Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1935-08-20
HOSPITAL FARM
Of 5000 ACRES
NEAR D. c. ASKED
Project Given Roosevelt as
Part of S3,42O,51O
st. EIizabeth'S Plan.
1850 ADDITIONAL BEDS
URGED IN NEW BUILDINGS
Special Brick Structures Sought
to Care for Tubercular
Patients.
As part of a $342O,51o extension

AS part of a $3420,510 extension
program for st. Elizabeth's Hospital.
it was learned today, Interior Depart
ment officials are seeking presidential
approval for the purchase of a 5000
or 5000 acre subsistence farm outside
the District of Columbia to supply the
needs of the hospital and serve also
as a convalescent home for the Gov
ernment's insane patients.
Removal of fire hazards and the
addition Of 1860 beds to the total
hospital capacity to keep pace with
anticipated growth constitute the
principal aim of the new building
program.
In addition to the farm. two other
major projects sought by the Federal
custodians Of the hospital from work.
relief funds are:
Six continuous treatment buildings
with hospital beds for $50 patients, at
cost Of S1,508,0oo.
Two large brick buildings, with 30
beds each, to house tubercular pa
tients, s495,170.
Various kinds Of improvements to
nodernize the huge hospital plant and
provide other needed equipment to
keep apace with its steady growth are
included in eight other minor pro-
posals.
$500 Gases Accommodated.
The sum of s750,000 is being sought
for the acquisition of fully equipped
farm for the hospital. st. Elizabeth'S
cares for over $500 mental patients
and embraces 800 acres of land. Hos
pital officials reported that the pa
tents are increasing at the rate Of
200 a year.
The amount of land available for
farming. cattle and poultry raising TO
produce food for the institution is be-
ing steadily reduced by construction OF
new buildings and encroachment OF
the City OF Washington. Offlcials
said the dairy and piggery now STIR
round buildings occupied by patients.
In Summer particularly the odors are
malignant. ....
The therapeutic benefits to the pa
tients assigned to the farm, it was
contended, would be we'll worth the
investment. 1t is proposed to erect six
cottages on the farm to provide a
total bed capacity for 240 patients who
require curative treatments.
In addition to this important OBJ
jective, hospital officials say the con-
centration Of all farming activities
outside of Washington would be eco
nonic. It would be possible also to
increase the areas devoted to poultry
and vegetables for the patients.
More Units Held Imperative.
The additional hospital units for
regular patients and separate units for
those suffering from tuberculosis is
an imperative need at this time.
st. Elizabeth's Hospital now lacks
TOO beds, a condition which necessi-
tates much overcrowding in some of
the buildings. BY the time the build
ings are completed, the increase in
inmates in buildings would fill nearly
all the newly provided beds. It was
considered essential to build for a
minimum estimate of 900 additional
patients.
Hospital officials have tried for a
long time to remedy the fire hazards
caused by many of the old buildings,
some Of which are badly in need of
repair. Sanitary conditions also need
extensive improvement it was said.
Other projects proposed by the
Interior Department would supply
most of these needs.
New Boiler Proposed.
They include: 100000 for a new
boiler and equipment for boiler room.
$4,000 for construction of a brick
church for nter-denominational use.
$4,000, replacement of wooden
porches with fireproof brick porches
and Transforming them into day
rooms.
$4,000 for increasing the water
supply for fire protection and con-
sumption.
$685. 300 for reconditioning old build
ings, extending laundry and cold
storage facilities, etc.
$4,000 for construction Of under
ground driveway connecting two parts
of the hospital to keep patients of
busy thoroughfare.
$4,000 for additional ice storage
facilities.
$4,000 for relaying a leaking storm
sewer which endangers the power