The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-06-13
HOSPITAL ORDINANCE

other hospitals of the character described
by him would not be desirable.
The desperate straights to which the adj
vocates of the ordinance are put in at
tempting to establish their charge that this
sanatorium is a nuisance appear when they
abandon even alleged facts as to what the
sanatorium Is, and try to prove their case
by quoting from textbooks used by DIR.
Tucker as a professor in the Medical Col
lege of Virginia.
Tt is inconceivable to our minds that the
Council could be persuaded to do DIR.
Tucker the serious injury of branding his
institutions as nuisance, upon such levi
dence,', as above, even If it were not con
tradicted by numerous signed statements of
reliable persons, both from within and
without the sanatorium.
On page eighteen, reference is made to
the conclusions of the City Attorney, as to
the validity of this ordinance.
We will say that the City Attorney,
when he drew this ordinance, had not heard
our side, and he has since then stated that
he would hear arguments upon its legality.
with an open mind, if ever the question
should come before him again.
It further says:
"It was proven to them that the
proponents of the ordinance had dealt
fairly with DR.. Tucker
eve have sought for an answer to
the problem of DR. Tucker q unwilling
ness to part with the property at
COST
It seems to us that these and like ex-
pressions show an assumption on the part
of these gentlemen, that they have the right
to require DIR. Tucker to sell his property
to them on their own terms; and that if he
fails to accede to their demands, he is en-
titled to no further consideration at the
hands of the Council. He is not to be al
lowed even the poor privilege of haggling
over the bargain. On the other hand, to
obtain this advantage before the Council
they do not even have to make binding
offer for the price which thew themselves
may fix. The statement of Messrs. Chris
tan and Joynes to us was that they wanted
a proposition from us in order to see if
syndicate could be formed to take the
property off of DR. fuckers hands. We
had no assurance that this could be done,
and not one of the protestants, so far as
we are informed, has ever obligated him
self for cent. We know, of course, that
these gentlemen are amply able to raise
the ability to purchase is one thing, and
the willingness to purchase is another.
When the time for signing up came, we
think they would realize that they would
have a white elephant on their hands, I'M
less they were willing, in order to get any
thing like fair return upon their invest
ment, to cut the property up into small
lots, or make some other use of it that
would do far more to destroy the beauty of
the neighborhood than would DR.. fuckers
Sanatorium And the fact should not be
lost sight of that under DR. fuckers con-
tract with Mrs. Harrison, he was bound TO
make settlement on May 81.
But we do not believe that the Council
will so discriminate between citizens as to
wish to punish DIR. Tucker for not accept
ing an offer that was never made.
To appreciate his position the Council
should realize that DR.. Tucker did not buy
this property to invest his surplus money,
or as real estate speculation. A consider
alton of this fact would probably furnish
an answer to the problem which causes
so many unfounded sur1nises on the part
of these gentlemen (see pages 13 and IA of
their statement}. It is matter of no mo-
ment to them that he may be left without
a hospital, or that he may close one or
five, or even (which seems remote) ten
thousand dollars by the passage of this
ordinance, and we presume they would be
equally Indifferent to his loss. if he agreed
to "part with the property at cost" But,
of however little consequence these mat
tiers may be to the proponents Of this
ordinance, the Council could not reason
ably expect DR. Tucker to dismiss them
from his consideration.