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Show i ' How Great 'Hospital Grew From x Log Cabin Nothing eoes farther to show the progress of a city than the upbuilding of charitable institutions. sav th Butte Miner. Of these Butte claiml an equal -share wuh any other city of its age and size in the United eQt ,dest.anud known is the new St. James hospital-known because be-cause of its vide-reaching charity, its genuine sympathy and care for the suffering and disabled, for the kindness kind-ness and benevolence meted out to all withm its walls, a magnificent building build-ing has lately replaced the old frame that stood on West Mercury street for ot least half a generatoin as a landmark" land-mark" to remind people of Butte's first hospital, as well as the generosity of 11 t single enterprising citizen. Colonel 1 J- J1; Curtis, who bought the house and lot and donated them to the Sisters Sis-ters of Charity. Leavenworth, Kan. to be used for a hospital for the relief v and care of injured miners. ' At the time the old Saint James' hos- j'ital had opened there were few men who had faith in 'the permanency of Butte. But Mr. Curtis was an optimist in, Butte's stability and future growth. Peeing the need of a hospital for the miners, who when injured were forced lo remain in their boarding houses, receiving re-ceiving such scant care as could be given them under such conditions. John H. Curtis wrote to Father Pal- ladino, S. J., of Helena, asking him to 1 J procure sisters for the opening of a hospital in Butte. Father Palladino's reply was: "Butte will not last long enough to warrant the building of a hospital." Nothing daunted by the refusal, Mr. Curtis took steps to secure ground for a hospital. Having secured this he ap-r'ied ap-r'ied to Mother Josephine, then super-ior-general of the order. This valiant woman, like Isabella, of Castile, in receiving re-ceiving the propositions of Columbus, after his being rejected by nearly all the male sovereigns of Europe, gra- ciously received the petition of Mr. f Curtis and sent a colony of sisters to nurse the miners and . minister unto their wants. Mr. Curtis and a few other old-timers rejoiced at the advent of the sisters in Butte and escorted them to the old frame building which this week was removed from its foundation so as to make room for the many Improvements which are being occasionally made to Saint James' hospital. To understand the feelings of affection affec-tion which the old miners have always cherished for those log buildings, in which commenced the hospital work of Saint James', we have but to listen to an old miner whom a reporter saw examining each log of the old building, and heard him solilouizing to himself: "How perfectly preserved is each log here, but ah! what a relic of old times they are taking from us. I will go to the superior and find out what use j she intends making of these logs." Proceeding Pro-ceeding to the hospital his tears began be-gan to flow as he thought of the friends who had been tenderly cared for in that humble institution of mercy, but who, he said, had long since crossed the "Great Divide." On entering the hospital he inqvired for the superior, and on seeingher he interrogated her as to the use she intended in-tended making of the logs. On receiving receiv-ing the information that they would be used in making an ambulance drive from Mercury street to the hospital door, with this he was satisfied and departed, de-parted, saying: "It's all right as long as it's kept on the grounds." While we men were very proud of the "log castle," still we know that the new Saint James' affords us many more comforts, as it contains surgical surgi-cal wards, operating rooms, elevators, bath rooms and other accommodations not to be found in the old five-room building. The staff of physicians is composed of men of great ability in the medical profession, the sisters having secured theservices of Dr. Johnson at its opening, and he has remained with it ever since, watching its growth from infancy to its present advanced state. Dr. Newton Alexander, a surgeon who won his laurels in Pennsylvania, and Dr. C. Turner, who got his sheepskin from Trinity college, Dublin, and from the Queen's college, Edinburgh. While the hospital keeps a regular staff of physicians, it solicits patronage from all physicians in the city, guaranteeing guarantee-ing excellent treatment to all intrusted to their case. The hospital is large, containing a sufficient number of rooms for the accommodation of all who wish to enter. - Every remedy known to science for the mitigation of pain can be applied to the patient at Saint James'. Everything which, can in anyway contribute to. the comfort or relief of the sick is procured for their benefit. The latest discoveries in medical science and the application of them are known at Saint James' hospital. hos-pital. The sisters are self-sacrificing and devoted to the duties of their vocation, voca-tion, and have thereby made Saint James' hospital an institution of which the citizens of Butte, irrespective of class or creed, feel justly proud. |
