Hospitals, Peoria County, Illinois Genealogy Trails

The City Hospital. - This building was erected by the city authorities about 1859, upon a block of land donated for that purpose by Hon. Geo. C. Bestor, (deceased,) in Butler's Division, in South Peoria. It is a two story brick structure, and is valued with the block on which it stands at about 110,000. Under the existing Poor Laws, the poor of the city are under the charge of the county officers, but in this case the city maintains the building, and the county pays for the care and treatment of the patients. The hospital has for the past three years been under the charge of the Sisters of St. Francis, who are paid so much per capita for each patient, the cost to the county being about $ 1,500 per annum. It has accommodations for about twenty patients, but the number of beds occupied ranges from six to twelve. Four sisters of the Order are in constant attendance. Before the hospital was placed under the charge of the sisters, its management was far from good, but now through their self-sacrificing devotion the house is kept clean and sweet, and the patients are attended to with the utmost care.

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The Bradley Hospital. - This fine building and excellently managed institution, occupies a commanding position on the East Bluff overlooking the city. It was originally built as a residence by the late Isaac Underhill about the year 1847, and was at that time the handsomest one in Peoria. It subsequently passed into the hands of the late Tobias S. Bradley, and was bought after his decease by the Right Rev. Bishop Spaulding for use as a hospital. The purchase price of $8,000 was much below its real value, and Bishop Spaulding tendered Mrs. Bradley the compliment of naming it the "Bradley Hospital," in recognition of the easy terms upon which it was acquired. This sale took place about four years ago, and at that time the Sisters of St. Francis, who take charge of the hospital, had a small Infirmary on S. Adams Street, near Bridge Street, which they had managed for about a year and a half. Thereupon the scene of their devoted labors was transferred to their new building, which had been fitted up with every thing necessary for its purpose, and hundreds can testify from their own experience, to the unremitting watchfulness and care with which the good Sisters have tended the beds of those who have been inmates. The hospital has accommodations for fifty-four patients, and the average number the year round is forty. Separate rooms may be had by those able to pay from $7.00 to SI0.00 per week. The patients treated last year numbered about 150, and about 100 of them were charity patients. Dr. Studer attends to the medical department and Dr. Stewart to the surgical. The Sisters in attendance are nineteen in number, and are under the experienced charge of Mother Francis. The building is of brick, three stories in height, with large basement and a dwarfed mansard roof, and occupies an extremely healthy and airy site. The death rate of the hospital is very low.

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