Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-01-23


Columbia Hospital the items which | Of
fered yesterday afternoon as substitute
for the amendment offered by Repre-
sentative Foster OF Illinois, and the two
preceding items relating to the Columbia
Hospital"
Columbia Hospital Items.
The items in the bill relating TO the
Columbia Hospital are as follows
For the care and treatment OF ihdigent
patients under a contract to be made with
the Columbia Hospital for Women snd
Lying-in Asylum by the board OF chart
ties not to exceed $4,000.
To reconstruct outbuiidings destroyed
by storm, $500.
For repairs to Columbia Hospital. s. .0on
THE subcommittee" Mr.. BurleSon re-
sumed. would undoubtedly ha"s acted
upon the recommendation of the board OF
charities and the Commissioners OF tho
District but for certain information which
was brought to us by gentleman con-
nected with that institution assuring US
that I'm his opinion the hospital was not "A
IRE trap. that IL was not menace TO life
and that by the expenditure OF n few
thousand dollars IL could be made COM
paratively safe.
Influenced by these representations We
continued the item in this bill IA IL has
been presented TO. the committee. bu, now
the proposition is brought forward TO in
crease one Of these items to the aytent
of $4,000. making the appropriation car
ried in this bill for the Columbia Hos
pital. Ii that amendment sho,;ld he
adopted. 10000 for general purposes.
1900 for the repair of building injured
by a storm and $1,000 for general re-
pairs. aggregating $4,000.
And TO do what? To perform a cer-
tain function which should be performed
by the general government and the Dis
trict OF Columbia, TO care for certain de
no daAylf Vx-txS hos
for and are now being cared for in that
institution.
Not Individual Money.
Gentlemen. We submit to yon this
proposition.
1.-THE money with which wa are dealing
is not our individual money. II Is the
money of the general government and
OF the District of Columbia, raised by
taxation. and 1 insist that we ought -
deal with this money just as ca efally
and conscientfously as if IL were our own
The District Commissioners and the
board of charities assert, and no man
will dispute the proposition, that ( sI7.-
800 q greater service can be rendered
more economically than for the S5I0Oo
which Is sought now to be carried In this
bill for this institution.
The question presents itself are we
willing to continue this institution rs a
hospital? The hospital as Il stands. par
t.cularly the old building, is a standing
menace to human life on account OF its
inferior and non-fireproof consti .ction.
Nevertheless the efforts of persons In
charge In providing fire escapes, fire hose
and other appliances are commensurate:
but the interior partitions are so compli-
Gated that II ever a fire got a start II Is
doubtful II the patients could be rescued
through the complicated passageways."
Mr.. Burleson then read a report from
Elliott Woods. superintendent of the
fol a1anF
Of the building is not suitable for list
class hospi. al Remodeling the interior
would. Of course, benefit, because rear
rangements could be made. but II much
would prefer to pull down the attire
structure and build a new hospital
Condemn the Building.
Mr.. Burleson then had read letters
from the Engineer Commissioner. the
supervising architect and the superin-
tendent of the hospital, ~ Of which.
as he pointed out, confirming the state
ment Of Mr.. Woods.
In view of the statenisn contained
In these letters" said Mr.. 1urleson,
Il want to say that I am unwilling to
be responsible any longer for maintain
ing hospital in this building.
For years the fact has been forced on
our attention that IL is q tiretrap. thai il
Ii extremely dangerous. and after we had
unanimous recommendation from he
board of charities that u .. abandoned.
after we have had recommendation
unanimously concurred In by the board
OF Commissioners and after we have had
Q statement from the municipal architect
and the superintendent of the building. 1
insist that the substitute ] lave offered
here be adopted and th@t $l1 800 be ex-
pended to accomplish more than can be
accomplished by the 50. 900. and that this
hospital be abandoned"
Mr.. Cox declared 1t would be a crime
to continue the use Of Columbia Hospital
In its present &C 7dition, as a gssst dis
aster might occur there at any zine on
account of the condition OF the building.
He thought any member OF Cne House
voting to perpetuate this condition took
q great responsibility upon himself.
Representative Saunders OF Virginia
said the subcommittee WIS a Inls Ia the
belief that the hospital ought 20 60 out
Of existence and its place be filieo other
wise
Chairman Fitzgerald OF the appropria-
tions committee said that IL the iistitu-
ton was not repaired a new buiioing
shou d be erected, and that IL .iew
building was not provided. the insutu-
ton should be abandoned anyhow
Mr.. Burieson increased the amount
mentioned in his amendment to sao.oo
and in this shape ape lin y was as adopted 4,
Columbia Hospital and appropriates
$2OOOO to enable the Board of Charities
to contract for the care of INDECENT pa
TENTS
The text of the amendment is as
follows:
ITO enable the board of charities by
contract or agreement. to provide care
and treatment for INDECENT patients,
$4,000; provided, that no part OF tnis
sum shall be used to establish or Main
tain any hospital not now existing In
the District of Columbia.
A report OF the discussion of che
District appropriation I'm the House
yesterday will be found elsewhere In
The Star.