Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1871-08-31
Harper Hospital and Its Founders
Detroit Ornamental stone Co.
DETROIT, Mich, Aug. %, 1871.


For years Nancy Martin "a rough
quick witted, and saving woman-held 8
trading stall or stand in the market. AL
ways at work filling up the spare moments
between the sales and delivery Of bel
goods, wares and merchandise by knitting
and in the use of her needle, never omit
ting an opportunity for passage at words
with man or woman-never wasting 6
moment Of time or penny of money, and
living frugally, at length had accumulated
a handsome sum, which, by Investment in
land at the outskirts Of the city at the
time of the breaking out of the re
bellion was worth some $4,000. 1t being
a vacant! lot, the government found it 6
desirable site on which to build barracks
and hospitals for the Michigan volunteers
The old lady offered the use ofsher lands
as SO much toward her contributions fol
the suppression OF the rebellion, and
finally LETT her stand in the market, and
went to take care of the sick and wound
ed soldiers An old man named Harper
a long time friend of Nancy, also owned
eccentric being, and bad acquired wealth
by the long accumulation of titles, and
allowed his landed estate to be used for
the benefit of the union soldier.
When the war ended, these two old
| people, either conceived the idea or favor
ably entertained it when suggested, of
giving their property to the city, to be
nsed in all coming time for the relief of
the poor and needy, and to succor the sick
and suffering. An arrangement was thus
made, and to-day, property worth $4,000,
as originally received from Harper and
Nancy, is held by the city at the upper
end of Woodward avenue, on which stand
rows of wooden buildings, in which the
lame, the sick and the unfortunate find a
home. A beautiful grove extends back
from the busy town, inviting the pale in
valid to wander in the cool shade of the
native oak, or to recline upon the green
grass of later growth.
I have visited the spot, and by the
courtesy OF DR.. Fester,the superintendent,
my friend and I were shown about the
premises.
I know not the present number of
patients, perhaps there were thirty or
f'rty but no matter hew many there are,
all were provided for. Those saw were
not idle, if able to do anything. Some
working pictures by needle and worsted
some reading either books or newspapers
some aiding in the care of those more i'll
than themselves. An air Of rest and quiet
comfort Gf indeed that word can be ap-
piled to an invalid) peryaded the whole
establishment. One building appeared
set apart rs the residence of Nancy Eher-
self Harper, the other doner, having died
some years ago, who welcomed us very
cheertully and civilly. She said she had
no relatives or friends, and had made all
her money by hard work and trade; that
she was born in Scotland, and was now
seventy-four years old; that when she
was a young woman she lived in Phila-
delphia, and went out to washing; that
her first husband died and was buried at
sea that once she had little girl who
died when only five years old and that
she did not approve of second marriage.
In her gift to the city she retains an an
nuity of SO week that is paid to her in
gold, besides her maintenance. This
am informed, she expends in
the purchase of little Injuries, which she
distributes among the sick around her.
AS we rose to depart she thanked us
for calling and invited us to come again.
[ could not but draw a comparison be-
tween tho life, and toll, and real useful
ness of this ancient old woman, and the
exquisites-male or female-of to-day,
spending perhaps thousands where they
havo earned nothing, wasting their
time and energies at horse races, drinking
saloons, smoking dens or placea of fash
ionable resort.
Nor could I refrain from calling to
mind the important fact that wealth de-
ponds not on the amount received, bat
rather on tho amount saved.
A short time since I visited the works
of the Detroit Ornamental Stone Co. I
found there in the person of the courte-
Gus and gentlemonly superintendent
Gilbert Hart, Esq, native
of Wallingford in your county.
In information as to his business, and
in happy manner of imparting that iu-
formation to his visitors 70 as to make
them feel interested and pleased with all
things around them, Mr.. Hart is not
excel'ed. Here it is under his direction,
that sand from the lake shore is mixed
and mingled with certain chemicals, max
ing q composition that appears not unlike
the plastic dough of unbaked bread.
This kneaded substance is then put in va
rious molds, and after time taken there
from and submitted to the action OF other
chemicals which soon cause the soft and
yielding matter to become hard as the
hardest Ohio sandstone. And is used
for building purposes and ornamental
being much cheaper, while it is
Just as durable as carved work from the
quarry.
Thus 90 the experimental discoveries
of man equal the formation Of nature. 1
think there is no other manufactury of
the kind on this continent, and the ex-
periments of Mr.. Hart are still perfecting
the material in variety OF initiated carved
work of elegance and beauty of flush.
I had intended to speak of the new city
hall, the city water works, the works for
smelling of copper ore, the works for re-
ducing silver ore brought from the newly
discovered silver island in the lake, and
of the enterprise and improvements of