New Britain herald., 1930-02-18
GROUND IS BROKEN
 FOR NEW HOSPITAL
"roatuouI From i'int pa@)

chaplain ot the American l., zion of- forDd line juvoratiou calling inc blessings of God down upon tllc work that was about to he started.
 Major EannjGan spoke about tho purposes of the hospital, the work cutajlcd in securing 1t for this soc- tion Of New England and the help- fuI and splendid cooperation re- ceircd by his office from everyone connected with the project. He cX- pressed tbc hope Of the veterans bureau that the hospital would case the burden placed upon the men who paid the sacrifice of shattered health for their countrv'a sake,
 Major McCook speaks
 Tine principal address of inc day Nas given by Major Anaou T. Me Cook, chairman of the American Legion hospital committee. Through hjs untirine efforts for more than three years. the hospital was made q reality and his unccasin- work brought 1t 10 NeWington, His address follows,
 The steadily increasing no"d for a veterans hospital was evident as far back as January 1927, when Department Commander Cramer Of inc American Legion took mp the matter vigorously and caused it to be written into the national pro- gram ot the Legion for that year.
 Tn l927, Department Command CTS Crdmcr and Richards asked mo 10 serve as chairman Of the Legion hospital committee. with a view to securing an appropriation from congress for L. $. veterans hospital in southern New England,
 Convinced of the urgency of the need, the following committee un- dcrtook the task with me: Kenneth r. Cramcr Cvice chairman). Rev. II. r. Cassidy, E. F. DeLacour Harry C. Jackson. Seth L.. Pierre pont, Earle r. Richards, Clarence C. Scarborough and Edward L. White. All worked untlringly and unselfish- ly, one member alone giving 700 hours.
 Tt was grutIIng. upIIll fight from the outset But the seemingly was accomplished, and on May 2@, 1928. President Coolidge signed the bill appropriating sl,- o0o. .000 for Il hospital in southern New England. For this successful outcome, our thanks go out to the entire Connecticut congressional delegation. and especially to Repre- sentative F. Hart l+rnn of Conncc- ticut. Representative Edith Noursc Rogers of Massachusetts. Repre- sentative Gordon Browning of T"n- ncssce. and to Majority Leader John .. Tilson of the house Of rep resgntati>cs,
 The securing of this appropria tjon closed the most important and difficult phas" of our uudcrta<iug The second phase began when we were requested by Department Com mander Ecuou 10 search for sujtabl" locations in Connecticut for the hos pitat. We thcroupon proceeded 10 SbOIl' ldkft 5 IlIi lt' l'I tt iiE l'Ai q i' in examining some sixty proposed locations. our duty being to con- slIcr only the greatest good of th" greatest number of veterans throUZR- out the entire New England area, "c recommended impartially to th" Veterans Buroau Tor its "onsid"l"- t5on eight sites in eight widely Scp- aratoI towns of Connecticut, In making this search Wc had the hearty cooperation of the Veterans Of Foreign Wars and the Disabled American Veterans of the World War. At this stage also several Chambers of Commerce actively in~ rrest,d thuSeIH,s, notably those or Hartford. New Haven, WalIns-
 lord and Willimannc.
 Locating tine Hospital
 t,u March ?. tt2H. President Cool id-' @prrovrd locating the hospital ujhN th Hartford arra. Thcr"upon lur"otor Iliurs a~hcd our committee to maie au intensive search for ad- djuonal sites in tms immediate vi- rm'y. w.. gladly complied and 1t + gratifying to Us that one of the lon"tlcHs which w. discovered IS the %cHfrstou sIn. oH which 'rc arc met 'o4aT Thi5 vas the Mua) selection nf 'hr federal board of hospitaijza- ton and "a- approved by President Hoover ou Jun" lt l'-H
 "IGt or~ r' #ron~ihDlHlps ar. not ~ru'L }r y nw months this hos- rt7l 'tI ta. " hnf, Hud Is cbvprrul "#fj- "ll w @t1Wy uc~ liz. and l..l.u to n,a ,nHuru.r- for v hos s@@. "' WHJuooe tn* labor .r5 Jo%. jU'rr awa that N. cd3 do t1 "ay ut wr-2na} y.rtt+ an-t9- #urn in roAN t..uun. information to uIath.-. anl ia uomlo rf @s nays 10 mauo th,ir eur.. st,edj,. motc c"rDmu. uor. U rmlmw.
 "I' I~a prAu,@, }a1ur laum.s.. 70 M"'. i".W a=A.4 by luu 10 por- ricp9t" n tu. Dr,utau2 o -roupI 'or this hospital. ~UNo l- 10 spoil ro tor;tton tp h'#Ila aUt] 'j@or anI .tII-aupror' for thoIvmd. who a.r2 . t+t'"I |''|+ '4 I'l 't.h-A tt|tf4| .
 I,rmarhs WIT" mad" hy Captain W, <, .tI,Aaudrr department com Hanlnr (. the AmarraH Lesion. John .. p'kca+n. department rom IaanGa ot the Veterans Of Foreign Wars; Thomas :, Mrta2cr. d"mr,- HcHt commander of tite Disabled American Veterans of thr Worll War; James C. Gilbert, fret lyct- man of Nc"tuz'on; Jam F. Dahy, past stat, ro'uu,audor of tan \, r, w., Paige X, Sratou. paat 5t4to com muu!tr oG 'ho Amcrcun Legion. and Wuny o'beu-
 Eaunigan nrt- ~hu,rl
 tiayOr BurUi-tu }.as Ire-oW,, Il .Un d shovel r0nH )u- \u"U 4tuu post ot lH" American Legion with ~ bjch the actual breaking of llc grounds MAS to hc rlrctrd. VI. r., tt..,..... Irf,Ff.t.. l,ut tt d