The Topeka state journal., 1909-03-16
NEARLY FINISHED,
st. Francis Hospital Will BE
Ready in July.
Plumbers and Electricians Busy
With the Interior.
WILL BE FIRE PROOF.
One of the Most Convenient in
the City.
Effort to Raise Money Meets
Poor Response.
WILL BE FIRE PROOF.

| Rapid progress is being made by the
workmen on the new st. Francis hos
pital, which is being erected by the
Sisters of Charity on Sixth avenue be-
tween Garfield and Morris streets. The
roof has recently been put on the
building and the plumbers, electricians
and other finishers are at work and it
| is expected that the hospital will be
finished about the first of July and
ready for occupancy some time during
that month.
The new st. Francis hospital will be
one of the largest in the city. 1t is a
four-story and basement structure, 125
| feet long by 55 feet wide, and 1t is con-
structed of solid brick with a stone
foundation, ~vitrified brick being used in
| the facing. On the south side of the
structure on each of the four floors is
a spacious porch, IL feet wide and run
ming 100 feet along the length of the
building.
When this hospital is completed it
promises to be one of the most con-
venient and modernly equipped hospi-
tails in this part of the country. The
heating plant and boiler room will oc-
cupy the basement and on the first
floor will be the office and administra-
tion rooms, the drug room, nurses din
kitchen and receiving room. The second
and third stories will contain the pri-
vate rooms for patients and the oper-
ating and sterilizing rooms and a few
private rooms will be located on the
fourth floor. On each of the three
floors above the first story there will
| be a diet room and sufficient bath and
wash rooms.
Careful attention is being paid to pro-
lection against fire in the construction
of the building. The flooring of the halls
and corridors will be hard oak and the
rooms will be hoored with hard pine.
T1oa aIn tor oh will a
each floor with wire-glass, and metal
studding and steel lath has been used
in the stairways and corridors. There
| is a stairway, eight feet wide in both
the east and west ends of the building,
and the most modern system of ventila-
ton will be used in the hospital
Altogether there will be about 80 pri-
vate rooms in the hospital, some of
which will be large enough to accom-
modate two patients and in addition
| to the private rooms there will be a
| large ward that will hold a number of
cots. A corps of not less than 20 nurses
will be necessary to serve the hospital
and a training class for nurses will be
| instituted as soon as the hospital is
! put into operation 1t has not as yet
been decided who will be placed at the
head of the hospital and the appoint
ment will not be made for some time
to come.
Trouble to Get Money.
| The cost of the building will be
about $4,000, which is exclusive of
/ the equipment. 1t is estimated that at
least $4,000 more will be required to
| furnish and equip the hospital. The
sisters having supervision over the con-
struction of the hospital are now en-
gagged in soliciting funds for the in
stitution and their efforts among the
| citizens of Topeka thus far have not
been exactly encouraging. Up to date
only $3,051.50 have been paid in to
| the sisters. OF this amount $72.50
was solicited by the Topeka CONNER
| cial club The sum of $215.5O in ad-
dition has been subscribed, but it has
not been paid in as yet.
Quite number of business men to
| whom applications for contributions
have been made have declined to as
sist in the erection of this institution
| and those who are in charge
of the project are apprehenstve that
| the hospital will have to begin opera
ton under a heavy debt. While
charge will be made by the hospital
for services rendered to those who are
able to pay, yet one of the provinces
| of this new institution will be to give
proper medical attention TO the poor
! and needy patients who are unable to
pay hospital fee and because of the
| service to be rendered to the needy
sick of the city, it is considered that
| the institution is worthy of assistance
| from local business men and citizens.
The work of soliciting funds to help
| in the construction of the hospital is
| in charge of Sister Mary Peter and
she states that she will devote con-
siderable time between now and the
first of July toward obtaining contrib
utfons from local people. A large sum
| is vet to be raised and those in charge
| hope to open the hospital without a
| too burdensome debt at the start.
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