COUNTY HOSPITAL.-1888
The first organized effort to care for the indigent sick was made in 1854, when a committee from the common council met a committee from the Board of Supervisors and agreed to act in concert in this matter. By the terms of this agreement the county was to bear two-thirds of the expense and the city one-third. All affairs concerning indigent sick were to be managed by a joint committee, composed of two members of each Board. The council, however, refused to confirm the action of its committee, alleging that they were able to take care of their own indigent sick. On this the supervisors appointed George Peck, R. G. Moody, and William Daniels as a relief committee, or Board of Health. During this year the county received $869.49 as its share of the State relief fund.
The next year, 1855, a county physician was appointed and the city agreed to pay $50 peer month towards maintenance and medical attendance for indigent sick. About the same time the old Levy property was rented for a hospital, the county paying a monthly rent of $40 per month. In November of the same year the county advertised for proposals for a house and lot for hospital purposes. In response to this call the Merritt Brothers offered to sell the old Sutter House for $5,500. This house was situated to the northeast of the city, and to it was attached twenty-five acres of ground. The proposition was accepted and the county occupied the premises until February, 1856, when, the owners failing to make a good deed to the property, the contract for the purchase was rescinded. The county then advertised for proposals for taking care of the indigent sick. The first contract was let to Dr. G. B. Crane, who agreed to maintain the patients and furnish medical and surgical attendance for $4,600 per year, the number of patients not to be more than seven per day, or, if in excess of that number, to be paid for at that rate. For several years the patients were farmed out in this manner, the county paying the contractor from $4,000 to $5,000 per year for the service.
In 1860 the necessity for a hospital building became very apparent, and a committee was appointed to select a site. Many offers of property were made, but the proposal of Hiram Cahill was finally accepted. This tract contained twelve acres of land, and was situated on the south side of South Street, just west of the Los Gatos Creek. The price paid was $4,000. The buildings were repaired and enlarged, and a pest-house built on the creek to the south. These premises were occupied until 1871. Before this time, however, in 1868, the hospital became too small to accommodate all the patients.
The city had grown much larger, and there was considerable objection to the location of the institution so near to the city limits. An effort was made to secure another location, but it was three years before a new site was chosen. The Board finally purchased, of John S. Conner, one hundred and fourteen acres of land where the infirmary is now situated. The price paid was $12,400. In 1875 the contract for the building was awarded to W. O. Breyfogle, for $14,633.70. Messrs. Lenzen & Gash were the architects. Before this, however, the buildings from the old grounds had been removed to the new site, and the old premises cut up into lots and sold, netting the county $4,518.4 In 1884 eighty-one acres of the new tract were sold to different parties, leaving thirty-three acres in the present grounds. The money accruing from these sales amounted to $14,727.71, being $2,327.71 more than the cost of the entire tract.
Up to 1883 there was no almshouse in Santa Clara County. Invalids in destitute circumstances were cared for at the county hospital, while the indigent who were not invalids were cared for by allowances by the Board of Supervisors. These allowances were of money, provisions, clothing, fuel, etc., as each case might demand. For many years the destitute children were cared for by the Ladies' Benevolent Society, this society receiving from the supervisors a monthly allowance of a certain amount per capita. Many children are still cared for in this manner. Each supervisor exercised a supervision over the destitute of his respective district, and all allowances were made on his recommendation. This was a vexatious duty for the Board, and whatever care was exercised, impositions were successfully perpetrated.
The expense necessarily incurred by this system of affording relief began to be very burdensome, and in 1883 steps were taken to establish a county farm. In March of that year a committee was appointed to examine the matter, and this committee reported the advisability of organizing an almshouse. From this time to the latter part of 1884 the Board occupied itself in examining different sites offered for the location. Finally the present site was adopted, and a hundred acres of land purchased of James Boyd, for $25,000. The tract contained the present main building, which had been erected some years previously by John O'Toole, a former owner, at an expense of $21,000, and which was intended as a residence. Now all aid to destitute persons is extended through this institution. Persons not residents of the county are not aided at all, but are returned to the counties where they belong.
Pen Pictures From The
Garden of the World or Santa Clara County, California, Illustrated.
