The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1910-09-16
HOSPITAL IN
RIGHT HANDS
Continued From Page One).

10 ueeuS OF DeneVOlent nelptulneSS
much more favorable results. Very
recently a local paper, in chroniclng
the loss of one of our most promis-
ing youths, whose death enlisted the
most heartfelt sympathy for the
stricken parents, attributed the be-
reavement to the fact that Honesdale
lacking a hospital-was unprepar-
pared to meet the suddenly develop
ed emergency; and this comment
could, doubtless, with equal justice
have been applied to many cases
of like importance and similar re-
suits.
Then, 1t is not only the valuable
time that Is lost, and the unavoid-
| able danger incurred in moving a
patient to a far-off city, that deters
or prevents many from seeking the
advantages of hospital treatment
The question of expense is always
grave and frequently an insur-
mountable factor in the undertaking
! The poor as well as the rich-per-
haps oftener than the wealthy, in
consequence of the greater hazards
! of their occupation, or their in
ability to take the customary pre-
| cautions as to diet and avoidance
| of contagion-are proper subjects
! for hospital care and treatment, but
cases are rare when they can avail
themselves of it without adding the
| burden of debt or greater privation
| to the misfortune of accident or dis
! ease. Such cases always appeal to
! the charitable impulses of the phil
/ anthropic when the facts are known;
but they are too often hidden from
the public knowledge through innate
pride or natural timidity.
These and many other considera-
tions which will suggest themselves
| to you, are convincing arguments in
! favor of the establishment of a hos-
! pital in Honesdale for the treatment
of medical and surgical cases occur
! ring in the town and vicinity. In
| deed, that conclusion was reached
| by many years since, and for some
| time past earnest efforts, attended by
/ successful preliminary steps, have
| been made looking to that end. Our
| local physicians have given the pro-
ject their unqualified approval, and
during the several sessions in which
l have had the honor to represent
this constituency in the legislature
frequent petitions have reached me
praying for the passage of an act
institution In compliance with
these requests, a bill was passed in
the term of 1907 in which an ap-
preparation of ten thousand dollars
was granted, but the governor with
held his approval from half of the
amount in consequence of inadequate
funds in the treasury. To make the
sum of five thousand dollars, sane
toned by his signature, available, it
was; necessary that a like amount
be raised by local effort on or before
the first day of June, 1909, or the
privilege of the grant would be for
feited under the provisions of the
act. The money was not forthcom-
ing, and the appropriation lapsed;
but the work accomplished was not
entirely lost, as it served for pre-
cedent for a new bill, formulated on
the same lines, which | introduced
in the house at the last session, and
which unanimously passed both
branches of the legislature and re-
ceived the approval of the governor.
This act also appropriates five thous-
and dollars to the hospital assOcia-
ton, again conditioned on the rails
ing of a like sum by home efforts,
and carries with it the probability,
if not the pledge, of further grants
| by the state, when required, upon
the same liberal terms.
This is the situation and the emer-
gency which forces another appeal
to the ladies'; and it is in the hope
of adding some slight force to that
appeal that | have trespassed upon
your time, and perhaps patience, on
this occasion. The preliminary work
l n l.
zation of the hospital board of Off
GERS; but unless the women come to
! the aid of the project in the matter
of funds, there is grave danger that
| a Honesdale hospital will remain in
! the future, as it has been in the past,
| an institution to be deVoutly wish
! ed for but never secured.
1t is not for mere man" to sug-
! gest any lines upon which success
/ full work may be accomplished for
! so worthy a purpose. The female
mind, especially in philanthropic
work, is suggestive, forceful and in
genious as to means, and persistent,
active and determined in the matter
of ends. Let a Ladies' Auxiliary
Hospital society be formed, and L
have the faith to believe that the
required funds will in due time be
! forthcoming. Whether the money
is raised by subscription, entertain
ment, tag days, fairs, floral parades,
or in any other manner, is matter
of detail which may be safely left to
them.
And when this is done, when our
charitable ladies, who strive with
such untiring zeal to pay off church
debts, to support foreign and do
mestic missions, to alleviate the suf-
fering of the poor, to beautify the
town and it's suburbs, and even to
protect from cruelty the most de-
fenseless of Gods dumb creatures
shall have been largely instrumental
in securing for the sick and acci-
dentally injured the benefits of shell
ter, care and professional skill, on
terms within the reach of all, who
can doubt that, like their proto-
type, Dorcas, they will not only
be accorded the grateful thanks and
commentator of the community In
appreciation of their good works and
almsdeeds, but the approval of the
Greater One "who seeth in secret
and, in good time, rewards openlyY
Mr. E'uarth Wae annlaudad