The National tribune., 1884-08-21
SOLDIERS homes.
Investigation Of the One at Dayton by
the Congressional Sub Committee.
DAYTON. o.. Aug. 13.


ment of the National Homes for Disabled Vol
unteer Soldiers located at Dayton, o.; Milwau-
kee, Wis; Augusta, Me-, and Hampton, Va,
was assigned by the Military Committee of the
House Of Representatives, commenced its ses-
sion in this city on the 1st of this month
The following gentlemen compose the Sub
Committee: Hon. VIM. s. Rosecrans, Chairman;
Hon. H. ID. Slocum, Hon. r. M. Murray, Hon.
]. w. Steele, Hon. B. M. Cutcheon. Col. g. c.
Knifin, Sergeant t-at-Arms r. L. De Akers
Clerk; J. o. Clephane, Stenographer; E. B.
Wentlin, Messenger.
THE FIRST DAY
was spent in visiting the Home, situated on an
elevated plateau overlooking the city of Day
ton and the magnificent valley of the Miami.
The grounds, embracing 600 acres, are beau-
tifully ornamented with groves of trees wide
spreading lawns, and decked with flowers ar
ranged with the highest skill of the florists
art. The buildings are large and commodious,
well adapted TO the several uses for which they
were planned, and several of them of consider
able architectural beauty. A library contain
ing over Il, 600 Volumes a reading room, where
near 800 daily, weekly, and monthly periodi-
Gals are taken, is constantly open to the inmates
of the Home. A bowling alley and billiard
room, well supplied and kept in good repair,
furnish amusement to those who care to avail
themselves of these auxiliaries to enjoyment.
BEAUTIFUL GRoTTo,
large enough to furnish seats for 100 people,
containing spring of cold water embowered
in trees and perfumed with flowers, furnishes
a cool and shady retreat during the heated
term. gem of a theater, beautiful in
architecture and decoration, on whose stage
some of the best theatrical talent in the coun-
try has appeared, affords intellectual enjoy
ment gratuitously to the inmates, one night in
the week during the season. The spiritual
| wants of the inmates are equally well cared
| FOR Rpu thp fai nj nd
universally honored Chaplain of the Home,
breaches regularly in the Chapel and devotes
| his entire time to the spiritual needs of his
charge.
The number of inmates now present is 1880
| Total number since organization, is, 6,763; of
which number, 1852 have died. Deaths within
the past year, 229.
CAUSES OF COMPLAINT.
It might be expected that the inmates of
this most lovely Home, with its beautiful sur
roundings and numerous appliances for enjoy
ment would produce state of happiness
among the inmates that would realize the an
ticipations of its founders, and thus furnish a
| perpetual source of pleasure to the thousands
of visitors who daily throng the walks of the
! Home.
It is, indeed, such haven of rest to the
worn-out and INDECENT men who have spent
| the vigor of their manhood in the country's
| service, as to deserve at the hands of the man
ayers of the Soldiers Homes their best and
most intelligent efforts TO render it all that the
people demand, as a Home, indeed, for the
brave and patriotic inmates.
To, probably, one-haf of the inmates it is
all that can be desired.
To $500, out of the 1000 now living within
| its borders, it would be- with some modifca-
tion of the rules governing it, a pleasant Home.
To the remainder no system of government,
however rigid or lax, could render it happy
place.
Beginning with the first class, constituting,
| say 1000 ofth inmates, which may be classed as
GOOD OLD MEN,
whose lives are retrospect rather than an an
| ticipation, who look forward TO nothing beyond
q removal from barrack to hospital and thence
TO the cemetery, this quiet abode is like a
peaceful sleep before the supreme moment in
which they close their eyes upon earth and
earthly things.
To the second class comprising, say 1000,
men in whom the fires of youth are not en-
tirely quenched, who. but for disease or wounds,
would not be compelled to seek an asylum,
the peaceful seclusion from life's turmoil is
but dreary waste.
THE MoNoToNY OF LIFE
in the Home, unbroken by an incident that
creates ripple upon its surface, going on from
month to month, creates an intense longing for
change. Even the rules provided for the gov
1
criticism. With no special desire to violate
them themselves, they sympathize with those
who, with less self-re5traint, render themselves
amenable TO the penalties affixed to their vio-
lation. Men outside the Home, who, through
the necessity of caring for their families, OF
spurred by desire to secure a competency for
old age, labor diligently from the rising of the
sun even unto the going down of the same
, who look with envy upon the man of leisure
and long for holiday, cannot understand the
WEAKNESS of doing nothing
The third class may be divided into
DRUNKARDs AND EPILEPTIcs
Of the latter there are a considerable number
) Occupying the shadowy borderland between
sanity and insanity, men who see visions and
dream dreams unruly at times because of tbeil
inability to control themselyes-they are tht
chronic grumhlers, from whom most of the let
tors are received by the public press. The
} drinking class, about 800 in number,-no greater
proportion than can be found in male adult
: population of equal numbers in any town ir
the United States,-are victims of alcoholism
; Little restraint being placed upon their move
ments they have ample opportunity to indulge
their passion for drink to their hearts conteat
In point of fact their indulgence is limited only
by their means of gratifying their appetites.
THE RUM-BoLEs.
:. Lining the road from the city of Dayton Il
the entrance TO the grounds are a score of grog
shops, where the vilest stimulants are sold.
An inmate describing the effect of the poison
!. retailed at these places upon him had no hesi
tation in saying he had been drugged. He wa
fine, manly looking fellow, about 40 years o
age who said to me: Look at me; do / lool
J like a man who would be made so drunk
J could not walk by one drink of whisky?" IL
, seemed so indignant, that made haste to assur
: him that l had not SO poor an opinion of hi
capacity. Well, sir, / was made so drunk
I: had TO be hauled home in wagon, and on1,
y drank onethird of glassful of stuff the salool
= keeper called whisky" When Gen. NJ. K Pat
(; rick, the present Governor, took charge of tn
Home, he found the vice of drunkenness hat
: obtained such foothold that all his effort
y were at once bent to its suppression.
q On his arrival at Dayton he proceeded a
: once by the street cars to the termination o
/; the route, whence the remainder Of the journey
|. two miles, is made by dummy" car ON til
j railroad. he found the ground about the rail
It road station literally covered with drunken
i inmates Of the Home, and not caring to awai
/ for the dummy, pursued his way to the ground
Il on foot. Saloon after saloon was passed file
If with drunken men. On either side of the roa
LAY MEN IN THE BLUE UNIFORM
Is of the Home who had fallen in drunken stupo,
j. victims of habit that had obtained unlimite
, control.
.s To the remedy of this evil Gen. Patrick a
i once applied himself, and that he has greatl
d abated it is to be set down to his credit.
v That his mode of combat has been sever
nd 1f &c l. H.