Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1903-06-12

and accepted by the trustees. hav,
been prepared by Messrs. Kendall, Tay
lor Ii Stevens of Boston, and represent
the results of careful study of the
problem by all the parties concerned.
The purchase of the site was agreed tC
early in 1901. although title was not Sc
cured till late in the year. This pur-
chase was the result of information
given to the trustees soon after theil
appointment to the effect that the Hall
place was to be sold at once 1t wa:
felt that there were very few available
sites for a hospital and that the advan-
tages of this site should be properly
1 looked into before allowing the oppor-
tunity to pass.
A committee of physicians assisted
/ by Mr. Gordon, the assessor, was APP
/ pointed and all available sites gone
over. The result was unanimous re-
port in favor of purchasing The Hem
| locks. - This was accordingly done,
and the choice was undoubtedly good
one, although its early purchase doubt
less gave rise to some misunderstand-
ing as to prospects of immediate con-
struction. After paying for this prop
erty the trustees had only S2l, 600 of
accumulated income available for con-
struction, and as the use of the fund
for the sewing women had not then
been tested, they had at that time no
adequate knowledge of what amour IS
would be available in the future for
the hospital. A very slight study of
the problem, was sufficient to show that
hospital which would permanently
answer modern requirements could not
be built for the sum then available,
and that it would be necessary while
plans were being prepared TO wait be-
fore actual building for the necessary
accumulation of income. They decided
to begin construction if possible as
soon as enough was accumulated TO
give reasonable assurance of having
$50, 600 to spend before completion. and
this has now been done.
The committee on plans for the hos
pital, composed of Drs. Holton, Law
ton and Miller. was formed early in
1902. and the present plans are the re-
suit of very careful canvassing of the
entire problem by both the committee
and the trustees, in the course of which
many alternative plans were worked
over. and estimates of cost figured out.
The final choice in favor of a one
story rather than a two story patients
building was due to the conviction that
economy of service would result from
having all patients easily accessible
from a central point, and that dispen-
sing with staircases, elevator, and du-
plicate service rooms would more than
compensate for any extra cost of such
construction.
To obtain a result that in all essen
tals would be up to the best modern
requirements. without exceeding the
cost limit. has been no easy task, for
moderate sized hospital requires offices.
kitchens, laundry, operating depart
ment. matron's and nurses quarters.
heating plant, etc, to very much the
same extent as larger institution.
Therefore, while it would be compara-
lively easy with larger sum at COM
mand to provide first class con dction
for a larger number of beds, is not
easy 10 reduce the cost in I oportion
and give the same quality of Service TO
a smaller number of patients.
In endeavoring to work out the prob |
lem the following main points have
been carefully kept in mind: To study /; /
An arrangement of buildings giving 1
fer additional construction
in case of need.
To have the patients accommodated