The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1883-09-13
nMnTuER RlnKERnYKE /,

AA1 1nAAA AAAA AAA AAA~ AA1ANA
building at our Salina depot. She
was induced 10y the officers Of the
railroad company to invest what
means she had in building the hotel,
they agreeing 10 make Salina an "eat-
ing station" fhe hotel was built in
lS6T-s, but Mother Biekerdyke be-
came deeply involved in debt. The
building cost somewhere about S2O,-
600. She was not able TO pull through.
Mechanics aud merchants liens
were plastered all over the building
The prOprietress was a gOOd-hearted
woman (tOO good hearted for her own
good, but she couldn't keep hotel. "
The railroad company "helped her
out" by taking the whole matter into
their hands and paying off some Of
the indebtedness-th0ugh there are
many liens which are unsatisfed to
this day. The.gOOd old lady went
away from Salina almost penniless-
saving nothing whatever from the
wreck Of her investments. Salina
people Of late years have lost sight of
her. She has a son who Is a teacher
In Russell county, we think. Kate
b. Sherwood is the editor Of a very in
teresting department OF the National
Tribune, entitled, Loyal WOman's
Work 4" In a recent number Of which
we find the following interesting ae-
count Of the patriotic services of
Mother Bickerdyke:
There is not a reader Of the Tribune
who will not rejoice TO learn from the
following letter from COmmander-in-
Chief Van DervOOTt that Mother
Blckerdyke, the noble nurse OF the
old war days, has been discovered at
her old work, and will hereafter share
the care Of the q. A. r. in return for
her years of unselfish services in their
behalf, both during and since the war.
Mother Bickerdyke, who resided. at
Cleveland, Ohio, at the breaking out
of the war, was one Of the first loyal
women to offer her services for the
care of the sick and wounded in the
hospital and on the battlefield, and
from that time until the collapse Of
the rebellion, with scarcely an inter-
val of rest, she was continuously
with our arms at the front. She was
at Fort DOnelsOn, Shiloh, Savannah,
Perryville, Louisville, Chattanooga,
Memphis, Nicksburg, Jackson, Hunts
vile, Mission Ridge, Einggold, Dal-
ton, Resaca, in all the ield hospitals
Of the Atlanta campa gn, franklin,
Nashville, and in Slerman's cam
paign through the CarOlinas. When
Sherman's veterans reached the Ma
tiOnal capital In June, 1885, she was
there. furnishing the supplies, Of the
Sanitary Commission 10 the battle
stained veterans on their hOmeward
journey. After the war she devoted
her services to the helpless freedman,
and was in charge Of the freedman 8
Home and Refuge in Chicago. IL
was one Of Mother Bickerdyke's pecu-
liarities 10 devote herself almost en-
tiTely to the private soldier. The Of
icers, she SAID, had enough 10 look
after them It was the poor fellows,
with but a privHteis pay, a private's
fare, and a private's danger, To care
for whom size felt herself particularly
called. IL will be seen by the letter
of the Commando in-Chief that her
sympathies are still in that direction.
It was OF Mother Bickerdyke that
it was said that she Outranked the
commanding officer himself, and IL
came about in this way: While I'm
charge Of the hospital at Memphis an
assistant surgeon, who had been on a
spree the night before, and who slept
40 late that the ward was without a
diet list, made his appearance among
the faint and hungry men, who had
had no breakfast, and was denounced
in the severest terms by Mother Bick-
erdyke. "HOity -tOity," he said,
whats the matteF2n Matter
enough you miserable scOundreL
Here, these men-any one Of them
worth a thousand OF yOu-are suffered
to stnrve and die because you must be
of on drunk Pull of your shoul-
der straps, for you shall not stay In
the army a week longer" She was
as good as her word, aud In three days
be was discharged. He carried his
complaint to headquarters and asked
him who caused his discharge.
"Why, he said, hesitatingly, sit was
that Woman-that Mrs. Bickerdyke"
"Oh, - said Sherman, "Well, IL it was
she I can do nothing for you. She
ranks mer'
The COmmandef-in-Chlef, writing
from Omaha under a recent date,
cOmmends the Tribune for its good
work In behalf Of WOman's Auxiliary
Work, and says:
believe the recognition given by
this administration TO the loyal
women has been an important factor
in the great growth Of the Grand
Army. We hsye their aid now In time
Of peace as in time Of war, and their
loving efforts are helping US as their
kind ministrations did In days Of war.
Last fall Susan b. Anthony said
that Mother Biekerdyke was poor and
dependent on daily labor for q living.
asked her for the Mothers address,
but she could not give It. BY writing
to comrades In Kansas / learned ,after
a three-mOnth's search, that she was
Ia san Francisco. I addressed her q
letter, and learned that she was still
there nursing for q living. aud that
many OF those she was caring for were
old soldiers The first call made in
California was upon Mother Bieker-
dyke. To say that the visit was q
pressure - AuE MN4AA M0A NAH1l
feelings / told her we would care
for her the rest Of her days, but shesaid
''NO; give me W0rk-a place IN the
mint-and I will support myself, as
always have done" Yet she is 20
years Old, and spent four years Of her
life, from Belmont 70 the grand re-
view, in nunsing Union soldiers.
''Give your money TO the relief fund
and ] viii help myself" l called on
ar. Barton, Superintendent Of the
mint, at San Francisco, and he ex-
pressed a great desire 70 aid her, but
had nc vacancies. left the matter
In the hands Of DR.. J. G. Tucker, Med
ical Director Of the Department Of
California, and have ASSURANCES that
the matter will he adjusted satisfac-
torily. She win be looked after by
the nOble-hearted comrades in the
Department OF California She hes
supported herself with her hands
since the var, and is to-day hale and
hearty. She does not desire publicity,
and has never appealed TO the Grand
Army. and they did net even know