The Washington times., 1916-04-18
CITY HOSPITAL SITE
ST|RS HOT DEBATE
AT CLUB MEETING
Opponents Of Proposed Loca-
tions Upset Plans Of Monday
Evening Organization.

What was designed to be meeting
OF the Monday Evening club TO urge
the necessity Of a new municipal hos
pitai, resolved itself into a heated dis
cussion among opponents of the east
washlnston and the northwest WASH
ington sites, which became hlBnIy acrl-
monious at times.
PracticGlly ali those who spoke during
the TApid-fire debate were emphatlc IN
their statements of the need of such a
hospital. but they opposed placing IL
During this spirited debate. Commis--
sioner Newman presided, and insisted
upon remaining neutral on the site
controversy. declining even to answer
questions about the area OF the Four
II II now proposed to place the hospital.
But he was strong in his indorsement
of the project to get municipal hos
pital for washington.
In introducing the principal speaker OF
the evening. DR.. Louis F. zinkham'
Commissioner Newman said:
'T am glad to play any part In an
EFFORT to get municipal hospital. There
is no one thing in the District Of which
{ feel the need more strongly than that
70 make provision to care for the indi-
gent sick Of this community"
Zinkham's Job Hard.
The Commissioner referred to DR..
Zinkham. superintendent of the
Washington asylum and Jail. as the
man who has the hardest job in the
District and said his work was
made 80 because he 'Is attempting
the historic task of the Iaraelites.
that of making bricks without
straw
The site controversy started the
minute the meeting was thrown open
for discussion. Miss Ncttie r. Browne
said that many persons have signed
the petitions circulated by club
workers without knowing that II was
proposed to locate the hospital at the
Fourteenth and Upshur street tract,
where the tuberculosis Hospital al
ready exists.
President Walter S irfford explain
ed tha. the matter Of the site was
not involved In he clubs campaign.
Mr.. Tftords statement failed to
stem the tide. Edward Y. Clement
denounced the activities cf the club
FOR the new hospital as the worst
mistake the Monday Evening Club
ever made" and asserted that not
per sent Of the people who had
bought property IN the vicinity Uf
the reservation owned by the Gov
crnment knew that hospital was
to be built there.
lie said between 81, n00 and hn, 400
persons were represented by citizens
assoCiations that had gore en- record
opposing the Fourteenth street site
you propose to take us by tho
backs Of our .ntcks and yank ns 7ut
or our homes" he said. "Omt at res
crvation IL, two Of tho best build
ings arc used for storage. Not only
citizens associations. but the Board
or IT. ade and other commercial bodies
have opposed that site"
Concealmeut Charged.
Then Mr.. Clement accused the club
members who circulated petitions with
concealing from signers the proposed
location.
At that George s. Bowerman. mem,
paign in charge said:
II l understand the gentleman Alright
he said we deceived. and intended to de.
ceiye, signers. ] think such a statement
the committee. and consider 1t an in
suit. ! repeat. l consider Il an insult
II did say the committee was guilty oi
deceit by the omission OF statement,
Mr.. Clement
And I repeat. sir. that the statement
calls for resentment" replied Mr.. Bow
erman.
Mr.. Clement started to reply, but wa,
refused the floor on the ground that h,
already had spoken, and under the clul
rules, could not do so again.
e. w. Oyster, OF the office Of tn,
NSoNbSOI1 bdlu NIldl DIODtTlN u
the vicinity Of Reservation IL" Is s ant
cents a foot. while the property nea
the Fourteenth site Is from 50 cents L
$50 a foot. He said that the propose,
location Of the hospital would mean
loss In property values. and. therefore
In taxes that would equal the cost Of tn
hospital
Major Raymond Pullman asked wheth
er the presence Of the Walter Reed Hos
pital or the tuberculosis Hospital ha,
caused depreciation.
Mr.. oyster replied that there had bee,
slight deterioration near the tuber
Culosis hospital and that the Waite
Reed Hospital was hardly comparabl
with a municipal hospital.
Evan II. Tucker president Of tn
Northeast Washington Citizens Asao
citation. explained tho opnosition 4
Rrsin having the hosn'tal IN that vi
cinitv on the ground that efforts wer
being made to get the leper camp an
various other institutions moved Of
Reservation 13" and that the placin
% the hospltnl there would perpetual
the entire group.
In replv 10 a question about tho oh
lection tn erecting n new building o
the present site of tho Washingto
ASYLUM Hospital. DR.. ZlnlShNm sal
there would be difficulty In finding
place for patients while the new hulio
Inc was being erected
DR.. Paul r. Johnson added that. frol
bis -eNncriencc ms inferno there.