HISTORY OF HOSPITAL SITE
The following is a talk given by Mrs*
Margaret Anderson over the Homer News
Radio Station Friday, December 10. It
is printed here with her permission.
The talk is divided into two parts, and
will be concluded next week,
****************
Recently you have heard considerable
discussion .of the Homer Hospital Site;
however, no one has seen fit to give a
detailed account of the history of this
site. Mr. Bob Norman, editor-publisher
of the "Swopping Hews" said in one is
sue of his paper that it was too leng
thy for him to publish, giving his rea
ders the impression, however, that he
knew the history*. Yet he makes refer
ence to the site,implying present site,
having been chosen 3^ years ago. This,
unless that figure was a typographical
error, is an indication to me that fir.
Norman, in Tact, does^ not know the his
tory. So, for his benefit, for the
benefit of other newcomers to Homer,
and for the benefit of the old-timers
who may have forgotten the facts, let.
me give as brief an account as is pos
sible. I do this knowing you are all
sincere in trying to formulate sound
judgments based upon what is made
known to you*
The hospital program in Homer was
initiated by the Homer Chamber of 'Com
merce in. the spring of 1950, planning
to start a.hospital fund through raf
fling off a Jeep Station -agon. This
raffle was originally planned for July
• 4, 1950; ' however, the sale of tickets
up to that date had not been too suc
cessful so the raffle was postponed un
til the. Homer Fair, on approximately
Labor Day, 1950. At this time, the
sale of tickets still hadn*t netted
sufficient funds even to pay for the
Station Wagon so the prize was changed
to #1,500. Although tjie Chamber had
pot succeeded in this attempt to raise
money, the members were still deter
mined to continue their efforts toward
a hospital for Homer by finding out
where the people of Homer desired to
have a hospital and by negotiating for
the donation of such landi Ultimately, ^
a poll was conducted to determine the
sentiment of the people as to one of
three prospective sites* The site on
the Virgo Anderson homestead was selec
ted. Subsequently, -a committee of the
Chamber visited the sites, and I pre
sume considered the desirability of
same for a hospital, and also approved
of the Virgo Anderson property. The
acre in question was surveyed so there
was no question about its -exact loca
tion* Virgo Anderson was requested to
reserve an adjoining acre until such
time as the Chamber*, had tide funds with
which to purchase it* To this Mr. An-*t...
derson agreed# Virgp Anderson contac
ted Mr. Harry Hegdahl, officer of the
Chamber, when the deed to the one acre
being donated was ready. Mr. Hegdahl
suggest ed that the transfer of the
title be postponed because the Homer
Chamber of Commerce was in the process
of dissolving; This body subsequently
was dissolved^so the transfer of title
never materialized#
At this time Homer was incorporated
into a Public Utility District, but no
tax program was yet. in effect, the pur
pose of the PUD being the administra
tion of the Homer Do ck. - Homer w as no t
ready, under bar .own momentum, for a
tax program when it was inaugurated, in
1951. The reason for beginning the tax
pxogram at that time and, at the maximum
taxing rate of 10 mills -r Vwas because of
the Property Law passed by the Terri
torial Legislature in 1949* Under that
law everyone in the Territory had to
pay this tax of 10 mills. However# in
a community which was incorporated into
a Public Utility District, said Dis
trict, if it did npt have a tax program
of its own, would be rebated 85% of the
taxes paid to the Territory by resi
dents of that PUD. But, if the PUD had
its own tax program at the same rate of
<10 mills, than the PUD could collect
the tax and retain 100%* The advantage,
then, of having our own tax program is
apparent, arid the Board initiated it so
that we would retain our taxes for the
bettement of our own community rather
than pay it to the Territory* The tax
program at that time was premature, but
the child of necessity* The Territorial
Fropcrty Law of 1949 was subsequently
repealed by the Legislature,but the tax
program for Homer had been launched*
After we had taxes* the question a
rose as to what we should do with our
‘ $ax money toward tho- bettement of our
community* The PUD Board called a pub
lic meeting to give tho poople of Homer
an opportunity to vpice their opinions
on the matter of. what ptoject to initi
ate. Mr. ' McCary, (Sic) -now Federal
Judgp^in therThird Division and at uhat
time' ornhylFor\6ur' 'HJD, Was present;
' at this meeting t?o give legal advice*.
The three main projects discussed were
(1) Health Debtor (2) Wator*Sewage (3)
Small Boat Harbor. ■ A very democratic
mooting *As held, and the ^conclusion
reached was that before wo could intel
ligently Undertake any one of the pro
jects, further study would be necess
ary to determine hosts of;such projects
and the ^feasibility of community re
sponsibility for* them. So .our tax mo
ney was initially to be used for sur
veys* ~
(To be concluded next week)
CHUGIAK MINISTER HERE
Rev* ahd Mbs* Wilburn Craig pf Chu
giak arO guests at the Assembly of God
church this week, according to Pastor
Nichols. Special * services are being
hold nightly featuring« Rev. Craig who
is an experienced and fascinating spea
ker according to Rov. Nichols. The
Craigs also sing and play a musical
guitar. The Craigs will be here through
Sunday with meetings every night except
Saturday. -iV
LEAVES FOR TEXAS
Tex Houey left Monday for Texas. On
tho way he-planned to stop in Oregon to
visit the Lloyd Nutos* and Paul Banks1.
HOMER
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Leo Cole
HOSPITALITY
Fine hospitality and
Good Servi ce nrill
always be found at
Harold and Elect a* s
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STERLING
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HOMER
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