The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1913-11-18
SOME MEASUREMENTS

According to the report published in
Fridays Columbus Dispatch, and re-
produced in this issue of The Banner,
of meeting of the state board of
health and the state board of admin
istration, the statement is made that
location of the state sanatorium here,
promised to improve the road leading
10 the grounds and that street car
service should be given.
This statement is not true. Neither
promise was made by the city of Mt.
Vernon nor by any citizen.
A committee of citizens, acting as
host to the visiting members of the
state commission, offered to use its
influence to have the roads improved,
and did so with the then existing board
a promise from the county commits
sioners that the improvement should
be made, but the state commission
desired the improvement deferred for
the time being, and in the meantime
the personnel of the board of county
{ commissioners was changed. Then
came into existence the state board of
administration which proposed to i'm
prove the road with convict labor from
the penitentiary under a satisfactory
arrangement with the county. A con-
crete proposition was never made by
the board of administration, and there
the matter has rested ever since. It
is probably more the fault of the board
of administration than of the county
commissioners that the road has not
been put in proper condition.
Regarding the running of the street
car line to the sanatorium, gentle
mems agreement" was entered into be-
tween the members of the state com
mission and Messrs. Jackson and
O'Neill, the then owners of street rail-
way line. at meeting held at the Of
flee of Hon. II. II. Greer In this city
Under this agreement the line was to
be extended to the state grounds and
car service established the considera-
zion for which being the agreement on
the part of the state commission that
the street railway company should he
given a contract for furnishing the
electric current for lighting the build.
ings of the state sanatorum. The citi.
zens' committee then went ahead and
secured the right of way for the eXten-
sion of the street car line to the state
grounds. In the meantime the state
commission discovered that ii had ex-
Ceeded its authority in promising to
buy current from the street railway
company, as 1t was simply vested with
power to purchase site and construct
the buildings, and that board of trus-
tees, later to be appointed, alone would
have authority to contract for the
lighting current. Therefore jackson
and O'Neill did nothing to project their
street car line to the state grounds,
and before the board of trustees was
appointed for the new institution
new company took over the street rail-
way and doubtless did not feel bound
20 carry out the "gentlemen's agree.
ment' mentioned above, especially In
view of the fact that the state com
mission had been derellct In making
good its side of the agreement.
In the state board of health, and es
pecially by Secretary McCampbell of
'hat body, there has been considerable
reckless charges and untruthful state
ments from time to time, regarding
promises by the city of Mt. Vernon to
improve the road to the state sanator.
ium and TO secure street car service to
that institution. The facts are as civ.
an above, and IL is high time for Sec
reiary McCampbell and the state board
of health TO know these facts, II
they haven't known them before, and
ease of on the line of talk they have
been handing out--all misrepresenta-
zion and a slander on Mt. Vernon and
that portion OF It's citizens who rem.
dercd such a valuable and free service
10 the state In connection with locating
1he state sanatorium near this cIty