The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1922-07-31
COUNTY PUTS $4,000
IN HOSPITAL PROJECT
Yet DEFERS, BUILDING
Py r.. G.. TILToN

Although Wayne county has ex-
pended in the neighborhood of $40,-
900 over and above the amount re-
ceived from the farm, in work which
must be done before a hospital is To-
Gated at Smithfield, the 235 acre farm
given the county for tuberculosis
hospital, the question of whether or
not the county will build hospital on
this site is still unsettled.
Action by the county commission
ers is expected to determine the ques-
ton, one way or another, when that
body meets to make up the annual
budget during the month of August.
Almost six years have elapsed since
the farm was transferred from David
and India Esteb to the county, and
in that time numerous improvements
! have been put in with a view to erect
! ing a hospital.
! Moving and rebuilding the barn at
| Smithfield cost approximately $4,000;
moving and rebuilding a tenants
! house cost $4,000; erection of a farm
| superintendent's cottage, $1,000; and
! supplying a water system, between
! $4,000 and SO 600, according to the
! statement of officials who have had
| charge of the farm.
Plan for Dairy
Alterations on the barn were made
| to provide for taking care of a large
number of cattle, as milk is a staple
article of diet in the treatment of tu.
| bercular patients.
/ If the county decides to drop the
tuberculosis hospital project, turning
the farm back to the donors, it will
mean that the S39 ,309 invested in i'm
provements will be PRACTICALLY gone
as they are of little value for an or
dirary farm. On the other hand
should it decide to go ahead, the work
alrealy done will provide an excellent
start toward the construction of the
! building.
Experts who have been In touch
| with hospital projects over the state
of Indiana, are authority for the state
ment that a 81 bed hospital, with com
i plete equipment, is the smallest prac
tical unit for an institution of thi:
kind. Such a hospital would cost ap
proximately s148.O0O. Items going tt
make up this cost are:
Reception hospital .,..........sS sS4, ,00t
Heating plant ............... 18,00C
Dining room building ........ 20,00(
Remodeling residence for
! nurses home ............... 500
Equipment .............. &c, ,00(
Total .....................$14S,0O ,0Ov
Architect Has Plans
; This estimate was made up in Sep
tember, 1921, in connection with tht
visit of T. B. Kidner, national tubercu
losis autharity, earlier in the year
The plans for such an institution hav,
been drawn up. were approved by hin
and are now on file in the office of
local architect
1t is possible to start an even small
er unit, of about 25 beds, in the opir
ion of local physicians, but such
hospital would have larger overhea
expense in proportion TO the patient
treated than the larger unit.
County Not Wasteful
Charges that the county has bee,
operating the farm in a wasteful mar
ner, expending money that no prat
teal farmer would spend, are no
borne out by the facts in the case
The farm has returned S26,010,23 t
: the county treasury in the perio
: since it was taken over, but larg
g part of the $65,319.54 went into in
: provements that were made in prep;
g ration for the hospital.
e The county already has spent nea
ly $4,000 in preparing to build a Il
: berculosis hospital 1t has bee
: given a 235-acre farm and has bee
/ offered $4,000 in government bond
:, if it sees fit to continue the work.
/ Will the county commissioners TAX
e action to put this gift to some use TIL
year or will the matter be postpone
5 as it has been from time to tim
since 1917?