The National tribune., 1883-09-27
TIE DAYTON HOME.
Annual Meeting of the BOardS---A
Beautiful Retreat.
Special Correspondence National Tribune.

Wednesday, September 10, was the day for
the annual meeting OF the Boards Of Trustees
for the four National Soldiers Homes. viz
Augusta Me-; Hampton Roads, Va; Mil
waukee, Wis, and Dayton, Ohio, of which
Chief Justice Waite is an active and interested
member. The meeting was held at the Dayton
Home. The day opened with bright sun,
clear sky, and a delciously cool air. The gun
fired a salute at o'Clnck, aud the Star Spangled
Banner was run up to the top OF the flagstaff,
and Us the glorious red, white and blue H0ated
In the morning breeze it was simply impossi-
bic not to sing, with FitS Greene Halleck,
Flag Of the freel thy folds shall fly,
The sign of hope and triumph high.
Dress parade occurred at o'clock, and the
array of many hundreds of men in their navy
blue suits, standing IN platoons or executing
various maueuvers, was an understandable sight
TO uuaccustomed eyes. Some faint idea might
thus be gained Of an army IN line of battle.
The Board of Trustees, headed by the Chief
Justice, made tour OF inspection, when the
men were found to be in splendid condition,
and the inspection was eninently satisfactory.
Gen. Patrick, the Governor OF the Home, COM
manded the troops, and, mounted on a superb
horse, looked every inch q soldier. The win
terS OF seventy-seven years have Whlteued his
locks and ample flowing beard, but young men
of twenty-five and thirty years might well
envy this war veteran the ease and grace with
which be leaped from the ground into his
saddle. Colonel Brown, General Inspector of
all the Homes, and Major Chapman, Adjutant-
General of the Dayton Home, escorted the
ladies in attendance, who witnessed the parade
from their carriages. To these two gentlemen,
and also to Mrs. Miller, the lady Superintend-
ent at the Home, the party are greatly indebted
for many kind and courteous attentions When
the parade was ended and the elegant band bad
given their last sweet strains. the whole party
nf lodi
hall, where 5000 men were To eat dinner.
Twelve hundred are seated at once, and. there
fore, the meal is served in three rounds"
It being mutton day" f0rty-lOuF sheep
had been slaughtered and prepared fer tbs
days dinner. Four hundred loaves u brctd,
two barrels Of potatoes. one barrel OF sliced
raw tomatoes and an incredible quautt ~ Of
baked pork and beans, With barrel q
coffee, constituted the dinner. One msn has
cut all the bread used for eight or Eiuc years.
He rises at 3 oeiock ia the morning sud eats
the supply Tor the day 10 IS covered wIth
clean, moist linen cloths and IS always twsiFe
hours old before u Is eaten. sixteen barrels 81
-four are used every day ia the masking ~ this
bread, which IS 81 NEST excellent quality. light
and sweet Forty th0usaad dollars worth of
butter was used isss; year.
When 70 al this immense amount Of food IS
added the requistiou for the hospital, aud also
for the officers families it VIII be- readily seen
that an annual Appropriation OF si,U000Q0 wiz
be none too much for ths supplies Of the four
soldiers homes now in successful operation.
As the men filed into the dining hall they
were comfortably dressed, aud presented am0st
respectable appearance. Many pleasant faces
were 10 be seen, and the military salute. given
with pleasant smile, to the occupants of the
carriages, established a bond of sympathy at
once. The whole scene was one Of the most
intense interest, and was an event TO be re-
membered IN 4 lifetime.
THE HOME GROUNDS.
The grounds connected with the Home are
! in the highest state of cultivation and exhibit
| some remarkable landscape gardening The
work is done mainly by the inmates 9f the
! Home under the direction OF skilled gardener
1 and florist The grouping of the trees and
| shrubs, the order and arrangement of the
| floral designs, the massing of colors, challenge
| description. From the highest point in the
! grounds grand panorama is spread before the
| eyes. 1t is evening, and around US is every
/ thing that nature and art can accomplish, while
in the distance the city Of Dayton can be plainly
seen, its numerous spires gltteriug IN the
rays of the setting sun slowly declining in the
west. 1t is q scene whose beauty surpasses
description. The various buildings scattered
over the grounds are good specimens OF mod
ern architecture, and the whole place seems
alive with the sWarIns of blue-coated boys,
/ walking, talking or reading, all enjoying the
soft, cool air OF the closing day. The chapel
bell rings out for the weekly evening service,
conducted by the earnest and indefatigable
| Chaplain EarnShaw, and scores of the boys,
with quiet orderly manner. pass into the
chapel to join in the service. Many have good
voices, and, led by cabinet organ, make o
fine choir.
1t has been said that republics are migrate
full. That remark surely cannot be made OF
| the Republic of the United States Of America.
| A home like this for the maintenance and
| comfort of ali wounded and disabled sol
diers is the crowning glory Of the land. The
| Dayton Home is the largest and most import
ant OF the iour named institutions. This great
work of bsneiicence IS the free-wiU Offering ol
/ a grateful people, VINO are neither iorgetiul nOI
unthaukfui. These institutions proclaim q
! the world that the health and happiness Of the
men vino offered their lives to save the Union
now and forever, one and iuseperable.' are
! sacred trusts which grateful Nation jOyfully
accepts.
THIS Home in Ohio is four miles from the
city Of DAYTON, and embraces 200 acres Of land
quite rolling and irregular, rendering IL ali the
more available Tor improvement and dec0ra-
ton. The horse cars run regularly from the
city. and steam ear goes every hour 70 the
entrance OF the grounds, making the Home
accessible al hours Of the day TO those who
desire to visit it, A broad avenue, hard and
smooth Is a polished floor, leads directly up &
a small knoll covered with turf OF most bril-
liant green. On this groundwork is writer
with foliage plants the word Welcome" " il
letters OF great size. Here she avenue divides
To the right is the Home, hotel and restaurant
beyond is the large aud weil-appointed hospital
Then comes the chapel, model of architec
tuFal beauty within aud without. Hard by
stands Memorial Hall, an elegant building
beautifully arranged rs theater, and also
ased for concerts, lectures, and amateur enter
tainmeuts. The reading room, library, tailol
shops where is made all the clothing for thG
four hoInes). the shoe shops, laundry, bakery
gas works. Home store long rows Of barracks
aud the dining hall-all these various build
ings combine TO give the appearance Of q good
sized village.
TIE HOSPITAL
The official residences are well built, and arr
situated on wide and pleasant streets, eaci
street being named alter a State-sRd Calief
| aveuues--Ohio avenue, Indiana avenue, sc
| The barracks accommodate ABOUT one hundre,
each and 1860 men are lodged and fed her
during the summer, and 1000 in the winter
tine cold weather compelling many to return L
the Home who can perform some manual iabO
III the summer. The dining hall Is an i'm
menSe room, seating l,2O0 st a time Tn
ltSchen. pantrIsS, and ali domestic convent
ences, are IN the rear of the dining hall Tn
hospital was visited, in which were SEQ ps
, tients. more or less, afflicted with some form o
; disease. In some of the wards MOST of the mel
sit up all day. These occupy themselves witt
making be4d-wOrk fancy boxes and woedel