91⁄2d.," thus showing that these receptacles were kept in good order and received the necessary attention to make them attractive and conspicuous to the public. On the recommendation of the Committee on internal economy, June 29, 1812, a notice was placed over the Charity Box as follows: "Money not to be given by visitors to servants or patients," to prevent if possible the charitably disposed persons from giving money to the inmates instead of depositing it in the box. The aggregate amount of money received from the Charity Boxes kept in the Hospital and at the residences of Managers and other friends of the Institution, was $19,093.44, up to the year 1845, as the minutes record. Several old time Charity Boxes are yet to be seen in the wards of the Hospital, in which small amounts are still occasionally deposited. Before the invention of the numbering machines, and fac-simile Signing Bills reproductions of signatures, it was necessary in the early days when of Credit. paper currency was issued by the Province, to employ persons to sign the bills. (See also page 49.) The Managers, ever on the alert to secure contributions for the Hospital, saw an opportunity for securing money and addressed the Legislature as follows: In the second Month (February) 1754, a Bill lying before the House of To the Representatives of the Freemen of the Province of Pennsylvania, in We the Subscribers being persuaded, that the same charitable Disposition which induced the House of Representatives some Time ago to found an Hospital for the relief of the Sick Poor, etc. will still incline them to promote all proper Measures to render to so laudable an Institution the most extensive Service, with this View we offer to sign the Paper Bills of Credit proposed to be issued by the Law now under Consideration, and we will contribute such Sums of Money as may by Law become due to us for that Service, towards increasing the Capital Stock of the said Hospital, or to be applied in such other Manner, for the Uses thereof, as the Managers may think most proper. Submitted with all due Respect to the Consideration of the House, By Many of the signers of this proposal, it will be noticed, were also contributors. As might have been expected, the measure was strongly antagonized by the politicians of the day, and as the bill failed to pass, nothing was obtained at this time. Signers of Paper Money. The Managers and Contributors subsequently succeeded in their efforts to obtain money from this source. In a report made by the Building Committee on February 23, 1756, it is stated, “On examining the funds appropriated towards building, the total amount thereof appears to be about 2000 exclusive of the subscriptions promised from the signers of the paper money lately emitted, which will be about £550.” The Managers for the ensuing month (July, 1757) were desired to procure an Order on the Provincial Treasurer from the Signers of the late £45,000, Bills of Credit of this Province for the sum due to them by the Act of Assembly, which they generously promised to contribute towards building the Hospital. Israel Pemberton informed the board that "On the twenty-first of April, 1759, he received from Saml. Preston Moore, the Provincial Treas'r. four hundred & seventy pounds eleven shillings and sixpence and paid the same to H. Roberts, our Treas'r. being the allowance due by law to the Signers of the one thousand pounds Bills of Credit last emitted which they have generously contributed towards the building of the Hospital. And as it was some time since agreed that as soon as the said Money was received by our Treas'r. he should put the same to Interest in order to replace the five hundred pounds Capital Stock paid in by John Baily, and since made use of in discharging the Debts due on the Building account, the Board was informed by Israel Pemberton that the Treasurer on the twenty-third of April, 1759, lent the Sum to Andrew Doz, for which he hath given a Bond payable in twelve months." On May 1, 1762, the following entry occurs: "Cash received from signers of the paper money 166 78. 9d. and on May 3, 1765, By cash received of Samuel Preston Moore, Provincial Treasurer, Pursuant to an order of the signers of the last Emission of Paper Currency, £601 2s. 6d.” A very interesting document was found among the old papers which will show the magnitude of the labor involved in signing bills at this time, as well as the amount realized by each individual signer; the paper is worded as follows: "A list of the Signers to the £55,000 issued in the year 1764, with the respective sums due to each Person; Who by their order dated February, 1765, & drawn on Samuel Preston Moore, Provincial Treasurer, in favour of Hugh Roberts, treas'r. of the Pennsilva. Hospital; Gave the same to the Managers of said Hospital, to be by them Applied, for the payment of the Consideration Money, for the Lott of Ground bought of James Coultas, Esq., And such other purposes as the said Managers should direct." The signers were paid fifteen shillings per thousand signatures for the tickets and forty-five shillings for the same quantity for the bills. On Oct 31, 1785, the Board having been informed that "the signing of the late emission of Paper Money is compleated and that as the persons named in the Law as signees had promised to give their Wages to this Institution, Samuel Howell, Josiah Hewes, Andrew Doz and William Hall, are appointed a Committee to call on them for their different Orders for such Wages & lodge the same with the Treasurer to be by him received from the State Treasurer." The Committee were as a rule successful in canvassing the signers; but the following, on April 30, 1787, proved an exception : The Committee appointed to call on as the first delinquent of the kind, for the Wages he received for signing Paper Money, which he promised to give to the Hospital, report they have divers times waited on him for it and he declines paying the same; they