Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-05-15

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gret of all connected with it, as
we'll as the patients.
Work started early in the spring
Of 1911 to make it real sana-
forum which could be open the en-
tire year. Water pipes were put
Under ground and necessary i'm
provements made. I do not sup
pose anyone can imagine the hard
ships that DIR. Downs went through
to keep things going with no
money, and at times no water or
hardly food, but he never lost his
courage. Things went on about the
same until July 1912, when we had,
what we thought, big disaster, but
1t was only a fire" To be sure
we lost our sanatorium, which had
taken almost four years to build.
but it did not kill the courage of DR..
Downs, for he came right out and
cried help" for we must have an
other and larger sanatorium at once.
Within a week a meeting was held
at Waterville, and most, IL not all
the gentlemen present were there,
and that night the work began for
a new sanatorium. In a few days
plans were out and contracts let and
the sanatorium started.
While erecting the new building
we secured from the State of Maine
enough tents to take care of all
the patients. Then during this
time the real disaster came, for we
lost by death. DIR. Downs. The
building destroyed by fire was re-
placed by new one, but our great
/, friend and worker, DR.. Downs could
! not be replaced; he was gone for
ever. We had our building about half
rom n1Qfpd Uhnn tho OF
Valera Chase of Waterville, came
forward and gave us a very
generous sum in memory Of her
husband, Frank Chase and this gift
made 1t possible to complete the
building so that. financial conditions
were easier for a time.
On Thanksgiving Day Of that same
year We opened the new building,
known as the Chase Memorial Build
ing and Miss Elizabeth MarcouX who
began almost at the start with DIR.
Downs. as sanatorium nurse and is
still with us today as superintendent
OF nurses, prepared the dinner to be
served in the Chase Memorial Build
ing. We thought then we had a real
sanatorium and were sure we could
control tuberculosis in Maine, but we
soon discovered our mistake, as we
had so many applications coming in
which We could not care for, because
OF the lack of money. But for some
reason. which ! never have been able
to understand. we stayed by the
ship until the Legislature of 1914
made law whereby the State should
take over one or more sanatoriums
As we directors had been responsible,
with the aid of Hon. b. H. Lawrence
our local representative whom we
have with us today, to pass this bill,
we thought of course, Fairfield would
surely be the first one Of the sana-
forums for the State to take over,
but the directors of Hebron sana-
forum offered to the State that mag
nificent place all equipped, as they
thought, with the best Of everything
and with a large endowment fund as
well. IL the State would pay their
something like $15,000.0O, so, Of
course. the State forgot all about
Fairfield for time, and accepted
Hebron: but after many .tiresome
meetings with the new Board of
State Trustees, they took over our
place and paid most of our outstand-
ing bills. At the next Legislature we
went back and had a bill passed to
clean them all up.
When the State took up this work
there were being cared for about
one hundred patients in Maine,-to-
day, we have three modern sanator-
iums with a capacity of about $50
patients and about one hundred of
these are children. A new Children's
building is now under construction at
Presque Isle for forty more children
and We have tuberculosis not yet I'M
der control. but are making a great
advance. We have now. as always
long waiting list of patients who
would like very much to be admitted
for treatment but for lack Of room
we cannot take them.
At the close Of his. speech Mr..
Jewell called upon Mr.. Arthur A,
Head. the second president of the
sanatorium who said that Herbert
Emery who was the first president
of the sanatorium had given OF so
much of his time and strength that
he was worn out and appealed to him
to take his place. At the time he
became president 1t was not a posi-
ton one had to campaign for. The
public did not have any sympathy
with the movement for campaign
against tuberculosis. much less with
q campaign to finance such q move
ment. He remembered two very
brilliant physicians DR.. Desjardin
and DR.. Beech who appreciated Dr.
Downs difficulty In breaking down
the ignorance and opposition Of the
public and tried to help him In bring
ing the subject before the people OF
the State but were turned down.
These men had caught the vision
that DR.. Downs had gotten: as for
himself he had to confess he had
never dreamed of such a beautiful