The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1910-03-20
ISOLATION HOSPITAL MAN HAS
GROWN RICH AT PUBLIC
CRIB.
BLAME ON OFFICIALS
ExORBlTANT CHARGES FOR
FOOD PAID BY THE
CITY.
CoNTINUED Investigation Of
the accounts of v. 3. Harris,

|TONTINUED investigation Of
the accounts of v. 3. Harris,
~ superintendent Of the isoIa-
tion hospital, tend more and more
to substantiate The Press original
position, that Harris has one Of the
best things in the city's gift from
the standp point of financial returns.
That Harris has lost no oppor-
tunity to realize to the fullest ex-
tent on the gold mine at his hand
can be verified by the record, sup
ported by inquiry among the former
patients Of the institution.
In two years ending March I Har-
ris has drawn from the city for his
own services and board and haul
ing Of patients to the isolation hos
pital $4,000. Besides this his wife
has been on the payroll az a nurse
at $50 to $3.50 per month.
or this large total the bulk was
CREAM" as they say around the
city hall. in speaking of private
snaps. Harris has drawn 25 cents
per meal for every patient confined
within the hospital during that
period, has collected the same fee
for the board of the nurses en-
ployed by the city and most of the
help around the place. He has
even collected IS cents per day for
boarding member of his own fam
lily and gotten away with it.
Harris has received So for every
trip made in hauling patients to the
hospital. During the bulk of this
time the institution was located
on the hill just north of the Cor
bin Park line of the Traction COM
pany, as it was only since the first
)of the present year that the hos
pital moved to its new quarters on
the river bank. Harris collected $5
trip when he went to Hillyard,
although the distance was not much
over two miles. Hillyard is outside
the city limits of Spokane, yet it
seems that Harris was able to draw
upon it for patients, even at the
fee of SIS per trip.
Where a mother went along to
take care of her child at the hos
pital, the city paid for mother and
child alike-75 cents each per day.
Some people in prosperous condi-
tion went from the local hospitals
with their nurses and the city paid
the board alike of the patient and
the nurse.
Some days Harris collected 81 70.
the use OF his wagon and was paid
at the rate of $1,000 a year besides
as superintendent. The wagon
used was an old tumble down hack
that let enough cold through in the
winter season to almost give real
sick patient a severe chill. Harris
perquisites in the transportation
matter are now cut off, as the city
has its own automobile.
During the time that these enor-
nous bills We're rendered against
the city Harris paid neither rent,
hight. water nor fuel bills at the
hospital, all of which were paid by
the city. What restaurant men
would want better thing in Spo-
kane than to serve a little toast
and mush for 20 cents and have the
city to foot all the bills. except the
cook. Or imagine 25 cents a throw
for plate of hot" cakes and cof-
fee--the hot" was such in name
only-and draw two bits for the
service. Hot cakes and coffee or
mush and toast are not much over
10 cents in the ordinary restaurant.
Think OF the restaurant man that
could serve plate of boiling beef
for % cents, that sells ordinarily
over Spokane for 10 cents. He no
doubt would think that he had quite
snap. And then to serve the left
over portion as cold beef in the
evening at the same money Is still
better. But such is the meal charge
that the taxpayers paid V. B, Har-
ris for day after day.
There Is no wonder that Harris
owns 800 acre ranch that supplies
all of his milk, eggs and vegetables
at the hospital. There is nothing
strange in the fact that he owns d
number of good pieces OF properly
in Spokane. Harris has the best
thing, from the standpoint OF seem.
ing legitimate profit, in tho gift OF
the city. He has left no stone un-
turned to get all there is In Il and
when he quits Ire hospital he win
do so rich man.
The Harris bills have gone
through from mouth to month with
the approval OF the president and
secretary Of the hoard Of health
and the auditing committee. consist.
ing of the mayos. tho colnptrolleg