HISTORY: Harrisburg Hospital, Charitable Institutions of Pennsylvania, 1898, Dauphin County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Judith Bookwalter Copyright 2008. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/dauphin/ _________________________________________ Charitable Institutions of Pennsylvania which have received state aid in 1897 and 1898, embracing their history and the amount of state appropriations which they received. Compiled under authority of an act of assembly, approved July 26, 1897, by Alexander K. Pedrick ... under the direction of Amos H. Mylin, auditor general of Pennsylvania. [Harrisburg] W. S. Ray, State Printer, 1898, pages 149-153. HARRISBURG HOSPITAL, HARRISBURG, DAUPHIN COUNTY. By E. Z. Gross, Secretary. On Dec. 10th, 1872, as the result of a preliminary meeting, and at the suggestion of several of Harrisburg's most prominent citizens, a number of business men assembled in the parlor of the Harrisburg National Bank. At this meeting the matter of establishing a hospital and dispensary for the sick and injured poor was proposed and the plan proved so popular as to immediately bring about the appointment of several committees to subscriptions, arrange for such an establishment, find a suitable house, &c. On March 18th, 1873, a form of charter, rules and by-laws was adopted and the proper committee was instructed to procure a charter from the State, and it was agreed to submit the rules and by-laws for consideration at the first meeting of the contributors under the proposed charter. On April 4th, 1873, an application for the charter was approved by the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, incorporating the contributors to the "Harrisburg Hospital for the reception and care of the sick and injured." At a meeting of the Board of Managers, May 20th, 1873, it was arranged to purchase for $7,000.00 the public school building on Mulberry street near Front, fronting on Mulberry street eighty-five (85) feet and extending back one hundred and five (105) feet, and which had been abandoned for school purposes, but which had served well the purpose of United States Army Hospital during the war of the Rebellion, and the purchase at once was made. A meeting of all the contributors was called for May 31st, 1873, according to the charter for the election of managers for the first year of the hospital, and at this meeting the following named gentlemen were elected: James Donald Cameron, David C. Kolp; William Calder, Henry McCormick, Jones Wister, James McCormick, Jr., Rudolph F. Kelker, Robert A. Lamberton, John Curwen, M.D., Daniel W. Gross, A. Boyd Hamilton, T. Allen Hamilton, George W. Reiley and John J. Rebman. The board of managers met to organize June 5th, 1873, and elected James McCormick, Jr., President; A. Boyd Hamilton, Secretary; James W. Wier, Treasurer; James Porter, Steward, and Mrs. Nancy J. Porter, Matron. Immediately alterations and additions were commenced and diligently pushed forward to prepare for the reception of patients, and 150 CHARITABLE INSTITUTIONS OF PENNSYLVANIA. on the 4th day of August, 1873, the "Harrisburg Hospital was formally dedicated, free of debt, with appropriate religious services." On the 5th of August the first patient was received, who had been injured at one of the iron works in the vicinity, and from that date on, the good work has progressed and grown to its present proportions. In 1879 the capacity of the hospital having become entirely inadequate, a plan was put on foot to raise by subscriptions "enough funds to make such improvements as are needed to increase the efficiency of the Hospital," but not until April 24, 1882, was the purchase of the Front street property made possible, by which time the Legislature of Pennsylvania had appropriated for purchase of real estate and erection of buildings $10,000, which was augmented by a contribution from the President of the Board of Managers, Col. Henry McCormick, of $10,000, and the first addition, which is now the executive and operating building was pushed to completion. In this is the dispensary, operating room, private rooms, board of managers room, drug store and women's ward. The good work continued, gradually increasing and in 1886, Col. McCormick made another valuable donation of a piece of ground between the hospital building and Mulberry street on Front street, thereby making a corner property fronting the river seventy-eight (78) feet nine (9) inches, and on Mulberry street, one hundred and seventy-eight (178) feet. In 1889 there was need for further room and the Legislature again aided by an appropriation to buy a lot twenty-six and a half (26 1/2) feet on Front street. In 1893 a further appropriation of $20,000 ($10,000 for purchase of additional ground and $10,000 for building purposes) was given, and at the same time one of the managers, Mr. Charles L. Bailey