The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1913-12-26
CHRISTMAS GIFT
WAS BIG SURPRISE
Mr.. Calef Says He Has Been
Studying the Needs of the
Barre Hospital and He
Appreciates tie Demand
for Added Facilities

An offer of $4,000 has been made by
Ira C. Calef of Washington toward
$4,000 building fund for the Barre City
hospital the gift being conditional ON
the raising of the other $4,000 during
the year 1914. Announcement of the
splendid offer was contained in a com
munication addressed to "the people OF
Town and City of Barre, VT" through
The Times, the letter being received in
this office on Christmas morning.
In his letter Mr. Calef states that he
has noted the fact that the hospital
needs new and larger building and
that he has talked with some of the
people acquainted with the situation,
with the result that he is willing to give
one fourth OF the $4,000 just as soon,
within the coming year, as the remain
der is raised Coming as it does, un-
solicited, the gift is great Christmas
surprise to one and all This is not by
any means the first evidence of Mr.
Calef's generosity, as many people and
several institutions well know.
AlS lelttT lS as iOlioWs'
Washington, Dec "a, 1913.
"To the People of Town and City of
Barre, VT:
Reading of and talking with
some of the interested people of
your city regarding needs of a hos
pital and effort now being made to
raise the means to build the same,
| make tbs offer: If you people
and others will raise thirty (30,000l
thousand dollars and commence
building the same, i will add to it
ten (l0000) thousand dollars and be
pleased to do so at any time during
the year 1914. Hoping such an ef
fort will be made and hospital
erected.
"Yours with pleasure,
"Ira C. Calef."
As will be recalled by the people of
Barre and vicinity, plans were drawn a
few weeks ago for the construction of
a substantial building on the site of
the present hospital, off Washington
street, it being proposed to erect the
building where the barn now sets, to re-
tain the present wooden structure and
to connect the two buildings until such
time as it should be possible to demolish
the old wooden building and replace it
with an addition having design to har-
mouize with the structure on the site
of the present barn. 1t was estimated
that the sum of 100000 would be re-
quired to build the first structure.
The Barre City hospital was incor-
porated April I, 1904, "for the purpose
OF maintaining public hospital not for
profit in the city of Barre; but it was
not until June IL, 1907, that the hospital
was opened to receive patients, a volun-
tary association of "a men having signed
a note for $4,000 and purchased the
William A. Perry property, the building
being fitted up largely by contributions
of citizens of Barre. Since that time it
has been maintained by its income from
patients and the contributions of friends
given voluntarily or through the solicit
tation of the Ladies' Hospital Aid soci-
etv. while it also has been the recipient
of several bequests.
The hospital is not for profit but for
the good of the people of Barre and
vicinity, and, according to the associa-
tion's own statement, "the hospital cor
poration is one in which any citizen may
become a member by making application
at the annual meeting, which is held in
December of each year. There is no
stock, and every new member has equal
rights and privileges with all other
members Of the corporation. All eiti-
zens of Barre are invited to become
members"
It is likely that the corporation will
meet shortly to take action ON Mr.. Ca
lef's offer of $4,000, as well as to de-
wise means for raising the remainder of
the sum stipulated in his letter. The
trustees of the hospital received the let
ter with marked pleasure, and it is GER
tain that the people of the town and
city will be equally gratified.