The Fargo forum and daily republican., 1916-06-09
Lack Of Hospital Room
inFargo Sends Many N. D.
Patients to Twin Cities
Doctors and Nurses Phone in and Are Told Accommoda
tions at ST. Johns Are All Taken-Forced to Send
Patients to Minneapolis and st. Paul by Score

ST. Johns hospital has never been
known to turn a patient away.
Physicians and nurses from Fargo and
other cities in the state have often
telephoned wthe authorities asking If
accommodations were to be had and IL
crowded were so informed, but for a
patient to go to st. Johns and be
refused entrance has never been noted.
A cot in the hallway or some other
arrangement has always been provided.
This was learned from the hospital
authorities this afternoon.
Travelling men in touch with scores
Of patients being taken from various
cities in North Dakota to hospitals
in Minneapolis and st. Paul have
authorities why the patients are not
taken to st, Johns. Lack Of proper
accommodation has been given as the
cause. Physicians and nurses have
telephoned in hope of getting reserva-
tior1s, but have been informed that
wards and private rooms are filled
and so have directed their patients
to the twin cities.
New Addition Is Wanted.
Facing thesec onditions and the fact
that the obligations of st. Johns have
been heavy through charitable pur-
poses, it has become necessary to
launch a campaign by which it is ex-
pected to raise 100000 to apply on
the new proposed addition of the hos
pitaI to cost $150,000, which will
give Fargo one of the best equipped
hospitals in the west and accommoda-
tions enough to meet the demands
from the physicians of the state. AS
an idea as to the rapidity with which
the hospital has outgrown its quarters
it was learned this afternoon that
work was started on the old frame
hospital in 1900 and that the present
hospital or the first addition with
cottage and steam plant was erected
in 1914, and 1915 sees the institution
in dire need of second addition. St
Johns entered upon its seventeenth
year on April II last. 1t has been
recognized as one of the leading hos
pitals in the west.
Nurses Home Erected.
Authorities at st. Johns were able
to meet all obligations on the hospital
until the nurses home was erected
Several years ago 1t was proposed tC
erect the home for the nurses but II
was thought advisable to wait eight
wears to liquidate the debt on the hos
pital. When this was brought down
to the $4,000 mark the institu-
tion heads thought they were in g
better position to meet the obligations
for the erection of the nurses home
$3.50, ,00O Two-thirds of this amount
is going to be raised by popular sub.
scription in a campaign which will
be nonsectarian. The public is going tt
be asked to contribute toward tht
work Of st. Johns which is largely o
a philanthropic nature when one take!
into consideration the number Of case:
that are brought to the hospital, wher'
the patients are treated week afte
week and no payment is received b.
the authorities. There have beer
hundreds OF such cases In the sixteen
years that st. Johns has been in ex
istence. For the sake of humanity
and for the sake of justice to human
ity these cases have been treated a
the expense of the hospital, and nov
when the authorities find they ar
face to face with problem whicl
calls for additional accommodations
they are going to ask the public t.
assist them.
Speedometer to Be Erected.
The recording of dollars and cent
instead of miles, hours and MINUTES
will be the purpose of the huge speed
ometer which will be erected ol
Broadway the week after next to keel
the public informed as to the progress
OF the campaign which will be launch
ed at supper to be given Monda.
evening, June 10, In the Knights o
Columbus hall complimentary to tn