donated land adjacent to the hospital property equal in value to the amount of appropriation for additional ground, and with other cash donations, the new ward building was pushed to completion. In 1895, this building was dedicated and opened with appropriate religious services, and in all, this constitutes the present "Harrisburg Hospital and Dispensary." Fronting the river with one hundred and fifty-seven and one-half (157 1/2) feet on Front street and one hundred and seventy-eight (178) feet on Mulberry street, it is one of the best sites for the purpose in the city, and is one of the most worthy and most appreciated charities. Its work extends into all the surrounding counties and is confined to the poorer people, pay patients being admitted only when there is no danger of keeping out those for whom the hospital was incorporated. There have been treated in the hospital, sick and injured from almost every county in the State, from many states of the Union, and many nationalities. CHARITABLE INSTITUTIONS OF PENNSYLVANIA. 151 A summary of the work of the Harrisburg Hospital and Dispensary, as handed to the Board of Public Charities, is as follows: Number of patients treated indoors in 1897, 331; number of patients treated in dispensary in 1897, 1,249; total number of patients treated in the hospital since its incorporation, indoors, 5,935; in dispensary, 56,170; total, 62,105. The cost of maintenance has been met by voluntary contributions of our citizens, churches, corporations, &c., until latterly it has grown to such an extent that the State has been solicited, and has cheerfully assisted. One of the greatest factors in the success of the management has been a Ladies' Advisory Board, established March 1st, 1888, organized as follows: President, Mrs. Chas. L. Bailey; Vice Presidents, Mrs. A. J. Herr, Mrs. Spencer C. Gilbert, Mrs. R. A. Lamberton, Mrs. W. P. Denehey; Secretary, Mrs. Henry McCormick; Corresponding Secretary, Miss Mary Bent, and Treasurer, Mrs. W. J. Calder. The present Board of Managers of the Hospital are: Col. Henry McCormick, Spencer C. Gilbert, D. Luther Jauss, William J. Calder, Andrew S. McCreath, John Y. Boyd, Charles L. Bailey, James M. Cameron, A. J. Dull, Levi B. Alricks, William J. Rose and E. Z. Gross. President, Col. Henry McCormick; Secretary, E. Z. Gross, and Treasurer, W. L. Gorgas. Managers, 1897-1898. - Henry McCormick, Charles L. Bailey, D. Luther Jauss, William J. Calder, Levi B. Alricks, A. J. Dull, Spencer C. Gilbert, James M. Cameron, A. S. McCreath, William J. Rose, Edward Z. Gross, John Y. Boyd. President, Henry McCormick. Secretary, William J. Calder. Treasurer, William L. Gorgas. Attending Managers. May - Messrs. McCreath, Rose. June - Messrs. Rose, Jauss. July - Messrs. Jauss, Boyd. August - Messrs. Boyd, Alricks. September - Messrs. Alricks, Calder. October - Messrs. Calder, Dull. November - Messrs. Dull, Bailey. December - Messrs. Bailey, Gross. January - Messrs. Gross, McCormick. February - Messrs. McCormick, Gilbert. March - Messrs. Gilbert, Cameron. April - Messrs. Cameron, McCreath. 152 CHARITABLE INSTITUTIONS OF PENNSYLVANIA. Medical Committee. - Henry McCormick, President; Charles L. Bailey, A. S. McCreath, F. W. Coover, M.D., Dean of Staff, ex-officio. Finance Committee. - Henry McCormick, President; Spencer C. Gilbert, William J. Calder. Surgical and Medical Staff, 1896-1897. Intern Department. Surgeons. - Frederick W. Coover, M.D., Eugene Harold James, M.D. Physicians. - J. Wesley Ellenberger, M.D., Hiram McGowan, M.D. Surgeons Eye, Ear and Throat Department. - J. W. Park, M.D., D. S. Funk, M.D. Dispensary Department. Surgeons. - H. B. Walter, M.D., G. B. Kunkel, M.D. Physicians. - Christian E. Jauss, M.D., John B. McAllister, M.D. Dean of Staff. - Frederick W. Coover, M.D. Pathologist. - Paul A. Hartman, M.D. Resident Physician. - Charles Strong Snyder. Matron. - Mrs. L. W. Thurman. Surgical and Medical Staff, 1897-1898. Intern Department. Surgeons. - Frederick W. Coover, M.D., Eugene Harold James, M.D. Physicians. - J. Wesley Ellenberger, M.D., John B. McAllister, M.D. Surgeons Eye, Ear and Throat Department. - J. W. Park, M.D., D. S. Funk, M.D. Dispensary Department. Surgeons. - H. B. Walter, M.D., G. B. Kunkel, M.D. Physicians. - Christian E. Jauss, M.D., S. F. Hassler, M.D. Consulting Physician. - Hiram McGowan. Anaethetist. - John Oenslager. Dean of Staff. - Frederick W. Coover, M.D. Pathologist. - Paul A. Hartman, M.D. Resident Physician. - S. N. Traver, M.D. Matron. - Mrs. L. W. Thurman. CHARITABLE INSTITUTIONS OF PENNSYLVANIA. 153 State Appropriations. Improvements, etc. Maintenance 1881 and 1882, $10,000 00 1883 and 1884, 5,000 00 1885, 1886, 1887 and 1888, 10,000 00 1889, 2,500 00 1890, 2,500 00 1891, $2,500 00 1892, 2,500 00 1893, 10,000 00 1894, 10,000 00 1895, 2,500 00 1896, 2,500 00 1897 and 1898, 8,000 00 $25,000 00 $43,000 00 Total, $68,000 00