The Daily Alaska empire., 1946-01-19
CITY POWDERS
 GIFT OF SITE:
 F0RH0SpITAL
Juneau Owned Property location is First Choice
 for Sandforium
Cemetery or sanatorium2

That poser was put to Juneaus Councilmen and public last night in discussion of ways and means for assuring location in the Chan nel area of the proposed new AL aska Native Service tuberculosis hospital
 Dr. E. w. Norris, ANS Medical Director, drew the cemetery into the sanatorium picture at last evenings City Council session with the statement that the Morris property near Salmon Creek. which the City has already picked out and bought for a projected new burial ground, is the. Number One site in this area for the tubercu- losis institution
 The Morris tract has already been examined by ANS engineers and pronounced well adapted for the sanatorium's location, Dr. Norris said. Is it out of the ques- tion? he then asked.
 Councilmen were dubious about relinquishing the ground that is also the City's number one ceme- tery choice, but, too, were generally agreed that it should not definitely be declared out of the question. Councilman Don Skuse phrased the common reaction when he said he would not like to see Juneau's new cemetery dream hold up location of the sanatorium in this area--if there is no other suitable site for the hospital.
 Other Likely Sites
 Dr. Norris also stated his im- preSsions of other likely sites to which he had been escorted by d City committee, declaring that ot two he was shown he believed location across the Channel on Douglas Island is to be preferred this is, if the Morris property is cut He stated that he had been 100 percent more impressed with the Douglas Island location. How ever, it has not been checked by engineers for technical considera- tions. Taking a large place in his consideration is the much superior view offered by the cross-Channel site. View, he said, is important where patients are to be confined for long periods as in treatment of tuberculosis The ANS doctor enlarged by declaring that there are no ideal sanatorium sites in the Juneau area, from the stand point of already cleared lands, con- yenient to utility services and well drained. He acknowledged. how ever, that probably any site chos- en would have to be cleared.
 Regarding the Aux Bay hospi- tai location once put forward by the Juneau Chamber of Commerce, Dr. Norris admitted being impress ed by sketches of the proposed in- stitution there with its remarkable scenic advantages; but stated that 1t is necessary for a large institu- tion to have easy access to a com munity. He drew five-mile line as an uttermost limit for location outside city. Relaxation oppor- tunities for the staff and avail ability of water supply and other utilities are determining factors he brought out.
 300-Bed Sanatorium
 Asked just how expansive an h. stitution is projected, Dr. Norris said that the Alaska Native Ser vice has strongly recommended 30O-bed sanatorium; 200 beds of which would be for treatment of tuberculosis patients, the remaining 100 beds serve as a general hospi- tai division. If located near Ju- neau, the additional 100 beds re- commended would replace the pre- sent Government Hospital here.
 The Office of Indian Affairs in Washington D. c. is, at present pushing for an appropriation for a 200-bed sanatorium in Southeast Alaska, he said; adding that he is confident an appropriation for an institution of at least 200 beds VIII be made within the next year.
 In reply to Mayor Ernest Parsons query as to how many employees such an institution would require, the Medical Director answered. Roughly 165.'
 As to it's approximate cost, he es- timated two million dollars.
 Pressure for City action toward assuring location of the sanatorium here came with Mayor Parsons statement that Don C. Foster, ANS