The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-03-11

OF $50 acres, or which almost 400
acres were arabic land and bluegrass
pastures. The property included alta.
splendid young orchard OF 1000
apple trees and q wooded watershed
OF 800 acres.
I'm addition TO these $50 acres Of
land, We secured Tor $1s,1s0 about
fifteen buildings. These included a
hotel Of thirty rooms: two cottages
OF twelve rooms each. two cottages
OF six rooms each: dye cottages, with
four rooms each, and ono with twu
rooms. While some OF these build
ings were In bad repair. they were
used az late ~ 1905 to accommodate
3s0 guests. Cary Sheppard. Of this
city. who acted AZ architect at Cataw-
ba. tells me that the property we
ed for less than $4,000. In other
words, In addition to the farm, with
all It, appurtenances, We secured
buildings which were worth, as they
stood. more than the total cost OF
the property to the State. II this il
extravaganza. the State can afford IT,
Mr.. Noel evidently aid not appre-
ciate the fact that Catawba was
named as the site Of the sanatorium
primarily because 1t was fairly inac-
cesEibie,
Experience in half hundred
sanataria has shown that the farther
removed from the railroad or from
centres Of population. the more sue
cessful the sanatorfum.
Paid senator Bowmnn's Son.
Senator Noel also charged in this
connection that we secured the SER
vices OF Colonel Bowman's son to
examine the titles to the property. and
paid him y125 for his work. Ar-
fs.a A.
fsfefft, Mr.. Bowman had 10 examine
nine distinct titles 10 the property,
and ] know that he spent about two
months in the work. His final work
was heartily approved by the at
torney-genSral. who accepted the title
as clear and declared that the pay
nent Of Mr.. Bowman was reasona bic.
Senator Nan next charged that the
site for Catawba was badly suited
for Its purpose. and he attempted
TO prove his charges from report
made to me by DIR. Robert F. Will
itams. who acted for some months as
Eup6rfnt6ndent OF the sanatorium.
This report Uras made before DIR.
Williams had been at Catawba long
enough TO know the effects OF the
climate. Had 1t been made at a later
time 1t would have been very diff
ferent IL Catawba 10 unsuited for
for the fact that all but one of the
patients of the more than fifty pa
tients who attended the sanatorium
were greatly improved
Better results. arm bold to de-
clare. have not been and cannot be
secured at amy sanatorium In the
country. But before this was deter
mined by actual experience we asked
the opinion OF the United States mefe-
oxy4x AMI x.rt lxsE-
by him that the spot was an ideal
one.
His report on this subject Is on
file In my Office, In addition to this
expert advice. the site was personally
inspected by the members OF the State
board Of health, all of whom were
distinguished physicians and all of
whom declared that II was an ideal
place for the treatment of tubereu-
losie. DIR. r. w. Martin. of Lynch
burg. Dr. George Ben Johnston OF
Richmond. and Or. Stuart Mcclure,
and others euuafty writ known. all
concurred in this opinion. So far az
the general heaithfuIness of the To-
caiity Is concerned. the old Roanoke
Red, the site of the sauatortum. was
for years noted as famous health
resort.
why Tie Was Paid.
Mr.. NoeFs final charge. believe.
has to do with the payment by the
board of six months pay to DR. Rob-
ert r. Williams for his services as
superintendent at Eatawba. when, as
a matter of fact. he was at Catawha
for only two months. DIR. williams
came to us from Texas. whittier he
had gone from this State. He was
known as a man of exceptional abiii-
" and was generally regarded as a
wise selection. After he took the
place at catawba. we discovered that
he had not the faculty OF doing
great amount OF work on a very small
legislative appropriation He report~
ed that tt would be Impossible tn open
the sanatorium for a year. and he
predicted. should this be done. that
sl0.0eo. When DR. Robert Williams
took this position 1t was manifestiy
impossible for him to continue at
Catawba, since the act OF assembly
required that the ganatorfum be OPEN
ed The board was called In special
session TO pass on the subject.
las DIR. Williams did not present
his resignation, and as II was neces-
sary that some one be placed at Ca
tawba who would open the sanato-
rum. we requested the advice Of the
pay DIR. Williams for six months and
secure from him a quit claim against
the State. since ne had been chosen
to serve for year. Acting on this
advice. we paid this sum to Or. Rob-
ert Williams. who then retired from
the work at Catawba. DIR. Freeman
was then placed In charge. and he
opened the sanatnrium on ume.-We
regretted DIR. Williams' action. since
we believe had he been given a large
appropriation he would have put the
work In good shape
These" concluded DR. Williams,
ARE few OF the points that may
he brought forward to refute the
charges made by Mr.. Noel. We are
proud Of what We have done with the
money given IN by the State. and we
Invite an inspection OF the work b,
any experts that might be named by
the state"