are therefore requested to call on him again and if he persists in refusing to pay it, they are recommended to take such Measures to recover the Money as the Exigence of the Case may require. All measures which were thought might be successful in bringing the delinquent to terms were employed, but without avail. Subsequently it became not uncommon to refuse to pay subscriptions; and quite a long list of these delinquents is found among the records of the Hospital. The following sums were received from the signers of paper money in the years specified and the statement shows to what extent the Hospital was aided from this source: A signer of 3214 0 11%1⁄2 As an item of historical interest, it is noted that the Physicians of Charitable the Hospital charitably supplied the inmates with medicines gratis until December, 1752, when an assortment of drugs were procured from London at a cost of £112 155. 21⁄2d. sterling, to pay for which William Griffiths, a Manager, made a special appeal to the "rich widows and other single women" for a subscription. The widows contributed 11 5s. 6d. and sundry women £15 10s., making a total of 126 15s. 6d. in currency. It became quite popular among the charitable to donate fees, Fees and etc., received for public services, to the Hospital. Among these, Jury Fines fees were received as follows, to wit: The Underwriters at Wharton & Lewis' Insurance Office, in 1792, gave their fines, amounting to £49 7s. 4d. Assignees also contributed. Robert Waln, Jr., and Mordecai Lewis Freas, in 1792, gave their commissions as Assignees of a bankrupt's estate to the Hospital, £181 5s. each, or together £362 10s. od. Contributed. An act of swift, retributive justice, by which the Hospital benefited pecuniarily, is commemorated by this curious entry in the Treasurer's accounts: Thirty dollars received the 30th of 5 mo. last (1800) from three waggoners who insulted eight persons on the Wissahiccon road and frightened their horses, accompanied with a full acknowledgment in writing of their transgression and a promise to demean themselves well in future and never to insult a traveller again, on condition the injured party would forgive and not prosecute them, to which they agreed on the Waggoners paying this contribution as a peace offering. Unusual An unusual source of a donation to the Hospital is mentioned in Donations. the records for April 25, 1808. The Managers ordered the following The Hospital entered upon their minutes: TO THE MANAGERS OF THE PENNSYLVANIA HOSPITAL. Gentlemen.-In Compliance with the request of Governeur Morris, I have the pleasure of enclosing, for your benevolent Institution, a Check for Two hundred and Nineteen dollars, being the Damages recovered by him from the Editors of the "Aurora" in a Suit for a Libel, after deducting the Expenses incurred in the Prosecution thereof. With great respect, I am Your Obedient Servant, Walnut St., April 16th, 1808. WILLIAM MEREDITH. (April 24, 1815) A Letter was received and read from Henry Drinker, Cashier of the Bank of North America, to the Secy. enclosing a Twenty Dollar note of that Bank which he represents was found on the floor sometime last summer & remaining unclaimed he now presents the same to the Pennsylvania Hospital subject to the Claim of any Person who may identify and claim the loss. The Secy, is desired to pay the amount to the Treasurer and return the thanks of the Board to the Cashier. Since the Act of April, 1796, making an additional grant to entirely finish the west wing and center of the Pine Street Hospital, the instidependent tution has been entirely supported by donations, legacies, and bequests donations from private sources. No legislative grants have been made during from private the present century. upon sources for support. Legacies intended to promote the interests of the Pennsylvania Hospital should be given in its corporate name, viz.: "I hereby give and bequeath to The Contributors to the Pennsylvania Hospital' and their successors and assigns forever (if real estate) all that, etc. (if personal property), the sum of, etc." 66 Legacies intended for the Department of the Insane should specify in addition to be devoted to extending or improving the accommodations, and for the care of the insane." Every contribution or legacy of $5,000 adds one free bed to the number already in use for indigent, recent and supposed curable, cases. The first piece of real estate owned by the Hospital was located Matthias in the part of the city known as Northern Liberties, on Germantown Koplin's Road. It was donated by Matthias Koplin, September 2, 1751, as Gift. his contribution, accompanied by a complimentary letter (see page 26). This was leased for a time, until the Managers, July 30, 1764, agreed to let upon ground-rent. November 6, 1776, Mary Reybold offered to take upon Ground-rent at Fortyfive shillings per Annum, the Lot given to the Hospital by Matthias Koplin for £37. 10s. provided she can have the Liberty of purchasing it in seven years. The proposal being agreeable to the Managers it was agreed to call a Meeting of the Contributors, in order to lay the proposal before them for their consideration, on December 6, 1776. The Contributors agreed: That the Managers or a board of them should execute under their Hands & the Seal of the Corporation a deed of Conveyance to Mary Reybold & her Heirs for the lot of ground in the Northern Liberties of the City near Germantown the Gift of Matthias Koplin on the terms reported by the Managers in their minute of November 6, 1776. The first real estate purchased by the Managers of the Pennsyl- First Purvania Hospital was the site for the erection of the Hospital buildings. chase of On September 11, 1754, they learned that Society Square, Real Estate. extending from Eighth to Ninth, and north from Pine Street, could be obtained for £600. It was subsequently ascertained that the offer of sale was limited to the holdings of William Hinton and Richard |