The Progress. [volume] (White Earth, Minn.) 1886-1889, 1889-05-11
GOVERNOR A. J. SMITH.

i { II
After visiting seven States in search of
q suitable location to found this Home, the
National Board of Commissioners unan-
imously selected this charming spot as the
most desirable in all the broad domain of
this vast Western Empire. A tract of six
hundred and fifty acres of the choicest
land in this section was donated to the
Government by the citizens of Leaven-
worth, It comprises hill and dale, wooded
knoll and fertile field. To the east and
sweeping along the entire base is the
grand old murky Missouri. To the west
and three hundred feet above it stands
the bald and rocky ridge Of Pilot Knob.
10 the north spreads out the city, with
the tall chimneys of her coal mines, fac
tories and mills, belching forth great
volumes of smoke, forming beautiful
background in early morn TO magnifi-
cent picture. To the south fertile farms,
with the gloomy wall of the State peui-
Tertiary in the distance. Il
Thus you have the location of this Home
with its 1000 members, who. to obtain adj
mission, must have been honorably dis
charged, of good moral character, in
.capacitated for constant manual labor,
and II pensioned, receiving not to exceed
p24 per month. The site was selected in
September, 1884, and work commenced at
once. In 1885 Colonel Andrew j. Smith
was appointed Governor of the Home. A
gentleman of unquestioned integrity, with
a war record that is but long list of gall
liant deeds; dignified, but courteous to all,
he has successfully carried out a work
well begun, and his is the master hand
whence comes the morale and discipline of
the Home. 81 I'd "a
The buildings are Of brick or stone, fin
ished with every convenience looking
toward the comfort Of the members. They
are heated with steam, aud attached to
every barrack building are innu1nerable
bath tubs with hot and cold water, and to
their cleansing influence every member is
made to submit at least once week.
The last building to be completed out of
the number already cons ructed is that to
be occupied by the library and billiard
hall. 1t is known as the Ward Memorial
Hall, $4,000 of its cost coming from the
Ward fund. This fund entire, amounting to
some $3OO, OOO,was contributed by one W ard,
by birth an Englishman, who, refusing to
recognize his relatives in the disposition
of his property, gave his estate to this
Government, to be used as above stated.
1t is handsome structure, the most prom
AAAOho AOoouA0 O0tuS tuo luSuOTldl WINDOW,
containing q life-size likeness of Abraham
Lincoln; the window is 6x13 feet and was
a gift from the citizens of st. Louis. Then
follows the dining hall in point Of beauty,
capable of seating 1,OS1 people at one time !;
over this is the room known as Amuse-
iment Hall, fitted up with all the requires
ments of frst-class theater Further
south and next in point of size, on the
banks of a handsome lake, is the Hospital.
where every thing known to medical sci
ence is at hand, and where Surgeon J. L..
Viewer is the autocrat.
The question will be asked. How do the
rations compare with the other surround
ings? It can best be answered by the bill
of fare for the week ended Novem Der "a.
1883: 17'
Sunday Breakfast S. r. shoulders, po-
tatoes, bread, butter, coffee; dinner, roast
beet, potatoes. turnips, pickles, bread,
coffee; supper, stewed prunes, bread, but
Ter, tea, strip. 81 IS
Monday breakfast, Irish stew, bread,
butter, coffee; dinner, corned beef, cabs
bage potatoes, bread. coffee; supper, corn
mead mush, bread, butter, tea, strip.