Reports of the Inspectors of Mines of the anthracite and bituminous ...

No. 12.] Fifth Bituminous Disteict. 393
The buildino- was taken off the hands of the contractors, Calhoun &
Co., of Connellsville, May 31, 1890, by the hospital commission, upon the
" The Connells-
cordial recommendation of Architect Windrim, who said :
ville hospital is by far the best hospital building- 1 have inspected. It
is more than up to the s]5ecifications." The Connellsville Courier of that
date, describing- the hospital, said:
"The hospital is located on the hill above the Coughenour Addition^
in the Third ward, overlooking the g-reater part of the town. On the
hottest summer day the balmy breezes play around the roomy porches
that surround the building-. The building itself is a picturesque Queen
Anne structure. It consists of a main building of brick, flanked on either
side by the wards. The latter are frame 42 X 25 feet each, with 15-foot
ceilings. They are lighted by larg-e windows and heated by steam, with
a large open fire-place in each end. The ventilation is perfect, and to
each is attached a bath room and closet. The main building- is 36 X 62
feet, 21 stories high. It contains an office and operating room, diningroom,
kitchen and pantry on the ground floor, and thi-ee sleeping rooms
and bath room on the second. Under the main building is a laundry,
furnace-room and cellar. Twenty patients can be comfortably accommodated
in the hospital. The grounds are ample and will be handsomely
ornamented."
Although $15,000 Avas available for the erection of the building- the
cost was kept down to $13,400 by careful management. The g-round,
two acres in extent, costing $2,000, was donated by Colonel J. M. Reid,
a member of the commission, and since president of the board of trustees.
The appropriation for furnishing- and equipping the hospital was $5,000.
Of this sum $4,500 was used, and this covered the cost of water mains
and electric light wiring. The last legislature appropriated $4,650 for
sundry improvements including an addition to the building for the accommodation
of the help, an ice house, a coal house, improved plumbing-,
a sewer and for beautifying- the grounds. One-half of this amount has
been expended, and progress made with all the improvements save the
matter of beautifying the grounds, which, not being a work of necessity,
was postponed until the last. It will probably be done this year if funds
can be raised to surround the grounds with a suitable fence., an appro-
jjriation for which was refused by the last legislature. The present
value of the real estate is $18,500, and of the equipment, $4,500, making
in all $23,000.
The property was transferred to the board of trustees, November 20
1890, and the hospital was formally opened January 26, 1891. The pre
sent trustees are: J. M. Reid, Charles Davidson, Dr. T. H. White, Dr
George W. Neff, Dr. J. J. Singer, D. S. Atkinson, James McGee, Peter
Wise and James Corrigan. The officers are: president, J. M. Reid
secretary, Dr. T. H.White; treasurer, Charles Davidson; superintend
ent, Miss A. R. Ferg-uson.