Jasper County Democrat, Volume 18, Number 104, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 March 1916 — HOSPITAL PROJECT "RESTING” [ARTICLE]

HOSPITAL PROJECT "RESTING”

State Board of Accounts Hold- That Additional Appropriations Was Irregular. County Commissioner Welch of Carpenter tp., who was very much opposed to the doubling of the amount of the expenditure tor the proposed county hospital that had .teen asked for in the petition for same, wrote to the state board of accounts regarding the matter and a copy of the reply to Mr. Welch has been sent to Mr. Allman of the hospital board; ' The latter board had taken the; plans and specifications of the proposed hospital to the state board of health and state board of aycconnts for their approval some two weeks ago and both boards complimented the same very highly. The attorney for the board of accounts was asked regarding the legality* of the additional appropriation of SS.rttOi recently made by the county council, and Mr. Allman states that he gave it as his off hand belief that the provision in the law specifying., the maximum amount to be expended in the petition was -imply to get the matter before the people and if the council saw lit to appropriate more funds it was perfectly proper. However, he promised to look the up thoroughly, and send the hospital board an opinion. This was not done, although the matter had since been twice called to his attention. but in reply to the last letter written by Mr. All man a copy of a long letter written to Commissioner Welch, in which the purport was that the maximum amount set out in the.petition was all that could Idghlly be expended for the purpose, was sent him. The hospital board held a meeting Monday, and while nothfng definite was derided upon, it is understood that unless a new petition is circulated. incorporating therein an amount sufficient to cover the erec,t:on,of a building along the lines of the plans adopted, by those interested in the establishment of a hospital here l -;-- which means the beginning ■ at the starting point agaitr—the matter will- either be drbpped entirely or a less pretentious building, com- ‘ ing within the appropriations, will ■ be erected. I The Democrat does not desire to i criticise the hospital board, believing ' that its members acted in what, they I considered, the best interests to all : concerned in th© matter, but it does | rot think it was the proper thing Ito attempt to expend double the

ar.io :nt tne petitioners had asked for and had a right to expect would be expended for this purpose. To say that SIO,OOO will not put up a building with slate or tile roof, electric elevator and the necessary plumbing exclusive of heat of but four or five rooms is the veriest nonsense. If this cannot be done, however, it would perhaps to be better .tp drop the entire proposition. The Democrat does not anticipate that a new petition will be very generally signed by the taxpayers of the county outside of Rensselaer, and the law requires that 150 of the 200 resident freeholders required shall not be residents of the city or town where such hospital is supposed to be located.