The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-06-16
RAILWAY WOULD
ROUT HOSPITAL
The Emergency Could Not
Withstand Street Cars.
WOULD BE FORCED TO MOVE
DR.. Burnett Regards New Route as
More Disastrous Than Removal
of Institution.

In the judgment of the Emergency
Hospital authorities. the new route pro-
posed for the Washington, Alexandria
and Mount Vernon tracks, in view Of the
closing of + Street between Thirteen
and-a-half and Fourteenth Streets,
threatens the continuation of the dis
pensary at it's present building. This
attitude was made plain by DR.. Swan
NJ. Burnett. directing physician Of the
hospital, when seen at the Emergency
this morning
IF you assume that the cars of the
Alexandria line must necessarily en-
circle the Emergency Hospital" said he,
''the officers Of the Hospital would be
driven to find some new location for the
institution at whatever cost. In half a
dozen ways that car line would make
our present building unsafe for hospital
use.
In the first place the noise would be
unbearable for the patients. Often
enough persons brought to the Elmer
gency in great haste must remain there
TO recover very slowly. Many times
the utmost quiet Is essential for their
recovery. Invariably IL is necessary
that they should be undisturbed
on them when a train of two heavy
cars, not noted for smooth running.
passes two sides OF the hospital at in
tervals of about half an hour!
Ambulances and Fire Engines.
1.-THE second objection is, in our judg
ment, as important. 1t is that the am
bulance, which is stationed in Fifteenth
Street. just above d, must cross those
car tracks every time It is called into
service. Some Of the District officials
evidently do not consider that very mo-
mentous. 1 have no desire to critcise
their judgment But 1 cannot help
thinking the situation Of our ambulance
similar to that of the fire engines-both
must reach a given point with the great
est possible speed. It has been thought
Of such Importance that the fire engines
should have free run that the street
cars all over the city stop at fire-cross-
ings. whether an alarm has been sound
ed or not We do not ask any such
concession, Of course. But we object to
unnecessary obstacles.
"a third objection to the new route
Is that II Will efrectually close Fifteenth
Street as an ideal drive into the Mall.
At present that street is not only one
Of the moss quiet, but one Of the most
beautiful avenues which lead to the
park With street cars numbering along
for two blocks. II will lose both those
advantages"
Could Not Obtain Results.
But we are concerned chiefly for the
hospital. The noise and obstruction
threatened by this car line would inter-
fere so seriously with the operation Of
the institution in treating emergency
cases that We could not undertake TO
obtain the best results In that case IL
would manifestly be our duty to remove.
We have not, Of course, any site in
view. We do not expect TO be put to
that extremity. But we are not blind
10 the meaning Of this plan"
DR.. Burnett was then asked whether
he would approve the substitute route
about the square occupied by the South
ern Railroad offices. His reply was con-
elusive We would approve any route
in Christendom,' he said, which would
save our hospital from the disaster of
having II made focus Of noise and dis
turbance"