The Twin Falls times. [volume] (Twin Falls, Idaho) 1905-1916, 1916-09-05
HOSPITAL APPEAL
OPENED MONDAY
Day Spent In Hearing Testimony
About Conditions
NEED OF HOSPITAL OF SIZE PLAN
NED MOOT QUESTION.
Matter OF Keeping Paupers in Same
Building and Maintaining Eighteen
Baths Also Inquired Into.

Having listened to testimony with
reference to the necessity for a county
hospital all day Monday. on aDpeal
taken from the action of the commits
sioners by T. O. Boyd, Judge w A.
Babcock adjourned court until 900
o'clock Wednesday morning to hear
the rest of the evidence and the argu-
ments of the attorneys. The LAWYERS
seemed most interested in the question
OF fact as to whether a hospital of the
size provided for in the contract en-
tered into by the county with the w G
Reed company was necessary now or
would probably be necessary within a
reasonable time; and the question of
law as to whether the country could
legally enter into such contract with
out either having the money on hand
to pay for it or without making a lew
sufficient to cover the balance prior In
making the contract.
With reference to the last point
there is now available, according TO
the testimony of the county commits
sioners, between $4,000 and $4,000
balance in the general fund which NAV
in the ordinary course of events be an
piled to the construction of the hosni-
Ne'Af t'HN eAiC NOlnlllSSlOuGIS IeSJl1leO
that they intended to make a special
levy at their meeting next Monday to
complete the work Judge Babcock
sald that he was not clear as to the
materlallty of the testimony as to
what their intentions were. as these
might change at any time, but he per
mitted them to testify in regard TO
how they expected to pay for the hos
pital- Judge Babcock ruled that testj
mony to the fact that certain sums of
mony would be available under ordin-
airy conditions was relevant when if
was objected that an unexpected en-
Urgency might arise. He also held
lnat any intention which might have
been announced by members of the
board to take in pay patients. at the
time that the contract was let. was i'm /
material, if the ultimate purpose of
he board were to build hospital such
as was required for the county's needs
and if in fact such hospital were need |
ed
The commissioners testified that the
state sanitary board had condemned |
he old Cottage Inn as a place for
keeping the INDECENT sick and moor
and had ordered them to cease To use
Il Tor hospital purposes. They said
nat the hospital facilities were insult
lclent FOR the present needs and that
ney had no assurance at any time
nat tney could get into any of the his
'ltals now IN the city or county Some
u those slightly sick had been treated
the old county hospital in the Cot
age Inn, while those seriously sick
we're taken to the regular hospital A
lumber OF poor were treated in their
ZONES IN shacks about the CITY. There
vas now no pest house in the county
he old Dump" once owned bv the
'lty had been abandoned. They testi-
led that while all the rooms in the
hospital would not be used at once or
perhaps for some time, they would he
needed for the INDECENT poor within a
-ew years should the city and county
population increase at its present rate
tne future. 1t developed that the
number OF INDECENT sick actually con-
ineu IN the Cottage Inn at any one
line was not great. DR.. w. f. Pike.
ormer county physician, said that if
iau at one time numbered thirteen.
turing MS terms as county physician.
Vhile there were a good many on the
Mrs. Lena Fritz, who recent
y resigned as manager, said that dur
hg ner lncumbency the average num-
yer was five, but she would not saw
low many were taken care of in their
ZONES or at the other hospitals. Those
seriously sick were taken care of at
ne other hospitals, and those in tbe
outage Inn were mostly suffering
rom disabling accidents and not 9th
rwlse seriously ill., The members of bi
ne board testified that thew thouebt Y,
ne largest number in the Inn at anv
ne time was from fifteen to twenty j
ne policy was to keep as many &C
Osslble in their homes. under nreeent
ohdltlons. We're conditions changed
hey would move them to the hosnital
Dr. e. ID. Weaver, acting county pbv- ;
lclan, Dr. c. r. Morgan, DR.. Pike DR.
}. L. Alexander and DR.. j. H. Cougblin
estifled that a number of peonle in L;
ne city and county were SUFFERING
rom troubles requiring an operation
lany who were too poor to nav for
ospltal care, would not ask aid from !
ne county but who would 90 to the {
ospital if owned by the county and 5
ccept service there. They said that
ley IN common with other physicians /
al treated cases where they had NOT
My donated their services but had I
aid for the hospital charges and me- ,
iclne, but for which no bills had been /
would be presented to the county ,
hese people as well as those reouir- /
lg operations and not asked for aid
rom the county to get them, were fire. ]
uently people who could live salts I
ictorily when in health, and who ner- I
APPS had little property but could {
OF afford to pay hospital charges
The attorney for Dr. Boyd cross ex- {
mined those testifying for the county I
regard to the ACCESSIBILITY of using I
ne proposed hospital for a home for I
ne relatively healthy paupers who are
bic to work. The plan is to bouse !
lese in the same building as the sick
he testimony varied in regard to wis
ON of doing this, the witnesses call /
i for the county testifying that il I
ould do no practical injury. and that !
ley could be kept from disturbing the :
ok by proper discipline. There are /
able to be epileptics and people with r