Evening star., 1947-05-29
d. {. Hospitals Plan
Expansion II Grants
Are Made by FWA
By Thomas 6. Buchonon

Washington hospitals eligible to
share in a $15,O0O,000 appropriation
proposed this week in Congress today
were weighing remodeling and new
construction projects to be requested
II the Federal funds are authorized.
At least one District hospital.
Homeopathic, will seek to evacuate
its present site. at Second and N
streets NV, and build a new
plant If the money becomes avail
able. Another, Providence Hospital,
is contemplating the same step. Ad-
ditional wings are proposed in most
OF the remaining institutions, along
with other improvements.
Hopes Of undermining the city's
hospitals were revived Tuesday
when Representative Mary Norton,
Democrat, of New Jersey introduced
a bill designed to amend the Hos
pital Center Act passed last year.
Apportions Extra $4,000, 900.
The new proposal would enable
those nonprofit private hospitals not
participating in the 1,500-bed hos
pital center. to be built with Fed
eral funds near the present Naval
Observatory, to use the unexpend-
ed balance of the original $35, 900, =
600 authorization to expand their
existing facilities.
1t is estimated the hospital center,
in which Emergency, Episcopal and
Garfield Hospitals will pool their
resources, will cost SIC, 900 900. Under
the Norton amendment, the Federal
Works administrator would be en-
powered to make grants to the
other hospitals from the remaining
SIS ,00o, ,000.a ess
The bill provides, however, that
the amount of Federal aid shall rint
exceed so. per cent of the value oi
the new hospital plant after i'm
provement or rebuilding Is COM
pleted. ..-
A spokesman for Homeopathic
Hospital said today that institutions
long-term objective, to evacuate its
present site and build new hospital
with 100 to $50 beds, would become
a possibility If the proposed Federal
aid is forthcoming. He said it prob
ably would be located north of Gar
field Hospital, to fill the gap left in
that area when Garfield moves. The
estimated cost of such a project, al
$4,000 bed, would be 81 100000.
Providence Sites Studied.
Providence Hospital also intend.
to move from Second and d streets
Sc, and has been studying +:
number of different sites. A hospita
official asserted it would not b.
economical or desirable to tear dowr
the existing plant and erect a nev
hospital there. Although it has beer
rumored that Providence official
have sought to acquire site on tn,
Catholic University grounds. it wa
denied today that this step wa
contemplated.
Columbia Hospital will give frs
priority to the construction of a ney
nurses home and training school
an official revealed, If funds ar
available. The hospital also viii
seek to construct an annex Of IA
beds and to expand its o,t-patien
department. Total cost of needle,
improvements is estimated at 81,
soc, 900. ,.-s.e
Casualty Hospital would use Fed
eral funds to build new four -stor,
wing to provide 100 additional bed
and hopes to tear down its old, cen
trail buildings which now contain
interne's quarters, beds for overflow
INDECENT patients, an operating room
and storage facilities.
Nurses Home Is Needed.
At Sibley Hospital, officials woul'
give first priority to construction o
a new nurses home. When com
pleted, 1t would permit the presen
nurses quarters to be torn dow
and replaced by a new obstetrica
ward for about so patients. Tn
hospitals long-range goal is a com
plete replacement Of the presen
plant with a new institution Of so
to $50 beds, II sufficient money cal
be raised. ...@-
The objectives of these hospital
| and other nonprofit institutions her
: - -