Danville intelligencer. [volume] (Danville, Pa.) 1859-1907, 1907-03-01
A HOSPITAL
FOR DANV|LLE

that hospital for Danville, the me-
cessity for which has been so vigorous
ly urged in several directions of later
has already become reality. 1t tran
spires that while our citizens were
looking forward to the establishment
of hospital as dream to pc realized
at the expense of hard struggle and
much lf-sacrifice broad minded and
philanthropic citizen of Danville was
quietly working. diligently planning
and providing for magnificent hos
pital as a gift to the town. so that
many months ago. not only was the
land purchased for the site, but the
plans for the building were perfected.
The gentleman presenting the hos
pital is not working for applause-not
impelled by any vain glorious desire.
He, therefore, insists that in giving
description of the hospital to be pre-
sented his name be withheld from the
public. Suffice it to say that he is one
of Danville's leading and most public
spirited citizens, man of weighty in
terests, who is admirably situated to
Judge of the needs of our town as they
relate public hospital. He has been
laboring on the proposition for one
year and a half-first selecting aud
purchasing the ground and then per
fecting the plans for the building.
In the latter it has been his aim to
produce hospital, which in point of
commodiousness, arrangement and
sanitation will be as nearly a model
as possible. All the more recently con
structed hospital buildings of this sec
tion have been examined to determine
what is the best and most satisfactory
in the way of appointment and ar
rangement. The proposed hospital will
embody all that is approved and pro
ductive of the best results in the in
stitutions examined.
Ground will be broken and work on
the hospital will be commenced early
next spring. When the building is
completed it will be presented to Mon
tour county. There will be but one re-
striction. The building will be turned
over to the town with the understand
ing that the BOARD of trustees is to be
made up of six physicians and six bus
mess men of town.
The location of the hospital will
hn adn
site purchased is an admirable one,
and contains eight lots, centrally To-
Gated, in one of the most salubrious
and beautiful spots that our town af-
fords. The aim is to make the institu-
tion not distinctively hospital, but
a health retreat as we'll, hence the
name selected as will be seen by the
draft is 1.-THE Ark Haven Sanitarium"
The hospital will be built of brick.
The frontage is 1873 feet. In addition
to the easterly aud westerly wings,
shown in the draft, there is a souther-
ly wing in he rear of the building, 70
feet deep
In an emergency the hospital as
planned can accommodate forty pa
tients, although the number of beds
installed to begin with will probably
be less than half that number-only as
many as are required to meet demands
uuder normal conditions. The east
erly wing will constitute a ward for
men the southerly wing, ward for
women. The westerly wing will con-
tain series of eight bright, CHEEKY
private rooms looking out toward the
sunset aud taking in wide sweep of
romantic scenery, an ideal haven for
the sick.
Each annex will have connected
with it a sun parlor. The central
building, two stories high, will be
taken up by the main corridor. physl-
clans Office and drug room. The sec
ond story will contain three nurses
rooms, capacious Office for the trus-
tees, and the county medical society,
| also room for consultation over spec
ial cases.
The laundries, kitchens and dining
rooms will be on the ground floor OF
the main building. The operating
room, the most convenient and best
arranged that can be devised. will oc-
cupy the cove at the end of the easter
ly wing.
The cost of the hospital building,
1 ~, fn
not be less than Sl2.0 900. This, OF
course, the town has nothing to dc
with. The task which the citizens will
have to address themselves to will be
the maintenance of the institution.
This may not constitute such heavy
burden as some suppose. In the hrs'
place, in planning the institution
care was taken to keep its size dowr
to what is commensurate with present
needs and moderate growth of the
town. 1t is cited that where hospitals
prove burdensome to municipality
IN nearly every instance they are bull
out of all proportion to the size ant
needs of the town and community
The cost of maintaining our hospital
under the modest scale proposed, &C
cording to several estimates made Sat
urday. should not be much, if any,
above $4,000 per year.
Primarily the annual maintenance
of the institution will have to COM
from the whole body of citizens. How
easily the cost can be met will yer.
readily appear when it is stated tha
Danville has over 2 800 wage Garner
employed at present, all of whom will
, benefit alike by the splendid charity
, A trifle over dollar per year as a
average contribution from working
people would pay the bills accruin
, at the hospital and what man. woma
or child would begrudge the contribu
tion. To provide for all emergencies
I that there may be always money o.
hand, first of all some of our citizen
will be asked to contribute to hos
: pital fund, which should not be les
than several thousand dollars.