Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1873-03-21
The National Home for Disabled Soldiers

The Board of Managers of the National
Home for Disabled Soldiers met at Wash
ington last week and elected as the officers
for the ensuing year General B. f. Butler,
President, General J. Ii. Martindale and
Governor Frederick Smyth. Vice Presidents,
and L. B. Gunckel Secretary. From the
reports presented it appears that there were
1870 disabled soldiers and sailors supported
by the National Home during the past wear.
7g7 of whom were at the Eastern Branch,
near Augusta, .,laine.
Of the total number, 40l were fIom Mas
sachuseits, 81 from Maine, 50 from New
Hampshire, 81 from Vermont. 40 from
Rhode Island. Al from Connecticut, 9SS
from New York, 735 from Ohio, and 622
from Pennsylvania Of the 1 ,73O cared for
at the four homes during the year, ) had lost
both arms, both legs, each an arm and a
leg, 2l9 each an arm, 2S3 each leg, and
2,7G6 were disabled by other wounds incur
red in the service so were totally blind
62 partially blind, 81 totally insane, and Sc
partially insane. All the remainder were
disabled by sickness contracted in the ser
vice There were l79 deaths during the
year.
Workshops have been established at the
different homes with more or less success.
At the Eastern Home, near Augusta, Me-,
/
ments in the way of machinery was estab-
lished two and a half years ago, which has
since that time given employment to 29O
disabled soldiers - sewing machines and
30 machines for other work have been used
and 3 1926 cases of shoes, being 246 5 10 pairs.
have been made, which were sold for S245,-
2i3.62.
The business has not yet been made pecu-
niarily profitable, but it is believed it can
be made so eventually. Ii has done much
good, however, in giving employment to the
men and helping them to support their fam
lilies. Besides, it has been school in which
sc are known to have already learned to
earn living outside of the Home
Gen. Tilton of toe Eastern branch in his
report says; " Nothing would induce us
to abandon the business, as it has been a
moral agent of the strongest influence to
the well-being and daily happiness of the
soldiers. Since we have had this shop run
ming, the proportion of troubles such as
naturally arise among body of men living
in idleness has decreased at least three-quar-
tiers. 1t is doing an immensity of good"
The farm products of the Eastern Home
amounted to 50, ,2S4 .25, with net profit to
the Home of S2, ,690.32. They comprise
among other things l4O tons English hay.
45 tons swamp hay, 20 tons sheaf oats. is
tons corn fodder, 1900 bushels of potatoes.
$50 bushels of oats, l2 1886 pounds Of dressed
pork, ,233 gallons of milk, $50 pounds of
wool, 30 lambs, ETC. There was also large
quantity of lumber cut and sawed at the
Home saw mill.
The total annual cost Of keeping man
per annum at the different homes was, at
Dayton, Sl56; at Milwaukee, $50; at
Augusta, $223, and at Hampton, S256.
The total rnnning expenses were S43I ,O47.
of which SS6,094 were expended at the
Eastern branch, near Augusta.
After the transaction of business the
Board adjourned to meet on the 10th of July
at the residence of Governor Smyth at Man
chester, n. III. The ex-oficio members.
President Grant, Secretery Belknap and
Chief Justice Chase, are expected to be pres
ent and go with the Board to Augusta, Me-.
to visit the Eastern Asylum near that city.