Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1908-12-30
"wHiTR PLAGUE" HOSPITAL.
Mrs. Beckwith Gives 4OO-Acre Site
for Sanitorium at Aiken.

Tor SanitOrium at Aiken.
A dispatch from Aiken, S. c., says:
In the near future Aiken Is to have
large national sanitarium for the
treatment of tuberculosis. Mr.. and
Mrs. G. VI. Beckwith, of Baltimore,
Nd, who are regular winter visitors
to Aiken, have been interested in
this scheme for several years, and
along the lines recommended by the
recent tuberculosis congress in Wash
ington, the hospital in Aiken is to
be established
Mrs. Beckwith has given tract OF
land, containing about 400 acres,
near the city, on Kalmia Hill, for the
site of the sanitarium. Mrs. Beck
with has given tract of land in New
York, on Saranac Lake, for similar
purpose. But her main interest Is to
have established a great national in
stitution in the ideal climate OF the
vicinity of Aiken, for the treatment
of pulmonary troubles
The rapid spread of the Great
White Plague has cast so much con-
sternation over the nation that the
establishment Of a great institution
like the one planned, Is OF vital i'm
portance to the people of the coun-
try.
The two tracts of land presented
to the government by Mrs. Beckwith
are valued at 100000, and the mu-
niflcence of the giver can be properly
seen from the extent of the gift, and
which also shows the deep interest
in this matter She is taking. Con-
cerning her offer to the government,
Mrs. Beckwith says:
81 have travelled extensively
throughout this country, and it was
not until within the last year that l
came in contact with many persons
suffering from the dreaded disease.
While in Denver, Colo, last year,
where | lost my little girl, after an
illness Of only eighteen hours, | first
saw the effects Of tuberculosis. had
| occasion one day to take a drive
through the parks of that city, and
| the number of persons | saw with
pale faces touched me greatly. | in
quired OF my physician the cause, and
he said Tuberculosis Last summer
| while | was at Saranac Lake, the
place was almost swarmed with con-
aumptives. At the restaurant where
/ dined, | came in contact with q
ed the disease, and had gone up there
to reside and endeavor to regain his
health. He informed me he had
spent every cent he had, and had
| mortgaged his small cottage at Sara
nae Lake in order to recover his
| health, but now everything was gone,
| and he did not know what he was
going to do. AS he told me his story
the tears flowed odwn his cheeks.
| "A Jewish lady at that place also
appealed to me to petition President
Roosevelt and Congress for an ap-
preparation for sanitariums, and
stated that 1T would be an everlast-
! Ing monument to his memory. The
| pitiful scenes affected me greatly. /
! decided from that moment | would
petition the President in the matter,
and do everything in my power to
check the spread of this terrible dis
ease, although not a member of my
family has the disease.
About two weeks ago I wrote
| President Roosevelt a letter on the
subject, rendering my tract Of land
at Aiken, containing 400 acres, and
the other at Saranac Lake, N. Y,
containing SO acres, for sanitarium
purposes. | received a reply from
the President, through Secretary
Loeb, which was very encouraging.
He thanked me for my generous Of
| fer and the interest have taken to
eXterminate the disease He also
stated that the army and navy are at
present conducting sanitariums of
| this kind in the West, and that vast
| amount of good Is being accomplish
ed along this line"
Mrs. Beckwith expects to take the
matter up with the Congressman and
Senator'S, individually, and she ex-
poets that the aid asked by the peo-
pie OF the country will be granted by
| the next Congress.
petition has been circulated
among the citizens Of Aiken asking
for aid from the government for the
erection Of national hospital here,
setting forth the advantages Of Aiken
as site, and with the excellent gift
of Mrs. Beckwith, the matter will
| doubtless be carried through.