The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1902-07-13

the laying of the cornerstone Of
the Hiilman Hospital at o'clock yester-
day afternoon. ana that of the BIrming-
ham Medical College ar hour afterwards
The stones were laid with the impress
sive ceremonies Of the Masons, DR.. r. NJ
Cunningham, most worshipful grand
master of the Grand Lodge of Alabama.
officiating AID making a short address
at beth ceremonies.
The ceremonies at the Hiilman Hospital
were opened with prayer by the Rev.
]. 2. NIeFerrin, VINO invoked the bless
ing of .God on the work of the ladies in
caring for the sick and wounded Of Bir-
mingham and en- those who donated to
the good cause.
Grand Master Cunningham then took
charge of the ceremonies. which were
those used on all similar occasions. The
corn of nourishment. the wine Of refresh
ment and the oil of JOY were poured over
the stone. into which had been placed
number of articles. The grand master
then declared the stone to be true. well
formed and trusty. =
List of Managers.
In the stone was placed list Of the
lady board of managers of the hospital.
They are Mrs. Sarah II. Bush. Mrs. Liz
zie L. Motion, Mrs. Margaret Benners,
Mrs Florence Smith. Mrs. Lucy F. STRAIT
ton, the only member Of the board who
has been on 1t since it was organized
fourteen years ago; Mrs. Mary c. Tyson,
Mrs. Kate d. Smith. Mrs Mamie S. Nc
Lester, Mrs Kate Williams Mrs. Cor
nelia H. Smith, Mrs. Carrie Lazarus and
Mrs. Albert w. Bush.
The corner stone bore the names of the
above ladies and Of the architects,
Charles and H. B. Wheelock and the
contractors, A. J. Krebs & Company. Be-
sides the list of the lady board of mama
gers, there were placed in the corner stone
the charter of the Hillman Hospital
copies of The Age-Herald, the News and
the Ledger, a sealed envelope from Mr.
and Mrs. T. H. Motion, an old coin do
mated by DIR. Ransom, an envelops In
memory of Mrs Samuel Ullman and
Mrs II. M Newbold, an old coin bearing
the head of King Edward VII of Eng
land given by Dr. Edwards, report of the
president of the Hillman Hospital board
and Mrs. j. w. Bush and a sealed en-
velope from Mrs. A H. Benners.
The Rev. ]. G. Murray read the report
of Mrs. S. H. Bush, president of the lady
board of managers Of the hospital. 1t
was in part as follows
Report of Mrs. Bush.
In the infancy and tender youth of our
now well developed community, before
time and financial ability had afforded
the city fathers opportunity to perfect
the necessary sanitary arrangements,
there was much sickness with great NOR
tality in the community. The distressing
lack of accommodation appealed to the
hearts of some good women who called
a mass meeting to consider ways and
means of providing the relief so imper-
atively needed.
The result of this meeting was the
formation of hospital association, and
the establishment of a temporary place
on South Twentieth street for immediate
occupancy As was readily foreseen,
these restricted quarters soon proved en-
tirely inadequate. In the meantime, DR..
Joseph r. Smith had kindly donated a
large lot in Smithfield, to be the property
of the association so long as used for the
avowed purpose of it's organization Upon
this lot 1t was decided to erect a commo-
dious hospital building as soon as possi-
BILE.
The city was Immediately canvassed for
subscriptions. Birmingham was then as
she IS now, ever ready with generous
response to worthy appeal. And so nu-
merons and liberal were the contributions
that in the space of two years a large
and substantial brick building furnished
with all hospital modern appliances, and
equipped with a corps of well trained
nurses, was completed and ready for
occupancy. Here, with the active and
cordial cooperation of the physicians of
the CITY, the hospital was maintained
with most gratifying success for some
years In December, 1894, however, a
disastrous fire totally destroyed the bull
ing and furniture. Since that time the
association has experienced many dis
couragments
Medical coIIeg Helps.
After the disaster at Smithfeld. the
authorities of the medical and dental
college kindly offered us shelter, of which
we thankfully awaited ourselves until the
patients under treatment at the time
had sufficiently recovered to be dismiss
ed. We then decided to susupend work
until our insurance money could be col
necessary
rangements effected as would enable us
to purchase a lot and rebuild. The pur-
chase of a lot was rendered necessary
because of our decision that a more CEN
trail location was needed than the old
site at Smithfield. This decision was urg-
ed and concurred in by the physicians
and others interested In our work
At this juncture, moved by the elo-
quent appeals of the Mayor of the city,
physicians and many others all detail
ing the extreme need of some place
where the many distressing and pitiful
cases constantly demanding succor could
be cared for, the ladies accepted the
liberal proposition of DR.. Copeland, who
placed at our disposal house on Fourth
avenue which he offered to fit up ap-
propriately and Immediately.
Here we again opened our doors and
continued In active operation until the
year 1900, when 1t was deemed expedient
to move to Fourth avenue and Eigh-
teenth street, where we had in the mean
time purchased a lot upon which there
was a house.
Upon the sale of that property, we
moved to our present temporary quar-
tiers on Avenue d, where we await the
completion of our permanent building on
this site where we now stand.
The lot on Fourth avenue and
Eighteenth street was originally selected
with the view of there building tie per-
manent hospital Subsequent develop
ments, however, dnally Influenced the
beard CT managers-some of them most
reiuctantly-to sell the property there,
which in the meantime had greatly en-
HANGED in value, and invest part of the
proceeds in this larger and more suitable
lot here on Avenue + and Twentieth