The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1884-12-04
DAYTON SOLDIERS HOME.
A Soldier Disc61rses Upon the Inmates. Funerals,
Kitchen Work, TramEs, and BED Tape.

To THE EDITOR: For the benefit of soldiers
who want the advantage Of this Home / will
state that any houorably discharged disabled
volunteer soldier can gain admittancc, whether
he received his disability in the line Of duty
or since the war. We have 5000 inmates
now, and new ones constantly arriv
ing. A large number come in for Winter
quarters and go out during the warm weather.
The Spring and Summer, however, are the best
seasons for one to enjoy all the beauties Of the
place. ! imagine that the Garden of Eden
could not have been more beautiful than Is
this Home during the flower season. The
flowers and alligators have now gone into Win
ter quarters, but the lover of Blossoms may
visit the conservatory and enjoy the flowers
that are kept blooming all Winter.
Two-thirds of the veterans here arc foreign
born; and about equally divided between the
German and Irish elements. The greater por-
ton have long since turned on the shady side
Of life. We have the lame, the halt, and the
blind in abundance; some with one leg and
some with both in the grave. The old fell
lows seem cheerful and as full of patriotism as
they were in '61. The death rate here the last
week averaged one day. The funeral rites
are grand and imposing. The coffin is wrapped
in the old flag and preceded to the cemetery
by a band playing a funeral march, accom-
panied by pail bearers and followed by hun
dreds of Old veterans. Flags are lowered to
half-mast The parting salute is fired over the
grave the same as i'll the army. The burial Of
a Grand Army man is attended with still
greater honors. The funeral of soldier of the
war Of 1872 took place last week. He was over
100 years of age, and his obsequies were the
most imposing that have ever taken place at
the Home One old bomesick veteran turned,
with a tear in his eye, and remarked that If
this was not the most desirable place to live, it
was at least glorious place to die.
Our duties here are not arduous: a couple Of
hours work in the kitchen exempts US from
further duty for one week. Just here / wish
TO say that if any one imagiues a girl who
works in the kitchen has nothing to do, he is
sadly mistaken. 1t was my turn to go to the
kitchen yesterday, and / helped TO scrape eight
barrels OF parsnips Tor dinner. ] found consid-
cradle work about it, A weeks work in the
dining room releases us for three months Every
soldier able to get around has to take his turn
at it or hire a substitute. We can always find
plenty to take our place for $3.50 a week. The
hardest thing we encounter here is the red
tape. Everything is run on the red-tape prin-
ciplc, and the terrible amount in every day use
would discount the Pension Bureau ut Wash
ington at least 100 per cent. A tramp steals in
once in while but he never gets more than
one meal until the red tape gobbles him up and
he finds himself on the outside Of the gate a
wiser and badly used mp tramp. He never
tries it the second time. Our red tape is better
! tramp eytermnator than the shotgun. We are
quartered principally III three-story brick build
| ings, with average Of 40 TO the building, or
| GO persons to the ward. We have regularly
| laid out streets and avenues the same city.
| will describe the ms and outs of our Home
more particularly hereafter, as | have to wash
out my socks this Observation-Disclosures.