Fitzgerald enterprise. (Fitzgerald, Ga.) 1895-1912, 1912-03-23
CRIPPLE AIDS POOR
Boy Caused Erection Of Hospital
to Cost $25O,OO0.
Four Thousand Disabled Children of
New York to Benefit From Sale
of Youths Photographs
Rockefeller Helped.

New York-The Christmas time
is a good occasion to tell the story OF
Smiling Joe" He's little New
York boy who spent four years OF his
life strapped to board.
He suffered intense pain all the
time. He had tuberculosis Of the
spine. Through it ali he smiled. Now
Smiling Joe Is cured For two
years be has been ablo to run and play
and go to school like other boys,
OF course he's thankful for that.
He's more than thankful still that he
has been the means of raising quar-
ter of a million dollars to build a new
hospital for the 1000 other New York
children afflicted.
Before New Years day work Will
be begun on the hospital at RockaWay
Beach-a hospital exclusively for the
treatment of nonpulmonary tuberculo-
sis in children. II will be the gift OF
the New York Association for lmprov-
ing the Condition of the Poor OF the
City OF New York. 1t Will occupy Il
portion of the new Seaside park at
R0ckaway Reach which has been pur-
chased by the city, and when com
pleted will take the place OF the IA
nous Sea Breeze hospital at Coney
Island
Four thousand crippled children from
New York will be given the seashore
and open air treatment at the hospital
when it is completed. They will have
to thank Smiling Joe's" photograph
that raised the money.
When the officials of the New York
Association for Improving the Condi-
ton of the Poor decided to raise
funds to build five years ago they put
Smiling Joe's" photograph on all the
letters they sent out as we'll as all
the advertising in connection with the
project.
Smiling Joe" was then patient in
the Sea Breeze hospital. strapped to
board He could move only his head
and hands, yet everyone who stopped
at his bedside was greeted with
smile.
One day Theodore Roosevelt visit
ed the hospital and came to his cot.
This is little Joe Marion" said one
OF the doctors. He is suffering from
tuberculosis of the spine, but We ex-
pect to cure him"
The president approached closer
and looked at the bundle of white ly
ing on the cot
dent and his eyes welled up with
tears.
But Joe didn't cry His face broke
into smile,
'He always smiles" said one Of the
doctors That's why we call him
Smiling Joe.
Advertisements with Smiling
.Joe's" picture We're inserted in news
papers and magazines all over the
country. Money began to pour in.
Children sent nickels and dimes.
John D. Rockefeller and other rich
men sent large checks. Smiling
Joe's" face touched the hearts of rich
and poor alike. In less than two
years the desired quarter of million
dollars was raised
Then came the panic in 1907. The
city was unable to provide a site and
the money was held in trust until hap
pier days. Now arsite has been ob,
tanned and plans for the buildings
have been completed. Within a year
the hospital will be completed and in
operation.
But what of little Joe Marion.
whose smile made all this possible?
Before the last dollar OF the quarter
Of a million dollar fund was raised
Smiling joe was cured. After being
strapped to a board for more than
four years he was discharged as strong
and healthy as any eight-year-
youngster In New York.
The treatment had done for him
what it had done for scores of others.
and Smiling Joe" went home to his
father and mother.