The San Francisco call., 1909-11-21
CHARITY WHICH is
APPROVED BY ALL
Cornerstone of San Francisco
Hospital Laid With Impress
siye Ceremonies

In spite of weather conditions, which
were far from ideal. the exercises at
tendant upon laying the cornerstone of
the new San Francisco hospital yes
terday afternoon were most impress
sive. A distinguished representation of
the city's citizenship had places on the
speakers stand. and an interested and
enthusiastic audience witnessed the
ceremony and listened to the addresses
of Mayor Taylor, DR.. William Ophuls
president of the board of health, and
DR.. A. A d'Ancona. representing the
board Of supervisors.
1t was near 2:3O o'clock when the
band started the strains of The Star
Spangled Banner" and something over
an hour later when the workmen began
bricking up the copper record box. and
the function ended with the last strains
of America"
The act of spreading the mortar for
the block Of red sandstone at the north
west corner of the administration
building, the central structure of the
group. was performed by Mayor Tay-
Tor with silver trowel appropriately
engraved.
Doctor Ophuls. who presided, opened
the formal ceremonies by presenting
Bishop William Ford Nichols, who Of
fered an invocation.
THE GREATEST CHARITY
Doctor Ophuls spoke eloquently of
the significance of the occasion. In
part he said:
This IS a memorable event an occasion Tor
which this city has been waiting for many years
OF all the mutifarious interests OF this com
munity this hospital is the greatest. IL IS chleI
est OF our municipal charities. II IS the one
charity TO which there can be no objection from
any quarter Too often charitable endeaTors
tend toward the debauchery Of their recipients
There IS an unanimous agreement that this one
can but serve to better and promote the uni
versal good. This is so because II is designed
TO deal with our best citizens In need, as
haven Of refuge for our deserving workers. They
are the most useful assets of the city and right
fully ask well Of us who may be more for-
tunRte.
Doctor Ophuls spoke of the inception
of the new hospital, of the voting of
s2.OOO,OOO in bonds by the tax payers
and praised the spirit that animated
such an action. He stated that with
careful economy the plans for the main
group Of buildings, which are now un-
der way could be carried out with the
expenditure of sL5O0,O00, and that the
buildings would be rapidly pushed to
completion.
ADDRESS BY MAYOR
Mayor Taylor delivered the principal
address, saying in part:
I have been called upon TO participate in many
functions, but ! am prouder 10 have a part in
this one than in any other. This great group
Of structures which is TO rise here typides the
spirit Of benehcence As a citizen of San Fran
cisco / am thrilled with the feeling that at last
she has risen she should do to the proper
care Of her own. More than 40 public buildings
are now IN course of construction. not one of
them, however. equal in Importance to these.
Not one Of them will show San francisco IN
the great white light before the world as Will
the hospital
Health is the first consideration. Only
well man. feeling the current Of life flowing
hotly TO his extremities, do the big work of
the world.
An interesting point brought out dur
ing Doctor Taylors address was that.
according to statistics, San Francisco
has the best sanitary system in the
country; that the birth rate is 15 in
1000 and the death rate but 1911 in
1000.
CoNGRATULATES THE CITY
The last speaker was DR.. A. A. dan
coma, who, on behalf of the board of
supervisors, congratulated the people
Of the city and those who have been in
strumental in the direction Of the ex-
penditure of the money voted for the
hospital. He particularly emphasized
the change of name from the city and
county hospital TO the San Francisco
hospital, the latter designation being
deemed symbolical of the unity of all
the interests of the city.
The group of buildings, the founda-
tions of which are now complete. will
be surrounded by beautiful grounds,
the site being twice the size of that
formerly set aside for the purpose.
There are five structures to be erected
at once, a feature being the tuberculo-
sis building, which has never before
been properly provided by the city.
In the sealed copper box, which is
now ensconced in the cornerstone, were
placed copies of the daily papers Of
yesterday, one of the new Lincoln pen
nies, copy of the charter of the city
and county, a plat of the city, an Off
cial guidebook to the city and various
public documents.