- Edited by H. S. Foote.- Chicago: The Lewis Publishing Company, 1888.
SANTA CLARA COUNTY HOSPITAL-1922
The next year, 1855, a county physician was appointed and the city agreed to pay $50 per month towards maintenance and medical attendance. About the same time the old Levy property was rented for a hospital, the city paying a monthly rent of forty dollars. In November of the same year the county advertised for proposals for a house and lot for hospital purposes. In response to this call the Merritt brothers offered to sell the old Sutter house for $5,500. This house was situated to the northeast of the city and to it was attached twenty-five acres of ground. The offer was accepted and the county occupied the premises until February, 1856, when the owners failing to make a good deed to the property, the contract for the purchase was rescinded. The county then advertised for proposals for taking care of the indigent sick. The first contract was let to Dr. G. B. Crane, who agreed to maintain the patients and furnish medical and surgical attendance for $4,600 per year, the number of patients not to be more than seven a day, or if in excess of that number, to be paid at that rate. For several years the patients were taken care of in this manner.
In 1860 the necessity for a hospital building became very apparent and a committee to select a site was appointed. Many offers were made but the proposal of Hiram Cahill was accepted. His tract contained twelve acres of land, situated on the south side of South Street, just west of Los Gatos Creek. The price paid was $4,000. The buildings on the tract were repaired and enlarged and a pest house was built near the creek on the south. These premises were occupied until 1871. Before this time, in 1868, the hospital became too small to accommodate all the patients. The city had grown much larger and there was considerable objection to the location of the institution so near the city limits. An effort was made to secure another location, but it was three years before a new site was chosen. The board finally purchased of John S. Connor 114 acres of land on one of the roads to Los Gatos, three and one-half miles from San Jose. The price paid was $12,400. In 1875 the contract for the building was awarded to W. O. Breyfogle for $14,633.70. Messrs. Lenzen and Gash were the architects.
Before this, the old buildings from the old grounds had been removed to the new site and the old premises cut up into lots and sold for $4,518.64. In 1884 eighty-one acres of the new tract were sold to different parties, leaving thirty-three acres to the present grounds. Afterward more land was bought so that now the tract contains thirty-eight and one-half acres. The money accruing from the 1884 sales amounted to $14,727.71, being $2,327.71 more than the cost of the entire tract. Since the removal of the hospital to its present location many building additions and improvements have been made. The average number of patients during 1919 was about 200. The main hospital has five wards and is replete with every sanitary requirement. Outside are the tuberculosis hospital, Old Ladies' Home, with thirty-seven inmates; Old Men's home, isolation hospital, and pest house, and residences for the eighteen nurses and the superintendent, Dr. D. R. Wilson. Edward Halsey is the secretary.
Up to 1883 there was no almshouse in Santa Clara County. Invalids in destitute circumstances were cared for at the county hospital, while the indigent who were not invalids were cared for by allowances by the board of supervisors. These allowances were of money, provisions, clothing, fuel, etc., as each case might demand. For many years the destitute children were cared for by the Ladies' Benevolent Society, this society receiving from the board a monthly allowance of a certain amount per capita. Each supervisor exercised a supervision over the destitute of his district and all allowances were made on his recommendation.
The expense necessarily incurred by this system of affording relief
began to be very burdensome and in 1883 steps were taken to establish a
county farm. In March of that year a committee was appointed to examine
the matter and the report was in favor of establishing an almshouse.
The present site-on the Oakland road, half a mile south of Milpitas-was
selected. A tract of 100 acres was purchased from James Boyd for
$25,000. The tract contained the present main building, which had
been erected as a residence some years before by John O'Toole at an expense
of $21,000. Now nearly all aid to destitute persons is extended through
this institution. Persons not residents of the county are not aided
at all, but are returned to the counties where they belong. For several
years indigent women were cared for here, but when an Old Ladies' Home
was built at the county hospital they were removed to the new location.
The superintendent is James Carson and the number of patients (1920) is
198. Those who are able to work are employed about the grounds, mainly
in gardening.
SANTA CLARA COUNTY BIOGRAPHY PROJECT