The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1928-05-24
COUNCIL may
PUSH PLANS ON
CITY HOSPITAL
Special Session Is Possible
This Week for action
on Bond Issue.
PROVIDE FOR ARCHITECT
Committees Are Busy on
Independent Probe of
Institution Needs.

Possibility of a special city coun-
Gil session this week to consider
an ordinance for a 100000 bond is
sue to provide for an architect and
a consultant to submit plans on the
city hospital building program, APP
peared today at city hall.
Mayor L. Ert Slack planned in
PRODUCTION of the bond issue ord
nance last Monday night, but the
draft was not prepared in time, it
was revealed this morning.
The report about the 100000
ordinance, which was understood to
have been ordered following private
conferences with councilman and
social agencies, was the first indi-
cation that city hospital is to be
granted emergency relief.
Indicate Confidence Lack
Demand of councilmen for hos
pital consultant and architect to
draw plans for the new units is con-
sidered by some city hall observers
as a slap at the board of health and
Mayor Slack, indicating lack OF
Confidence in the present progam.
Council finance and health COM
mitteeS let it be known that they
were conducting an independent in
veStigation Of the hospital building
program needs before acting on the
S1,750,000 bond issue, pending several
weeks.
1t is understood that the council
plans to ask a new ordinance after
a consultant and architect have
surveyed the hospital needs and
submitted detailed estimates on
costs and specifications.
Would Cause New Delay
Killing of the present ordinance
before council will cause further de-
lay in the program, asked nearly
two years ago by the department of
health as an emergency measure,
following condemnation of old units
by the State fire marshaTs Office.
The present ordinance asks a
power plant, service building, con-
tagious ward and additional ward
unit for the municipal institution.
The request for $1,750,000 was
made of council by the board Of
health and the mayor after a group
of local architects surveyed the hos
pital needs free of charge and sub
mitted estimates Of the costs.
A similar issue was passed by the
former council and rescinded be-
cause of its illegality year ago.
Slack and the members of the
revamped council have been shown
the hospital needs on inspection
tours with the health board and DR..
William A. Doeppers, hospital super
intendent.
Slack Makes No Statement
No announcement of intentions to
employ a consultant on the hos
pitalization and engineering prob
lens and request for the 100000
issue was made by Mayor Slack.
Decision to employ a hospital
consultant from another city was
understood to have been reached
after councilmen conferred with
William Walsh, said to be hospital
expert, who is conducting a general
disqualification survey under au-
spices of the indianapolis Founda-
ton.
Councilman Robert E. Spring
steen, president pro tenn, urged a
special meeting to act on the
100000 request so the architect and
conSultant can be retained and pro-
coed as rapidly as possible. 1t will
take forty days to get funds for
retaining the experts
Springsteen said the councilmen
indicated they favor relief for the
hospital, but desire to know where
the funds are to be spent.