The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-12-21

ulSdDlllIy WHICH prevents LU0 applicant lrOm
earning his living by labor, an agreement to
abide by the rules and regulations of the Home,
and to perform duties prescribed and obey law
full orders. and the forwarding, with application,
of the discharge paper of the applicant, and his
pension certificate, if he be a pensioner.
At a meeting of the board of managers in Sep
TENDER, 1885, a resolution was passed, as follows:
I'm view of the fact that the National Home for
Disabled Soldiers is now full, with 2,249 men on fur
Tough, and that ov~ercrowding will impair the health of
the members now present; therefore, be it
Resolved, That the maximum capacity of each
branch be fixed as follows:
The Central branch 4,4OO
Northwestern 1879
Eastern Dranch LOU
Southern LOU
But it is not intended that this resolution shall affect
the privilege of return to the Home of such of its
members as are absent on leave, and who shall re-
turn within the time specified in their furloughs."
The Home is always more crowded during the
winter than in the summer, when many go out
on f%urlough. On the day of our visit, there were
4,41S Members present at the Central branch
and 795 absent. There were eighty-seven sleep
ing on the floor, for want of better accommoda-
ton.
We cannot report a good prospect for gaining
admission speedily for applicants from our post.
However, all applications are placed on file, and
as fast as room is made the most deserving ap-
plicants are admitted. Therefore, re should not
neglect to make application for any truly neces-
sitous comrade. There perhaps will be more
ikellnOOC OF gaming ADMISSION IN the summer
time than at this period of the year.
Under the conduct of intelligent and courteous
guides furnished by the governor, we visited all
departments of the Central branch.
The many comfortable barracks are built on
either side of wide streets, some of the buildings
being brick, others frame. In the center of the
portion of the grounds occupied by the barracks
is a large brick building containing two immense
dining halls and kitchens. We saw about one
thousand men at dinner in one room, ninety of
them blind In q nanfrUE IN which wa wnr6
shown we were forcibly impressed with the sight
OF seven large tubs or half barrels
full OF apple sauce, which we were
told had been prepared for supper that evening,
abundant and wholesome, and the discipline
was unexceptionable. All the inmates are com
~fortably clothed in army uniform. The institu-
tion is firmly governed by military rule, but
without harshness or cruelty. Remunerated
employment is given to such as desire it and are
able to work.
There is a post of the Grand Army of the Re-
public. with several hundred members, who
meet in a good hall in the third story of a build
ing, Of which the second story is a billiard hall.
and the first story is part of the barracks for the
blind. 1t may be worthy of mention
that when we expressed surprise at the
apparent cheerfulness of the blind inmates, we
were told that they were the most contented men
in the home. Having visited the headquarters,
the barracks and the dining hall, and having
passed the police quarters and hurried away,
like old soldiers, from the vicinity of the guard
house, we went to an excellent hotel kept by the
government on the grounds for the ~accommoda-
ton of visitors, of whom there are great num-
bers. Here we got a good dinner, after which,
with a new guide, we proceeded to view other
parts of the Home. We passed through some
extensive Conservatives, welrstored with flow
ers and tropical plants. In the same vicinity
we found a rocky defle, with waterfalls and
ponds swarming with goldfish, for which-k De sol
diers were preparing winter quarters. We Wis
tied the library and reading-room, which we
found we'll filed with readers. Besides a great
number of daily. weekly, semi-weekly and
monthly papers and magazines. there are two
collections of books-one, the Thomas library,
containing over 5000 volumes; the other, con-
tributed by Mrs. Mary L. Putnam, in honor of
her son, killed at the battle of Stone river. and
called the Putnam library, containing about
5000 volumes. We found that these books are
extensively used. In the library room are also
the beginnings of a museum. Among the inter-
esting relics we noticed were the war-saddle of
Gen. Joe Hooker and the saddle used by General
Grant from Fort Henry to Appamattox.
Near the library building is Memorial Hail,
which is an elegant theater, with a large and
fully furnished stage and an auditorium having
seats for fifteen hundred persons. Here musical
entertainments are frequently given, which are
free. and in the summer months performances
are given by theatrical troupes, for admittance
to which a small charge is made. Adjoining
Memorial Hall is a stone chapel of about the
size of Christ Church on our Circle street. The
hospital We found to be in keeping with the
other departments, except that it is better
adapted in size to it's inmates than are the bar
racks to their occupants.
Beyond the hospital. looking from the bar
racks, is a large and ever growing national GEM
etery, from the center of which towers a monu-
ment. a well-proportioned column, surmounted
by the figure of a soldier. We were every where
reminded of the magnitude of the war for the
preservation of the Union, and impressed with
the gratitude and the grandeur of the Nation
whose existence was saved by the soldiers of the
Union.
We respectfully submit herewith the annual
report of the board of managers of the National
Soldiers Home for the year ending June 80,
1884; also, a copy Of the charter and bylaws of
the National Home for Disabled Volunteer Sol
diers: also, a circular issued by the
board of managers. setting forth the re-
quirements for admission; also. a printed form of
a letter to be sent by the adjutanto of the Central
branch to applicants for admission; also, a letter
written by said ad jutant to your committee; also,
a copy of the morning report of that branch for
Dec. 4, 1885; and we recommend that the papers
and pamphlets herewith submitted be preserved
in the archives of this post.
We mention, as an object of peculiar interest
to Indiana soldiers, the Orphans Home at
KIightstown. 1t should be frequently visited
by soldiers. Such visits will have good effect
upon the visitors and upon the institution.
Those who desire to provide homes for children,
or to adopt heirs, can there find many
bright and beautiful girls and boys,
whose future would we'll repay
care so bestowed upon them. Donations of iu-
venile book ks and papers, pictures and playthings
could nowhere be more worthily given. These
children should be constantly shown that they
are not objects of mere charity. living in an
asylum. and should be ever reminded that
through them their heroic fathers are being re-
warded by q grateful people.
Especially do wa that every SOL
der use his influence to secure the removal of
TpQhlQ- mInHnd N1Jldrnn IN ma nf the xaxuh hos
pitfalls for the insane, as soon as completed, or to
bring about in some other way the permanent
separation of the Asylum for Feeble-minded
Children from the Indiana Soldiers Orphans
Home. JAMES B. BLACK,
d. NJ. RANsDELL,
ELL LILLY,
j. L. MCMAsTER,
Committee.