LOMA LINDA>> In the early days, The Loma Linda College of Medical Evangelists (CME) found that a serious emergency could motivate giving by people, including students, their friends and family, and faculty. It also involved Percy T. Magan, MD, the namesake of Magan Hall, the administration building at Loma Linda University.
At the close of World War I, a typhoid epidemic believed to have been caused by bad water, struck Loma Linda. S. P. S. Edwards, M.D, Health Officer for the County of San Bernardino, went to Mr. L. M. Bowen, manager of the Loma Linda Sanitarium, and told him the water was unfit to use and the Sanitarium should stop using it. Edwards stated that he would get an order from the state to stop CME from using it if something wasn't done. To provide a temporary source of safe drinking water, CME arranged to pump into its reservoir condensed steam (distilled water) that had returned to the boiler house after heating campus buildings. Dr. Edwards also arranged for CME to obtain water from nearby artesian wells.
But because America was at war, CME couldn't buy the pipe needed to connect the wells with the campus. Still, Edwards felt that the institution had to do something. He made a presentation to the Board, telling members of the dangerous circumstances. Dr. Edwards insisted that the people remain and take action regarding their water system and make advances towards purchasing new piping. Dr. Edwards asked CME that if he was able to gather the money for a new piping system, if they would approve it. The members agreed and voted to approve the project.
Edwards left that meeting, approached the student physicians, and reminded them of the problem. They knew all about the water by that time because the tests on the water were all made in Loma Linda’s laboratory. He told them of the need for money to buy pipe to get the clear, clean well water to the campus. The students got involved and raised approximately $7,000. By this time, Edwards called Dr. Percy T. Magan, dean of the Los Angeles Division of CME, and described the situation to him.
“We need some pipe. We've got to have it,” Edwards said.
“I'm sure we can't buy anything in California,” responded Dr. Magan.
“Look again,” Edwards suggested. “I think there is an Irishman on First and Missions Road by the name of Kelly. You go to him with your Irish brogue and tell him that we have just got to have some pipe, and see if he can't get it.”
Dr. Magan went to see the man whom he had never met. Because they were both Irishmen, Dr. Magan blarneyed with him awhile and soon they were good friends. Then he told Kelly that he needed some pipe.
“Why! The government took all of our pipe. But,” Dr. Magan insisted, “just between you and me as Irishmen, haven't you got some pipe stored away somewhere?”
“What makes you think so?”
“I just feel impressed.”
“Is that so?"
"Yes, to be honest with you, as Irishman to Irishman, I have got some. How much do you need?”
Magan showed Kelly a list compiled by Dr. Edwards, including the total length of pipe needed and sizes.
Kelly looked at the list for a moment and exclaimed, “Glory to God. That is just the number of feet of pipe I think I've got! Now think of it!”
Dr. Magan asked, “How much do you want for it?”
“Well,” said Kelly, “it ought to be worth nearly $20,000, but seeing it is for the school, and the school is a missionary school, I will let you have it for $7,000.”
Magan pulled a check from his coat and replied, “And that is just the amount of money I have in my pocket.”
To keep the deal secret from his neighbors, Kelly loaded the pipe onto his trucks in the middle of the night and delivered them to Loma Linda at 4 a.m. Now the problem was how to get the pipe installed. Mr. Bowen didn't have funds to have the ditches surveyed and dug.
So Dr. Edwards, who had been a surveyor, surveyed the ditches and asked the students and faculty to dig them. So, Providence prepared the way for CME to get a good water system by choosing a man of the world to save the impossible-to-get pipe. He then chose a good Irishman to go and convince him that CME should have it, and put a spirit of helpfulness into CME's students to raise the money to pay for it, and then to dig the ditches to make it all work. The project became an integral part of the Loma Linda campus water system for decades.