Saturday news. (Watertown, S.D.) 19??-19??, 1914-10-22
THE LUTHER HOSPITAL
IS NEARING COMPLETION
One OF the Best Built Structures IN the citylcapable Of Caring fa
1 so Patients-Building Fire-Proof hroughout-Perfecho Of TIL
ventilating Plant.

The Luther Hospital, now ii process 81 construction d Fourth
- tr a1 : e IRONING re = west mas su hn.al advanced sane 70 indicate ni that
than passing pride.
The upper stories are still in the rough, and the casual visitor is
doing their work.
The lumber used il the structure has been reduced 70 the mini
mum. The halfinch flooring covering the concrete floors, and the
door and window castings, and the doors and window sashes, consti
tute the only timber employed throughout.
All partitions are of a composition Of magnesia and asbestos
the roof ~ a composition Of cement and asbestos. The stairWays and
steps are concrete.
floors, also, are the two large operating rooms and the confinement
The third and fourth floors are provided with large, airy, cheer
fl s sur parlors the full size Of the massive front porch.
The fifth floor is reserved for the nurses and other helpers, and
is fitted out with roomy apartments.
The two points which impress the visitor, aside from the very
Of ventilation.
The elevator is IF the automatic type, enclosed in ! solid brick
shaft, utterly devoid of lumber Of any sort. When desiring to pro-
coed to another floor, an electric button Is pressed and the elevator
moves to the position from which the button was. touched. Getting
indicated and stops.
The yentnatng system is equally perfect ii operation Every
d connection with the ventilator surmounting the roof, so that fresh
air is being constantly forced into each apartment.
The medical staff is composed Of the following well known
physicians and surgeons, with DR.. d, M. Finnerud as the chief Of
staff: DR.. Hill, specialist in diseases Of the eyes, ear, nose and throat;
Vienna, who treats cases requiring internal remedies; DR.. Giere, Of
Madison, MINI, who has had much experience inesurgical cases, and.
others not yet selected.
I'll is estimated that the cost Of the building and equipment, when
completed, will approximate $S5yoooOo to 100000, and til hoped
that it will be ready for opening its doors in the near future.
Amongt the first things that comes to one mind, in these days Of
intense eomnerciaism, after digestinga the features of a public
buildings architectural design and considering its equipment, relates
to- what it may be worth to the town.
This is a question that may be debatable, but by comparison
with what other similar institutions have done and are doing one
may arrive at a fair estimate.
Assuming that theSinstitution will reach its maximum within the
near future-thati is, will have all Of its rooms occupied-it is be
leved that, directly through the care Of its patients at the inshtu--
ton itself and indirectly through yistahons by friends and relatives
Of such patients, the revenue coming TO the city will be . percepti
Bile factor in the business channels Of the town.
Z, Tor instance, each patient expended but, say, $5 a week at
the sinstitutlon, the amount would represent $500 a week for all of
them or approximately $4,000 a year.
This does not include professional fees, nor expenses Of attend
ing friends, nor visitors who usually spend more or less at the retail
establishments.
It is estimated by those having had considerable observation and
experience alng the lines of hospital work that the Luther Hospital
bids fair to bring to the town q sum experimenting ~$200Do0O0 d
year, after it gets into full swing