The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1913-06-06
Report Made BY Committee On
TubercuIous Sanaiorium
HINTS TO THE COUNTY BOARD
Increase In Number OF Consumptive
Patients; SIZES Viewed; the Cost
Of Construction
From Wednesdays Daily.

From Wednesdays Daily.
Just before noon today the COM
missioners defeated the proposition
TO build a tuberculosis sanatorIum'
A motion by Commissioner {. y.
Davis that the county should levy
one mill tax for the purpose OF
BUILDING the sanatorium was knock
cd out, three to two. The ballot was
secret.
This is the report submitted to the
board of county commissioners by
the committee which was appointed
to investigate the feasibility of erect
ing a tuberculosis sanatorium in Blue
Earth county. The report was filed
with the board today:
"Mankato. Mimi, June 4, 1913.-To
the Honorable Board of County Com,
missioners of Blue Earth County,
Minnesota Gentlemen: Pursuant to
your instructions your committee ap-
pointed to investigate the need OF
a county tuberculosis sanatorium for
Blue Earth county hereby reports to
your honorable body as follows:
First: Our investigation has re-
vealed the fact that Blue Earth
county has at this time not less than
200 citizens reported as being af-
f1icted with tuberculosis, and also
that the annual death rate from
this disease in Blue Earth county
is thirty. Your committee has writ
ten to every physician in the coun,
ty requesting their opinion as to the
need of a sanatorium at this time.
The opinion of the physicians OF
Blue Earth county is in favor of a
sanatorium because in 1908 Blue
Earth county had three applicants
for the sanatorium at Walker, three
were admitted; in 1903 we had eight,
four were admitted; in 1910 we had
twenty-one, me only were admit
ted; in 1911 we had twelve, four
only were admitted; in 1912 we had
twenty-four and five only were ad
mitted. This shows that during the
last four years we had fifty-six ap
plicants for the state sanatorium a
Walker and twenty-five were admit
ted There would have been many
times that number of applicants bu
under the law only beginning cases
are allowed to apply for admission
to the state institution at Walker
cases in the second and third stages
of the disease being barred from ap
plication and admission.
Investigated the Sites.
Second: The investigation as t.
the number OF acres of ground neces
sary for proper site for sana
forum shows that the opinion o
town clerks, physicians and citizen
of Blue Earth county is practically
unanimous that site should not b.
less than twenty acres, and that tn
site should be suited in the way O
protection from prevailing winds
should I6e well supplied with shad
tree, Should have a wholesome an
pleasant neighborhod and environ
ment. The committee has inspecte
not less than a half dozen differer
sites, two of which are accessible
to city sewerage and city water.
"The cost of these two sites n
spectively is as follows: The Erwin
property, located to the left of tn
Windmiller hill, consisting of pls
of about twenty acres is goo
site.
1.-THE tract of land known as til
Fletcher property, thirty-six acres
Meagher property, thirty acres
Babcock property, ten acres; Lark
& Herzberg property, 100 acres; Ola
Olson property. eight to sixty-seve
acres; j. C. Wise & Sons propert
thirteen acres; Orphan Home, thirt
four acres; Rapidan site has bee
proposed and all things considere
your committee would advise that
site reasonable distance outsiC
of city limits.
Cost of Construction.
Third: The cost of constructiC
of twenty or twenty-four bed san
forum would be from $500 to $1,0'
per bed, this includes full equipmer
Fourth: The average cost per p
tient per week is between $40
SIS. Some sanatoriums were able
few years ago to keep the averai
cost per patient per week down
$7.5S but owing to the prevailil
high cost of supplies the week
average has gradually increased
your committee feels that the co
per patient per week for Blue Ear
county would not be less than 5
or SIS per week.
Fifth: AS to Blue Earth coun
building sanatorium jointly wi
one or more of the counties bour
ing Blue Earth county, your co
mittee desires to report that co
munications have been sent to t
commissioners of Nicollet, Brow
IL IA