The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-07-01
WILL RAISE FUNDS
FOR DETENTION
AND HOSPITAL
First Move Toward Securing an
Adequate Place Within Which
to Quarantine Victims Of
Smallpox Is Taken.

SmdiipO1 Is fdken.
The first substantial move towards
securing new detention hospital for
smallpox patients was made at mass
meeting at the Commercial club last
night, when Assemblyman Henry
Haas and DR.. Whitcomb attached their
names to a pledge binding the city
council to repay to subscribers the
amount needed Immediately for the
erection of such hospital. These two
gentlemen were the only members of
the council present at the meeting, but
it is believed there will be no trouble
in securing the signatures of a major
ity of the members of the assembly and
board of aldermen.
The mass meeting at the Commercial
club last night was called for the pur-
pose of devising some means for the
raising of funds for the erection of
new hospital and was the indirect re-
suit of the report on the present hos
pital made by the last grand jury.
Committees named by the Commercial
club have been working on the plan
for some time, and present at the
meeting last night were a number of
doctors and other citizens interested
in the matter.
Ohage Pictures the Disgrace.
Health Commissioner Ohage describ-
ed the disgraceful conditions existing
at the present hospital, and called the
attention of those present to the i'm
mediate needs of a more adequate
building. DR.. Ohage did not favor the
suggestion of the grand jury which
recommended the erection of new
hospital on the river front at South
Park, but expressed the opinion that it
would be the better plan to erect new
buildings on the site of the present
hospital on Dale street. He favored
the purchase of more land there and
the erection of a hospital to cost from
$50, 900 to $4,000 The present hospi-
tai and the conditions necessarily ex-
listing there, were, he thought, dis
grace to the city.
He took occasion to roast the city
council for it's attitude in opposing his
attempts to remedy the existing condi-
tons, and Suggested that the only way
in which a new hospital could be Sc
cured was to raise the money by sub.
scriptions and have the council reim-
burSe those who advanced the funds.
He thought. public sentiment in favor
of some immediate relief was so strong
that the council would be compelled to
guarantee to provide in the next bud
get for the return Of the money at
reasonable rate of interest.
Should Be Near City Hospital.
"The proper place for detention
hospital said DR.. Ohage, "is in the i'm
mediate vicinity of the city hospital.
where the patients could be given every
attention, but / realize that the resi-
dents Of that neighborhood would new
er consent, to, the erection Of a small
poX hospital there, so the best we can
do, think. is to- erect modern build
ings on the site of the present Dale
street hospital"
DR.. REM, of the health department.
referred to- the present hospital as a
disgrace to the city and declared that
it was am outrage that the citizens OF
st. Paul who were unfortunate enough
to contract the dread disease were
compelled to remain in such place,
where it was impossible to give them
proper treatment.
AsSemblyman Haas was heartily in
favor of any movement which would
result in relieving the present situa-
ton, which he considered the most dis
graceful thing in the city.
1T is a shame and a disgrace to the
city, said Mr.. Haas, that our citizens
who profess to be philanthropists
should stop to discuss art and the like
when other citizens are being earted
out to such place as our present de-
tention hospital. or more properly
speaking in this case, pesthouse, for it
is nothing more than pesthouse."
Want New Building.
DR.. Ancker and DR.. Whitcomb heart
lily favored any plan which would re-
suit in securing a new building, and
DR.. Bracken. of the state board Of
health, strongly recommended that
steps be taken at once to replace the
present building with more suitable
and adequate one.
E. S. Chittenden thought there was
some doubt as to the adyisability Of
expanding so large an amount of money
for a building which would probably
not be needed more than a year or two
more. IS IMA
1T Is a matter of history" said Mr.
Chittenden, that such epidemics soon
die out, and it may be years before we
have another one. You are asking for
large amount Of money. and shoubi
consider the matter carefully before
going ahead"
Wishes Chittenden Well.
"I am surprised" said Mr.. Vanish,
that anyone should raise an objection
to the plans suggested here tonight and
I hope Mr.. Chittenden will get the
smallpox and have to spend two or
| three weeks out in that hole. He would
come out of there with his mind thor
oughly changed. I do not agree with
DR.. Ohage in many things, being from
the West side, but / am heartily in
favor of this plan, and I think every
other patriotic citizen should be-"
1t was suggested that the county
commissioners be asked to make an
appropriation to be used in construct
ing the proposed new building, mas
much as a smallpox hospital was as
much Of county institution as it was
city, but County Commissioner Nash,
who was present, thought the county
could not legally make such an ap-
preparation. He promised, however to
lay the matter before the board at its
at = $3.50 =.