The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1906-12-04
WASHINGTON LETTER


The contract for the erection Of the
building for the new Army General
hospital to be built here has been
awarded. 1t is to cost 100000.
The location is on the west side of
Brightwood avenue, about opposite
Battle cemetery, and comprises forty
three and one-half acres III addition
to the frontage on Brightwood avenue
the property extends west nearly to
Fourteenth street. 1t is almost exactly
FIVE miles from the treasury, the capt.
toll and the new union railroad station.
There is to be central administra-
ton building and wings placed lateral
ly, all facing the south With the pres
ent appropriation Of 100000 only the
central building win be erected, this
being planned to include for the pres
ent both the administrative Offices, the
wards, kitchen, operating room, etc,
for a total of hundred patients.
Colonial Tyne of Architecture.
The hospital Is designed in the colo
NAL type Of architecture and is to be
built of red brick, with white stone
trimmings. and viii have the features
that modern experience suggests as Of
use in a building OF the sort. The sys-
tenn of ventilation that will be provided
filters the air on entry into the build
ing, and 1t Is then carried over coils of
hot water pipes before being distrib-
uted to the different rooms. The air
ducts will be so constructed as to
change the air in the offices and the
halls three times and in the wards
four times per hour.
The hospital is to bear the name of
the Walter Reed United States Army
General hospital in honor of the officer
of the army whose work in the direc-
ton Of stamping out yellow fever was
of such inestimabIe value to mankind
The Botanic Gardens.
Uncle Sam has collection of queer
plants In his botanic gardens in this
city. These gardens, inclosed by q
high iron fence, are bounded by First
and Third streets northwest, Pennsyl-
vania and Maryland avenues In the
hothouses, great and small, can be
found growths from every country and
every cline under the sun. There are
banana palms from the tropics, bear
ing clusters Of fruit; the chocolate
plant, delicate ferns and great va
rlety OF growths from practically ey-
erywhere.
A Freak Plant.
~. ff~1t - -
most interesting oddities among the
freak plants at the government botanic
garden. 1t is related that when Mr.,
Smith was In Florida botanizing with
Mr.. Amos Cummings and while being
piloted through the tropical growths
by colored guide they came upon a
rare specimen of the Saracenia drumo-
dia. The top of the plant was white
and luminous to enable the night
moths to find it and get from It's pods
the liquor it distilled The insect is
said to become drunk as a result of
taking drafts Of the liquor, the lntoxi-
cation always and ever ending in the
death of the victim.
The white and luminous top of the
plant and its attractive environments,
with the ever ready Intoxicating fluid,
suggested the name of ''all night sa-
loon plant to Mr. Cummings. and be
at once christened it and bestowed
upon 1t that cognomen.
A Botanical saloon.
Near the "all night saloon plant" Is
another which encourages inebrIety
among members Of the insect family
and Is responsible, 1t il said, for many
fatal Tags" In bugland. It l. known
popularity as the lager beer plant" Ita
botanical name is sarriclnea. This
plant brews sort Of efrerve cent
liquor Ia its pods and then opens up
for It's customers, who walk Into the
little apartments and drink Of the
liquor to their hearts content. Unlike
the liquid OF the ''all night saloon
plant" that OF the lager beer saloon
does not prove fatal by reason Of any
poisonous substances In its compost
ton. On the contrary. 4 produces q
sort of exhilaration. The plant Is cloth
ed with fine hair, and the Insects after
drinking of the liquor become half IN
toxicated and half tangle footed BIZ get
ting their legs in the hair growth, and
while in that condition they tumble
into the accumulated liquid and are
drowned. 1t IS said that both plants
thrive upon the substance that IS or
tQlned from the bodies Of their intern