The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1919-11-14
Special Election
for Co. Hospital

The County Court last week decid-
ed to call a special election on Febru-
ary 21st, next, for the purpose Of vot-
ing on the proposition for special
bond issue for the purpose of estab-
fishing County Hospital, for the use
and benefit of the people Of st. Fran
co.'s county. This proposition will
call for not to exceed 1-mill levy on
the dollar of the assessed valuation
of the taxable property of the county.
In other words, the people will be
asked to vote for bond issue of not
to exceed $4,000 for the purpose of
instituting and equiping modern
hospital for the use and benefit of the
people of the entire county. The call
for said election will appear in The
Times next week.
There is now on file in the County
Clerks office an option on the
Carleton College property of this city,
which it is proposed to turn into a
County Hospital, providing this en-
terprise meets with the approval of
the people, which insures the purchase
of that magnificent property for about
one-fifth of what it is actually worth.
There has perhaps rarely been such
splendid opportunity offered for the
establishment of much needed en-
terprise than is this. Surely st.
Francois county is big enough, pop
ulous enough and wealthy enough to
support such an institution. The
money that would be saved, within
the course of few years, to the af-
flicted people of this county, would
certainly pay for the original cost of
such establishment, without consider
ing the convenience and ability to re-
ceive prompt and efficient attention,
where haste is so often Of such grave
Importance.
There will perhaps be many erro-
neous rumors set afloat before the
date arrives for this election, which
may be calculated to unfairly pre-
judice the people as to the intention
of the truly commendable enterprise.
But reliable information will be at
hand as to what this splendid enter
prise will mean for the people of this
county, for all who may desire the
truth, The report has already been
started that this is a scheme of some
doctors, who expect to get control of
the institution afer it may have been
established Such a report is abso-
lutely false. In the first place no
doctors desire such control, and in the
second place it would be absolutely
impossible for anyone to gain such
control. even if they did desire it.
The institution would be free to all
the doctors of the county, for the
treatment of their patients, instead
of being forced to send them away
for treatment, at enormous expense.
This would mean a benefit to the pa
tlent, and not to the doctor. The hos
pital would be under the control of a
superintendent, or a board of trus-
tees, probably appointed by the County
Court.
What The Times considers an ex-
cellent suggestion, is that such hos
pital be dedicated to the soldiers and
sailors of the late war. This would
furnish not only splendid memorial
to their services and suffering, but
would also give to them a fitting and
useful equipment for the treatment
and care of their physical needs so
long as they may live. Most every
county is preparing to erect some
kind of monument to the army he
roes. Could anything be more appro-
pirate than County Hospital, and
at the same time be useful to hu-