The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-08-22
Santa Fe Employees Wonder at
New Hospital Move.
Suit Against Company Worries
Workers Here.
WHO WOULD MEET DEFICITS?
And Would Monthly Dues Be
Paid Up Regularly?
Railway Makes No Comment on
Attitude Taken.

Z a large number of employees of the
Santa Fe railroad, who belong to the
Santa Fe Hospital association. are
worried about the proceedings started
in the supreme court a few days ago
10 force the railroad company to retire
from the control Of the associations
affairs.
The fear is freely expressed that If
the company retired from the man
agement, the association would have
great difficulty in obtaining sufficient
funds on which to operate, for the
treason that the monthly membership
dues are in such small amounts. rang
ing from thirty-five cents to one dol
\ lar each, that the members would
neglect to remit regularly.
2 Under the present system the treas
surer of the company deducts hospital
dues from the pay checks of every
person in its employ from President
STOREY down. The result is that the
hospital association has a steady, sure
Income each month. If the company
is to relinquish its part of the man
agement, new machinery would have
to be created for handling the collec-
aions and payments would be vo!un-
tary on the part of the members. That
.11o small expense would be incurred in
amy new method of collecting the dues
is certain.
No Care For Deficits.
= Another thing that worries en-
sployes, who say they are not in sym
pathy with what some of them term
the anonymous lawsuit, is that
without the company's backing the
association would have no guardian
f'ange1" in cases of emergency, where
las, with the company in control, def
icits have been cared for, and when
money has been needed for emcr-
Sgency inproveme the company mas
~
ways IN which the association gets help
from the company now that it would
snot get under the proposed new man
sagement, these employees say, point
ing out that the railroad has frequent
ly hauled supplies and equipment for
the association without charge.
I So4far officials of the company have
refused to comment on the case, and
there has been no intimation as to
what the companys attitude will be.
1t has until September 8 in which to
file an answer to the petition.
Chartered in 1891.
: The Santa Fe Hospital association
was chartered June 80, 1891. The
earliest annual report of the associa-
stion on file is that for the year ending
2June 30, 1895. A comparison of the
work done by the association for the
benefit of its subscribers at that time
compared with that of 1920 follows: /:
1895. 1920
Treatment and care in hos o-
.Trea .nent thru dispen- .oo.,
iTTeatment at division and 49, os'-
aTFsatmeRt by specialists. ~. $3.50
( Totals ......................2 1895 SOOO6
Z The association in 1895 operated
hospitals only at Fort Madison, Ia;
tOttawa, Kan; La Junta, Colo; and
Las Vegas, N. Mex. Since that time
sthe association has added hospitals
lat Topeka, Mulvane, Kan; Clovis and
Albuquerque, n. Mex; also ne dis
ipensary at Topeka. While the asso-
'ciation is a separate institution en-
stirely, the Santa Fe owns the hospital
buildings at Topeka, Ottawa and Las
Vegas.
Fhe associations receipts for the
year ending December 81, 1920, were
tS511,234O7 which was gain of $685.
sO6690 over the operating expenses for
the year. The assets of the assoCta-
stion at that time were placed at $793,-
f33247, divided as follows: Real estate,
,S55,74S.96; hospital equipment, $40,-
.OS2.05; buildings $350,979.43; invest
'ments, S211,622.O3; cash on time de-
post, $4,000.
At that time it was explained by
sthe board that the assets consisting
.of money or deposit and invested Sc
.curities amounting to $346, 622, was
necessary to accumulate and maintain
"A sufficient surplus to protect expendi-
gtures for new construction and for re-
shabilitation of such structures as will
Require replacement in the future.