The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1929-03-01

g control of the hospital.
If the churches, civic clubs or .
special group will comply with The
terms of The Duke Endowment and
appoint a board of trustees to take
oyer the hospital, DR.. Saliba obi
gates to lease the property for along
term of years for 4 reasonable
rental, Or. Saliba said: Il consider
$4,000 a year a reasonable rental
and 1 will turn the hospital over TO
a board of trustees under The Duke
Endowment for a rental Of $1,000 TO
be paid from the profits OF the hos
pital."
Asked to be more eXplicit--to eE-
plain what he meant by Stipulating
that his rental be paid from the
profits-Dr. Saliba said: Il moan
that I would be responsible for any
deficit; that is to say, if the hospi-
tai did not return a profit of 5000 n
year from it's operation I would take
only such sum as the profits pro-
vided."
For the past two years the hoSpi-
tai has returned profit OF about
$4,000 a year to its operator, eX-
elusive of their surgical fees. 1t has
done this in the face Of considerable
local medical opposition. It is be-
lieved that with an enlarged StaH
making room for many medical
specialists and with the financial
aid and overseership of The Duke
Endowment the hospital would re-
turn profit considerably II cX-
cess of $4,000 year.
Under The Duke Endowment one
third of the cost of all public hos,
pitalization in the hospital would
be borne. BY The DUKE Eaaawnten.r;;
Elizabeth City and PaSquotank
county each pay to the Elizabeth
City Hospital annually $1,000 for the
disqualification of their INDECENT
cases. The Duke Endowment would
supplement the total sum OF $1,000
by 81 900 and would give the hospital
other financial aid in addition TO its
expert managerial services.
DR.. Saliba is tired OF worrying
with the hospital and his health is
endangered by an atfliction that is
likel, to call for serious surgical
operation at any time. He has ac-
cumulated a modest but comfortable
! fortune since he came to America
about 20 years ago and there is no
reason in the world why he Shcu!d
continue to fret with the details OF
running a private hospital.
The Elizabeth City Hospital is one
of the handsomeSt pieces OF property
in Northeastern North Carolina. 1t
is a three story brick structure oc-
cupying q spacious site on point
on Pasquotank River at the end Of
Riverside Avenue. II is a hospital
of so beds and can accommodate GO
or more beds in q pinch. There
are ample grounds for an enlarge
ment of the building if necessary.
Within the past two years DR..
Saliba has spent much money III
bcautifying the hospital grounds ana
to-day it is one Of the show places
of Northeastern North Carolina. DR..
Watson S Rankin. medical director
of The Duke Endowment has visited
the hospital on several OCCASIONS
and is eager for it to become q Duke
Endowed medical centre Offering
public disqualification 10 the North
eastern North Carolina coUmUc5 Of
Currituck, Camden, PCrquimanS,
Chowan, Gates and Dare as well rs
Pasquotank.
AS district medical and surgical
centre serving this large group OF
counties, the Elizabeth City Hos
pital could be made a conspicuous
success, in the opinion OF DR..
Rankin.
And since the local merchant is
usually consulted before any not
able public enterprise is undertaken,
it may be pointed out 10 the Incr-
chant that such a hospital Wol1.d At
tract the major part Of the hospital
cases from all these counties ana
that relatives ard friends Of thcse
/ patients from many counties would
be frequent visitors to Elizabeth city
and spend much money i'll Elizabeth
City hotels, restaurants, stores ana
! theatres.