Evening star., 1952-03-22
Hospital Center Plans
To Start After Three
Groups Sign Contracts
By Wallace {. CIoyton

Planning for Washington's long
awaited Hospital Center was back
in high gear today. with only the
formal signing of contracts be-
tween the government and the
three hospitals involved needed
before architects begin drawing
up blueprints.
Progress in getting the long
delayed project under way was
reported yesterday, when repre-
sentatives of Emergency, Episco-
pal and Garfield Hospitals met to
reactivate the Hospital Center
Corp. and to elect new officers.
The center, first authorized by
Congress six years ago, will COM
bine the facilities and stats of the
three hospitals in a new $22 mil
lion. seven-story hospital on the
Soldiers Home grounds. The site
has already been selected and will
be decided over by the Government
to the corporation as soon as con-
tracts can be signed.
New Head of Corporation.
New president of the corporation
lis Charles S. Dewey. president Of
the Garfield Board. First vice
president is Samuel H. Kaufman,
president of Emergency Hospital.
Mrs. Edward Fay of the Emer-
gency Hospital Women's Board is
second vice president and H. L.
Rust, jr., executive vice president
of Episcopal Hospital, is third vice
president.
Mr.. Dewey said the question of
what properties the hospitals must
turn over to the Government vir-
tually has been settled.
The legislation authorizing the
center specified that all prop
erty used for hospital purposes
must be turned over without en-
cumberance to the Government.
Negotiations between Emer-
Igency Hospital and the General
Services Administration dragged
on for months, as the question of
whether revenue-producing prop
erty owned by the hospital should
be considered hospital property"
under the law.
Mr.. Dewey said most problems
here have been settled, and the
signing of formal agreement be-
tween the hospital and the Gov
lernment is expected soon.
Episcopal Hospital also is ready
to sign agreements on property
owned by the institution, he said.
Garfield Has Signed.
Garfield Hospital signed an
agreement sometime ago. he said.
The hospital owned no outside
property, and obtained Govern
ment permission to sell a large
strip of unused land in front of
the hospital to pay off a $4,000
mortgage. This property will be
offered for sale after the final
contract is signed, he said.
Mr.. Dewey said Harry Hunter,
deputy commissioner of the Gov
ernment Services Administration,
is now drawing up this contract,
He said committees composed of
three physicians from each hos
pital already have held two meet
Iings to plan the medical admins
tration of the hospital, and an
other is scheduled soon.
Representatives of the hospitals
women's board also have been
asked to get planning underway
|So the new center can be put
into operation as soon as the
building is finished.
| The Reactivated Board, Mr.
Dewey said, will have 81 repre-
sentatives, seven from each hos
Ipital. From this group will be
formed an executive committee
made up of three representatives
lof each hospital.
The board also will employ 9
Iconsulting engineer, he said, te
served as their representative with
GSA architects drawing up the
IplanS.
At one time, the Naval Observa-
tory was under consideration q.
site of the 1.000-bed center.
When that site was found K
he unavailable. the 47-acre trac'
lat Soldiers Home was selected
The center will be near the new
l500-bed Veterans Administration
hospital which also viii be bull
lon the grounds.
Mr.. Dewey succeeds Maj. Gen
Philip B. Fleming, one Of tn
founders and first president OF tn