The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-04-13
DEFER ACTION On
MEMORIAL OFFER
COMMITTEES, AT SUGGESTION or
DIR. JOHNSTON. WILL GET
FIGURES ON NEW WORK.
SEEK LOWER ESTIMATE
BELIEVED THAT FIGURES SUI.
MITTED BY BECK ARE TOO
HIGH-ASK BUILDERS
FOR FIGURES.

An effort will be made TO see il
Memorial Hospital can be put In
shape for use Of the city as a free
institution at n much cheaper price
than that suggested by Building In
spector Beck in his report submitted
to the special committee named by
Council to look into the matter of
taking over the hospital.
This determination was reached
at a meeting Of the committee yes
terday afternoon, when the matter
was again discussed at some length.
DIR. George Ben Johnston offered to
get an architect to draw up n tenta-
tive plan, embracing the needed Inn
provements and repairs. He then
suggested thar this be offered TO
three reputable builders for figures
on the work. Thus. he believed. it
could be ascertained Just about what
a fair estimate would be. Person.
ally. he was u the opinion the city
would hive TO spend hardly more
than one-half what MIR. Beck Wti-
mated.
Would Builst Annex.
Instead Of duplicating the present
hospital building, as the building I'm
spector believed would have to be
done. DIR. Johnston waS .sof the
opinion th0t an annex serving every
purpose could be butt. thereby sav-
ing II considerable sum. The annex
would go In the rear OF the hos
pital. fronting on Broad street. and
running back for some distance. Cost
Of this site would certainly be less
than $4,000. as estimated by Mr..
Beck, according to DIR. Johnston. 1t
was suggested that the property
could probably be obtained for 49,
900 by condemnation proceedings.
DIR. r. G. williams. State health
commissioner. one Of the trustees
of the institution. agreed with DIR.
Johnston. II moro space were need
ed. he said, 1t could be obtained by
running the building farther up into
the air. The trend of today, he
said. is To build hospitals upward.
so as TO get the pufest air possible.
He saw no objection to a hospital in
the centr~l portion OF the city. For
many reasons. such location was
preferable to locations In the su-
burhs.
Cost Less Than $1,000.
1T. oilliams said that the cost OF
$1,000 per bed. applied to the aver
age hospital, should not apply to
public institution. where there would
necessarily be much ward space.
DIR. Clinton NJ. Miller. member OF
the committee. Inclined to the belief
that 1t would be better to get nearer
the country. However, he did not
insist on this point.
Mr.. Hohson. another member OF
the committee. discussing the cost Of
hospitals in general. said that Louis
Vile Is now building one that Will
cost 100000. He merely wanted
to show that Richmond could not ex-
peet to get of too easy in undertake
ing a new hospital venture.
Mr.. Beck's total estimate was
3s15,000 for taking over Memorial.
He subdivided this as follows: Site
$4,000! duplicate buildings 100000;
equipment. $4,000: nurses home.
$4,000; alterations. $4,000: mort
gage to be assumed. $4,000.
City Owns q Site.
Ii a new city hospital is erected
on the Clark's Spring site. which Is
owned by the city. he estimated that
the cost would not exceed 100000
to any greet extent.
Members of the committee present
we're Chairman Grundy. Drs. Reade
and Miller, and Afessrs. Hirschberg.
Richards and Hobson.
The next meeting Is subject to tho
call Of the chair. AZ he was attend
Ing another meeting at tho Same time.
Mr.. Beck could not be present to
give the committee his individual
views.