"You are right on that, sick people have enough to deal with, they don't need all the noise and commotion." Jonah grinned. "And neither do I, not to mention the stress all the vibration would put on the equipment."
Those were things that people didn't think about, until it was a done deal and too late to change.
"Do you know where they are planning to run the tracks?" Or was that just speculation at this point? There were so many politics involved, and land speculation, so people might try to make a good guess and buy up the property so they could sell it to the railroad at an outrageous profit.
"Just our luck they'd decide to run it by the hospital, even if you put it in the middle of a river in a narrow canyon!"
No, no that is already laid out, surveyed sometime back they'll be out again, but the route is laid already. And, they wanted Kalispell as a stop, a regular stop, not just for passengers on or off, but for all manner of supplies.There is a plan for Kalispell to feed those supplies to the entire area." She explained. "Columbia Falls is out of the way, the road will head north after leaving town here and then west, although, there was talk of blasting though the mountains."
"Now, the plan for the hospital will be east of town proper for that very reason. I have spent a good deal of time looking since we did. East is open and a good place for it and the orphanage. Far enough from town to help muffle the noise of the trains, which is what will work the best. I did mean to get you to go with me, but I understood you were busy, and, you were involved with Miss Aoife Leane, I believe she was your nurse, and I didn't want to intrude."
"I hired the young woman, yes," Jonah defended, "but that was the only involvement." He wasn't really sure why he wanted to make that clear. "She was a good worker, knowledgeable, it was a pity to lose her." Not only losing her as a worker, but now, with a vacancy for a nurse, he was afraid that one Jemima Wigfall would get wind and want to 'help'.
"I'm sure you put in considerations in the location that I wouldn't have even thought about." He grinned. "I would have been smart enough not to put it in the middle of town, or next to the 'gentleman's club', otherwise, I would have just plopped it anywhere!"
Another advantage on the east side, was that it was closer to his home, so he wouldn't have so far to travel if he was called out in the middle of the night, but that was a ways off.
"Maybe tomorrow, after the deal is sealed, we should wire Dr. Boone and give him the news?" Certainly, the man would be elated!
"A splendid thought! I'm sure he'll be glad to know about the progress. I only wish we could have him here, working with us." She paused, "But we'll get a staff you can count on, I'm sure of that. Nurses, other physicians. And locals that need employment in a range of positions. That will be costly, but I've prepared for that eventuality."
She smiled across at him, "Now, perhaps we'll find you another nurse as competent as she was, and another doctor as good as Josiah is, if he can't always be on hand here, what with his practice in Columbia Falls. Don't you think?"
"I'd be happy for any help right now. Mrs. Tillery does a good job keeping the clinic clean, and she's an amazing cook, but yes, a good nurse would take off some of the burden."
He savored another bite of steak, then commented, "I'd love to lure Dr. Boone back, but even so, he's...well..." how to put it delicately? "of an age that he'll be wanting to slow down. And besides, new blood will be helpful. It's probably a good idea to start thinking about that sooner than later, so that those arrangements are in place before the building is ready."
Yes, there was a lot of planning still ahead, and Jonah didn't want to be caught behind, but there was no good way to not jump the gun and start the internal logistics too soon...
"I'm afraid I don't have much good experience with planning this sort of thing. I suppose I'll have to learn." If he didn't get spooked and light out before the hospital was done.
"Well Jonah, I've of the mind that with his patient load in Columbia falls, which also takes in Corum, so, his being a truly active part of the hospital as he would have before he moved on would be difficult if he were twenty. We'll need to locate medical people willing to move here, which would include another doctor or two." She responded, knowing Boone was getting up in age.
"I realize that will be a strain, sorting though those that apply to our hospital, but it will be a necessary evil." She smiled, "But, we still have the Town Council gauntlet to survive in the morning. It should be simple, or so Matthew has assured me, but as in any case involving people, we'll need to wait and see how it goes."
"When was simple ever simple?" Jonah mumbled, grinning, then he spoke in a normal tone. "Well, I can at least try to get a jump on things by hiring a couple nurses, that will ease some of the burden here."
He might not be able to offer much, but if he could take on two young ladies, he could offer them room and board without any appearance of impropriety, so that would be an incentive.
"Perhaps," he suggested with a twinkle in his eye, "Miss's Mudd and Wigfall? Then we'd have no need of a building at all!"
"Unless you are joking about those two ladies, they may indeed want such a position. There is a considerable sum set aside for salaries because we cannot expect people to work for nothing care for those using the hospital." She explained. "And just what did you mean, then we'd have no need of a building?"
Of course he was joking, Yes, anyplace might do, but a dedicated and well equipped hospital was what was needed, and had been promised to the Governor. And wasn't that the whole point of this struggle? A hospital? Of course he was joking.
Jonah grinned wryly, hoping that he didn't offend her, but it was intended as a joke. "With both those ladies there, I'd wager I'd soon have no clients!" He chuckled and shook his head. "In truth, I think Miss Wigfall would likely make a good nurse, I don't think she'd be put off by anything, and I think she has the constitution to give good care." Again, he chuckled. "The only problem is, she'd want to take every gentleman home with her!"
As for Arabella...he just wouldn't do that to himself, much the less his patients!
Leah laughed at his statement, as she knew the reality of it. "Okay then, name a couple of others in town that might make a good nurse for the hospital." She countered.
"I'm not sure that there is anyone else, well, perhaps Miss Anæsthesia Orr might have some interest, then maybe Anna Albrecht, or her elder sister Ella. Other than them, I am at a loss for locals. Any other ideas?" It was a conundrum of sorts. There were plenty of females, but all of them not mentioned were under twelve, and that would be a long wait. There might be others she was unaware of that were of age.
"I cannot wait for tomorrow." She said enthusiastically.