Evening star., 1923-10-28

| The corner stone for the new build
| ing of the Washington Home for In
.curables, on Wisconsin avenue be-
| tween Tilden and Upton streets, will
be laid tomorrow afternoon at 3
| o'clock. Rt. Rev. James E. Freeman,
| bishop of the Episcopal diocese of
Washington. will make the principal
address. The ceremony will mark the
| browning success of the institution
since it's beginning in a private
dwelling thirty.fOur years ago.
Starting in 1889 with accommoda-
tions for five persons. the Washing
| ton Home for IncurableS in the new
building will accommodate 100. 1t
will be built at cost of S402 900 and
consist of a main building $50 feet
long, with two wings each eighty feet
'ong. 1t will be four stories high.
with large attic and so arranged
that each patient will have a private
, room. Sun porches will be built fac
ing the south and every accommoda-
ton, includ ng modern laundry.
dict kitchens and service conven-
fences of all kinds, will be provided
in the home. This will be the only
home between Philadelphia, Atlanta
and Chicago, with the exception of
alrshouses and expensive hospitals
that will accept cancer patients.
Still Need $4,000.
All but $4,000 has been raised to
pay for the new structure and Mrs
president of the institution for
twenty-five years. anticipates no
trouble in raising this amount for
the new home. which. 1t is hoped.
VIII eliminate the present waiting
With the exception of the cancer
ward. which will be arranged in hos
pital style, it is the plan of those
in charge to make the institution as
much like private and comfortable
home as possible. A main hall for
entertainments, such as moving pic
lures, has been provided, and each
floor above there will be circular
opening which will provide means
to the lower floors to enjoy the en-
terta ailments. Day rooms and lounges
are provided on the second and third
floors and on the top floor nurses
quarters have been provided In the
cancer ward a special ventilating
system has been provided for each
room. The new structure will be
built of red brick, with a stone rim.
Homes Hard Struggle.
With the exception of a few years
the history of the institution has been
one of struggle to maintain its
services upon slender finances, and
! since it's founding in 1889, when II.
Sydney Everett, who was then i'm
charge of the consular division Of
the State Department donated a pri-
vate dwelling on Meridian street
Mount Pleasant. rent free for five
years those interested in the home
nave constantly striven to make the
donations and bequests of generous
Washingtonians together with a
small appropriation from Congress
and an income from paying patients,
support the institution.
Mrs. Catherine Everett, Mrs. E
Snowden Bell and E. Francis Riggs
were the incorporators of the WASH
lngton Home for Incura bles. Mrs.
Catherine Everett was president of
the organization, Mrs. E. Snowden
Bell, vice president; Mrs. ]. Corson.
secretary, and Mrs. E. Phillips, cor,
responding secretary and treasurer.
E. Francis Riggs and Thomas HYDE
were named the trustees.
AFTER hve years at its Meridian
site. 32d and R streets was made Dos
sible by the donation of $50. bv
Miss Bessie J. Kibbey. This bought
the present site. and home was
u,
Kibbey later donated the $4,000.
For twenty-five years this last dona-
tion on the part of Miss Kibber was
Kept at her request secret.
Built Wing with Gift.
Later Mrs. Laird of Georgetown
left bequest of $4,000 which built
the Laird wing CT the present build
ers gave entertainments to raise
money for the institution, and in 1893
an appeal was made to the public
through The Evening Star which
one of the most interesting fea-
lures of the financial struggles of
the home was the beginning of the
present maintenance fund. In 1894
an old soldier, Michael McKeon, was
for Thomas s. Hopkins to make his
will. Not knowing where to leave
his money Mr.. Hopkins prevailed
upon the man. to donate his $4,000 to
the Washington Home for Incurables,
neer donor of the present day maint-
enance fund which provides for civil
ians what the government provided
for the soldier.
In 1884 Mrs. Archibald Hopkins be-
came president of the Institution and
has since held that position almost
continuously. Assisted by other
prominent Washingtonians she sue
CeoOeQ III SGIIluS COnST6SS TO grant
small yearly appropriation and an
appropriation for the installation of
an elevator in the building. In 1910
Congress raised its appropriation to
$4,000 yearly.
Merchants Give Food.
In 1896 the cancer ward was OPEN
ed, and In 1897 the home had as an
interne DR.. Baily Ashford. later
famo as for his discovery of the cure
of tns hookworm disease. During the
winter Of 1S94-5 the institution re-
lied entirely upon the generosity ~
the merchants at Center Market t.
supply it's food, and in 1895 Charles
H. Jarvis. the fish merchant at the
market, supplied the Friday dinner
md the Cottage Market Company the
Monday dinner.
During the war the institution was
again handicapped by lack Of