.
That the government would furnish
all the supplies needed by the santa
rum and it's inmates and it would b.
as little benefit to the business Interests
| of the city as would the establishment
of an army post.
| That it would spoil and depreciatt
| the value of what is now considered the
best residence and business part of the
city.
To this, those in favor of the estab-
lishment of a sanitarium answer:
The establishment of a sanitarium
would compel the present residents on
the reservation to move out Of their rent
free and tax free quarters, and that
1t is the beneflciaries of these renting
privileges who are behind movement
to discourage the establishment of 8
sanitarium.
1,o far,y q
within three months, as by that time
congress will probably have adjourned
1t would advertise Santa Fe as moth
ing else before has done. One cure OF
consumption at the sanitarium would
be heralded to the world, while hun
dred cures in private quarters go by
unnoticed.
Those sent to the military santa
rum would in most cases be officers or
soldiers who receive good pensions,
which they would partly spend in town,
and therefore a sanitarium would be
of more profit to the business interests
than would be an army post or an ar
my camp.
The government does not send cases
which are hopeless to its sanitaria.
The strict sanitary regulations at the
government sanitaria would be good
example to the healthseekers in the
city. one Of whom is of greater danger
on account of contagion, if there Is
such a thing (although congress of
Nav York physicians recently denied
that consumption is contagious). than
would be half dozen military sani-
taria with their strict sanitary regula-
tions, compelling each patient to ex-
pectorate only in a pocket cuspidor
and observe other sanitary regulations.
There Is less danger Of contagion from
a military sanitarium than there Is
from a church or private sanitarium.
Who would ask the Sisters of Charity
in this city to remove their sanitarium
or hospital, owing to fear of contagion?
Yet the sanitarium and hospital are
situated in the heart of the city and
the patients at the sanitarium are un-
der no compulsory sanitary regulations.
The government would spend large
sum to fix up the old barracks and
would annually spend thousands Of
dollars to keep them in repair dr. to
erect new buildings. 1t would probably
buy large farm near the city some
day to give employment to GONZALES
cents, would build irrigation works,
dig artesian wells and make improve
ments such as are being made at Fort
Bayard and Fort Stanton. Even
though the government furnishes the
supplies for the sanitarium, as it does
for army posts, considerable trading
would be done in the city by the in
mates of the sanitarium, without
bringing certain features of immoral
ity and laxity which an army post
would bring A sanitarium would also
mean general officers, clerical force,
physicians, nurses, mechanics and
stewards who would in number almost
be as many as the patients.
No doubt, a number of those cured
at the sanitarium would decide to set
tie at or near Santa Fe, buy lands,
build residences, bring relatives and
friends to live here.
The city is growing toward the south,
1t is the only direction in which 1t can
expand, and the Fort Marcy reserva-
ton is already at the extreme end of
the city. In a few years 1t would be
in one of our suburbs, while the res
idence and business center would be on
the south side, where the capitol, the
Indian school, st. Michaels college,
Deaf and Dumb asylum, penitentiary
and the bulk of the population are al
ready.
Santa Fe is not in position to refuse
anything that will bring more money.
more people, more business, more pres
tige to the city. The railroads will re-
gard Santa Fe with more favorable
eye if it has an institution like mil
itary sanftarium, for it means trade
to them. The government will do more
for town in which 1t has an institu-
tion like a sanitarium would be. If the
Fort Marcy reservation is not taken up
for some such purpose at present, it
may remain in lis present undesirable
status for many years or even decades
to come. That would continue to give
homes rent free to the very people who
can best afford to pay rent and taxes
or build residences. As to the hope of
the government giving the reservation
to the city for municipal or school pur-
poses. that Is Idle. for the government
will not establish such precedent.
1t would be we'll to secure the sani-