The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-02-17
Acceptance Of Memorial
by City Part Of Great
College Plan.
RICHMOND NEEDS
H 0 Nj E FOR POOR
DR.. George Ben Johnston and
DR.. Stuart MCGUIRE Unite in
Urging Council to Take Over
observation-disclosures OF Col
legcs Certain in That
Event.

Plans for converting the Memorial
Hospital Into Il great free institution
FOR tn. treatment OF the INDECENT sick
of Richmond. owned and controlled by
the city, and to be operated in conncc
tion with the proposed State medical
college. TO be formed by the merger or
the thr,c medical schools now in exist
ence In virginia. were outlined last
night before q Joint meeting OF tho
Council Committees on Relief OF the
I'oor and Finance. That the two local
institutions arc in earnest in their adj
Nocncy Of the plans proposed. both as
40 the hospital and as to The couso!ida-
ton OF the colleges. may be seen from
the fact that the plan was advocated
before the committees by such m IN
DIR. George Ben Johnston, DR.. stuart
Mcclure Epps Hunton, Jr.. L. L. Be
miss. Judge George l. Christian and
i. y. Taylor. three OF them affiliated
with the University College OF Mcdt
cine and three with the older medical
Institution.
VIII study Cost of Maintenance.
The committee desired light as TO
thc cost OF maintenance. the adapta-
bnity OF III Memorial building for the
purposes OF u free city hospital. and
some members were not :ully sausiiec
with the plan Of government by self
rcrDotuat!ng board y committee OF
hix--,hree ;rom tho Finance Commit
tee and three from the Poor Commit
;ce-wag named 10 examine into al!
details OF the proposition. confer with
tho Charlotte Williams Corporation,
and il practicable prepare q plan OF
government OF the Institution satisfac-
tory 10 all parties.
Or. Charles H. Robins, secretary OF
g.. a. t.In ,,s1,t - IA
now leases the Memorial was careful
to explain that he was no; opposed 70
tho proposition. that II favored any
plan for the advancement Of mcdicai
education, Regardless OF his personal
lntercst whi. hts services in conncc-
lion with the city Home hospital had
shown him the ne ID for free city
hospital He had hoped. however, that
tho city would erect such an institution
outright. and no; interfere with an in
Stituiion now doing good work
The only outright opposition in the
entire debate came from Henry Cohn,
Superintendent .! street Cleaning. VINO
owns the house adjoining the Memo
rial Hospital on Governor street. and
who. In an Inpass.oncd snesch. char
.c;erized the effor; as q plan TO unload
Il white elephant on the city.
Among Interested citizens present
who took no part in the debate were
John l. Williams. founder o: the Me-
mortal Hospital. state Health Com
7nlsslonc. Ennlon q Williams. former
c0uncilmon Lewis g. Williams. Wynd-
ham II. Mcredith and a number OF ply
Sioians, including several OF those WHO
nave given their services without com
Densation to the poor OF the city at
the City Home Hospital.
IIunton Outlines Oner.
tE,, ne. 81
the Charlotte Williams Corporation.
arieny explaining that the hospital
had been erected a pure charity;
that the promoters had not been able
10 carry out their full wishes in this
respect. and for some years II has
been leased 10 an association OF ply
sic!ans connected with the Medical Col
lege OF Virginia, who devote the pro
Ut from the private or pay rooms 10
the maintenance OF a certain number
Of free beds. thus carrying on as much
charitable work as funds permit The
Committee on Relief OF the Poor hay-
ing recommended that the City Hos
p!tal, now located lin the Almshouse
ne divorced from that Institution, the
corporation owning the Memorial Of
fered tfat building to the CITY In
letter to Chairman Pollard, OF the
Finance Committee. provided the CITY
would assume a mortgage Of $4,000.
The building cost $4,000 the land
was recently appraised at $4,000. and
to replace the building at present con-
struction cost has been estimated n,
SSo5,0o0 After taking oft the mort
gage. the property is worth, net. fully
s?5o,000
The location was admirable Mr.
Hunton said. The partition walls ara
so constructed that they can be read.
lily removed or changed To meet vary-
ing requirements OF wards or rooms
and adjoining land can be obtained for
extensions. The erection of several
private hospitals had diverted some
OF the paying business from the Me-
mortal. and it was leaving less sun
port for charity wards than hereto
fore
Consolidate Medical Schools.
IT is our desire" said Mr. Hunton
ITO use this hospital to bring together
the two medical schools of Richmond
into larger and more efficient ins.t
tuition. and the acceptance OF this hos
ptal by the city viii be a great stem
10 that end. The Education Commits.
sion has advised the consolidation Of
the two Richmond schools and .tha
bringing to Richmond of the medical
department OF the University of Vir-
Einin. and We have DELAYED pressing
this offer while those plans were being
worked out.
There has been some adverse crit
'cism on the Plan for a self-perpet
hatinS board of FIVE members We
intended no reflection on the Council,
hut modelled our offer exactly on the
plan of operation of the Branch Baths.
which was approved by the Council.
We are not welded 60 that form, but
1,,f
I" the donors Of the funds which
~ ccted this hospital. to sec to it that
1t is used as they desired. We arc
willing to have IL board Of five to
Continued on Last Page.)