The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1906-11-16

j A great deal of the stone used in the
building came from the old Tourtellotte
hospital building, which was purchased
by the German Lutheran Hospital asso-
citation and torn down. Cement walks
have been laid around the grounds, and
the latter will be beautifed another
year.
The building occupies ground space
of AZ by So feet, and has accommoda-
lions for forty patients. AS the demand
for more room grows, detached build
ings will be erected and an addition
made to the present main or administra-
tion building. 1t is planned to build a
wing along Washington street to the
alley when that time comes, and also
to build separate structure Just north
of the present building Which is built
first will depend upon whether the de-
mand turns out to be for expensive or
cheap rooms. If for expensive rooms,
the addition to the present building will
be made, but if for cheap rooms the
detached building will be erected.
Heated By Vapor System.
The building is heated by the Bromell
vapor system, being the first building
in the state to be heated by that sys-
tenn. No live steam is ordinarily used,
yet the radiators become very hot
When the temperature is thirty degrees
below zero the plant is guaranteed to
heat the building properly with eight
ounces of steam, and twelve ounces is
the limit that the plant is capable Of.
A valve is attached to each radiator to
control the heat, and there is hot wa
ter boiler to supply hot water for the
building. Two 32-horse power low pres
sure tubular boilers are used to supply
the heat for the building and to heat
the water in the hot water tank. The
coal shed adjoining holds two carloads
of coal.
Has Latest Equipment.
The building is lighted by gas and
electricity, and has an elevator that will
eventually be operated by electricity. A
private telephone system has been in
stalled, with twelve phones, located as
follows: One in each diet Kitchen, one
in the doctors room, one in the treat
ment room, one in the nurses bedroom,
one in the isolated ward, one in the
boiler room, one in the office, etc. The
office will also contain the Citizens and
Northwestern phones.
A splendid ventilating system has
been installed throughout the building.
There is also a fire escape connecting
with all floors, on the north end of the
building, opposite the Railways.
The walls are thick and strong, and
were built upon four feet of concrete,
reinforced with four iron rods running
all the way around.
The basement contains, besides the
excellent heating plant and large coal
cellar, large nurses lecture room in
the southeast corner, for the nurses
class that is to be organized immedi-
ately, laboratory on the south side,
bath rooms in the southwest corner, to
be supplied later with fixtures, including
showers, ETC., the ianitOr's rooms, etc.
The elevator runs to the basement. The
basement is cemented throughout, and
later hardwood floor will be laid in
the nurses lecture room. There is a
front and side entrance. What remains
to be done in the basement will be done
next year.
On the Main Floor.
The first OF main floor is entered from
the center of the front, through three
sets of doors, so that all noise will be
kept from the patients. The office is at
the right, and there is pleasant, sunny
reception room at the end of the hall at
the south. On this as on the other
floors there are two standpipes in the
halls, with hose attached, for use in
case of fire. Wards for single and dou
BILE beds and private rooms, closets and
bathrooms take up the remainder of the
floor. There are eighteen patients rooms
in the building, including ten private
ones.
The second floor contains a sun room
above the reception room, and the wards
and private bedrooms for patients, clos
cts, bath rooms, linen closets, etc. The
woodwork on all of the floors is white
enameled with six coat work. The floors
are of hard maple, with vanished fin
ish.
Two operating Rooms.
The feature of the third floor is the
operating rooms, with their adjuncts.
There are two operating rooms, in the
northeast and northwest corners of the
building one duplicate of the other.
This will allow of two operations 60
ing on at the same time in case of
emergency. Between these rooms are the
sterilizing room and the anaesthetic
room. These are large enough to sup
ply both operating rooms. The steril-
izing room has hot water and prepara-
tions for steriliZinp utensils and instrr-