Evening star., 1933-10-29
Fifty Years Ago
In The Star

Shortly after the assassination OF
President Garfield, in 1881, the suggestion
Garfield Memorial Ma Wss TeWis T.ITs y i
Hospital Under Way. Mr.. MA A. "S s.
Solomon that memorial hospital would
be fitting tribute and would also give
to Washington an institution which It
greatly needed. A public meeting was
held in Lincoln Hall on OCTOBER ., 1881,
and an appeal commencing the project
was issued which resulted finally IN the
incorporation Of Garfield Memorial Hos
pital on NAV 1s. 1882. The following
news account In The Star OF october
"a. 1888, tells Of the progress Of the
plans to that date:
IAN interesting and encouraging MS
tory of the proceedings of the directors
Of Garfield Memorial Hospital was laid
before the bbard at its recent meeting
Judge Samuel F. Miller of the United
States Supreme Court stated that his
prolonged absence from the city de-
prived him Of the material necessary
for making a report, but that the wee
president. Mr.. Lewis J. Davis. had
kindly and efficiently performed THIS
duty.
pursuance of the action taken at the
previous meeting Of the board. He
stated. among other things. that the
purchase of the Schneider properly;
heights at the head Of Tenth street; ad-
Joining the Stone property. had been
conSummated, possession obtained aho
the work commenced for enlargement
and adoption of the building for hos
pital use A statement of the financial
condition of the hospital as healthy
and hopeful was sustained by the re-
spective reports of Mr.. John w Thomp-
son. president Of the National Metro
politan Bank, treasurer. and Mr.. e.
Francis Riggs of Riggs & Co., chairman
of the Finance Committee.
"The price paid for the Schneider site
was s37,5o0, which, in view of the rise
in adjacent property In price and the
beauty and adaptability Of the location
for the object to which it Is dedicated, Is
regarded by all the experts as a great
bargain.
"To Mr.. Riggs report was appended q
letter from Messrs. Thomas j. Fisher 81
Co., real estate brokers and agents in
charge, reporting the rental OF the Writ
house, the property conveyed to the hos
pital by the trustees Of the late Soldiers
and Sailors Orphans Home, and max
ing suggestions touching the proposed
sale of this valuable gift.
The Committee on Construction and
Organization, consisting of DR.. John S.
Billings, United States Army; Mrs.
Ricketts,, DR.. S. c. Busey, Mr.. Reginald
Fendal and Prof. A. Graham Bell, made
a report through its chairman, DR.. Bill
ings, who stated that, in pursuance Of
authority and instructions, committee
had taken possession of the site, consid-
cred and decided upon the propriety OF
building an annex to the old mansion
house Of the Haws family. and, after
consultation, had selected the plans sub
mitted by MesSrS. HornbloWer & Mar
shall, architects; that bids had been
required and carefully prepared specif1-
cations, and the lowest responsible bid
ders contracted with; that the work was
under way. After examination into the
subject matter of the report, the plans,
specifications, work done and that
recommended to be done, the board ap-
proved of the steps taken, indorsed the
suggestions submitted and appropriated
an additional sum of $4,000 to complete
the wards as designed by the committee.
"Mr Henry A. Willard Of the Com
mittee on Ways and Means reported
that he had filed q notice Of claim for
land Of the hospital affected by the
extension Of the Washington aqueduct.
1.-THE public, it Is believed, must be
impressed by the earnestness and energy
exhibited by the gentlemen and ladies
having this praiseworthy charity in
hand. Judge Miller, who Is the> presi-
dent, displays deep interest in It's sue
cess and is the active leader of the little
band of philanthropists and con-
servative helmsmen Of the bark they
have launched"