Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-08-13
new HOSPITALS
CORNERSTO NE:IS
LAID YESTERDAY
Structure to Replace Old St An
thongs Institution is Begun
With Services.
WORK BEING PUSHED RAPIDLY
Imposing Ceremony Marks Event
Construction Expecter to Be
Finished This Winter.

The ceremony connected with the
laying of the corner stone of the
new St Anthony's hospital building
yesterday took place Immediately
after the morning services in the
hospital chapel. The corner stone
was laid by Rev. Father Alban
Rudruff, o. S. B., chaplain of St.
Anthony's hospital.
1t has been over a quarter of a
century since Mother Mary Michael
and Sister Mary Bernadine, with
three other sisters and trained
nurses, came to Rock Island at the
request of the late Archbishop John
Lancaster Spaulding, then bishop
of Peoria, and Dean Father Thomas
Mackin of St. Joseph's Catholic
church, this city, who recognized
the needs of this community, which
was then without any hospital in
this part of the state, and assured
the sisters that a larger field for
their efforts would be afforded here,
rather than in their former location
at Little Falls, Mimi, under the
guidance of Archbishop John Ire
land. The late William McEniry
then occupied the old home of Otis
J. Dimock, which location was OBJ
served to be ideal for the founding
of this institution, and in a very
short time title was taken and this
old home was soon converted into
an institution. Many purchases
have been made since that time, in
Guiding the Silas Leas residence,
upon which location the new build
ing is being erected, and the spa
cious hospital grounds now have
an area of five acres.
One of the early patients was the
late John KitsOn, brother-in-law of
Mayor William McConochie. All
classes of patients affected with in
Vulnerable complaints were skill
fully treated here, and the institu-
ton soon became the pride of pa
tients and of the medical profession
of this and surrounding counties,
where hospital care and treatment
of patients was then seldom OBJ
tanned. There was even at that time
considerable prejudice existing
among many of the people herea-
bouts who had little association in
the sick room with the professional
treatment by sisters of charity
From the beginning the hospital
has been conducted with courtesy
and kindness to the public. Its
growth could not keep pace with
the increasing community and the
demands for treatment of patients
became greater each year.
Organize Campaign.
Over a year ago public spirited
people organized a nOn-sectarian
campa;g nto obtain a popular sub
scription. The response to this ap-
peal was spontaneous and showed
the appreciation of the necessity
for this institutions enlargement
With one accord the people rose to
the occasion, irrespective of relig-l
ion, race or nationality, and came
together with such enthusiasm that
this subscription far exceeded the
most canguine expectations of the
persons in charge of the campaign,
and over 100000 was raised for the
erection of the five story and base
ment fireproof building. The build
ing is Il" shaped, facing north and
west, overlooking the confluence of
Rock river and the Mississippi, is
of Romanesque style of architec-
ture, of reinforced concrete con-
struction, modern and up-to-date in
every respect. 1t is hoped the build
ing will be completed in the late
winter and should be ample to care
for the needs of its splendid Glen
tele for many years to come. Moth
N
staff of sisters and lay nurses are
grateful for the many favors and
assistances rendered to the hospi-
tai in the past by its friends
Ready to Assist All.
Realizing that the deplorable dis
turbances abroad will make neces-
sary the treating of the disabled of
the soldier boys who will be too