The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1889-09-19
THE SOLDIERS HOME.

4ne annual meeting OF the trustees OF
the Soldiers Home was held Tuesday
with fourteen Of the eighteen trustees
being present, a larger number than
have hitherto gotten together. The
principal officers were reelected, with
the standing committees also with two
lndiYldual exceptions. The Home NAV
be said TO be now substantially complete
IN its appointments, and pushed out upon
Its 6eneficent voyage to terminate only
with the muster out Of the last needy
Vermont volunteer.
The addition recently constructed to
the Home has made of the institution
one of the finest of its class owned and
operated by any State. Its present ca.
pacity is eighty-five inmates, and there
are fifty-five on the rolls at the present
time. The aggregate of those regularly
admitted has been seventy. eight. and Of
those temporarily entertained, thirty
two. Seven deaths have occurred in the
Home to date. The trustees feel that
with the liberal policy being pursued by
the government with regard to pensions,
the present capacity of the institution
will be sufficient for the needs of the
State for all time. A separate hospital
building, however, is needed, and this in
all probability will be provided in due
time.
The report shows an aggregate expen.
diture for the fiscal year ending June
3Oth, OF S2l ,482, of which $SS06 was,
principally, for the new extension. This
portion of the edifice is 100 by 33 feet
and three stories high. 1t is thoroughly
and neatly finished throughout and
equipped with every modern conven-
lence. Rooms have been furnished by
the Woman's Relief Corps as follows
Windsor, Montpelier, st. Albans, Brad
ford, Chester, Bennington. Brattleboro,
St. Jobnsbury and Island Pond. Fifty
three dollars in cash has been expended
In each OF these rooms by the corps ex-
elusive of carpets, linen, ornaments, etc.
In addition rooms have been furnished
in like manner by W, E. Hawks of Ben
nington, and Willard, G.. A. R. Post of
Troy, N. Y, and Sons of Veterans of
Burlington and Brattleboro. j. T. Dea-
witt OF Montpelier has expended 800 on
one room and the Rutland G. A. r. Post
the same amount upon another. The
next in the line Of donors comes, the G.
A. h. Post of Burlington with $50, the
Bennington Post with $43, and 80 on.
There is long list of contributions IN
cash reported from other corps, Grand
Army posts, department of Vermont, G..
A. R., etc., in smaller amounts, showing
the deep interest taken in the Home by
these organizations.
1t will be remembered that Congress
at its last session made appropriations
for the various State soldier homes to
the extent of 800 per inmate annually.
A question arose soon after as to the
benefits OF this appropriation being ex-
tended to Vermont, and at first the Sec
ond comptroller of the treasury was of
the opinion that our Home could not be
included on account of some missing
links and technicalities. When Senator
Edmunds learned of this he Immediately
went before that official with the state.
ment of the case, and through his kind
offices Vermont has become an unQues-
toned beneficiary. Recognizing this
valuable service of Mr.. Edmunds, the
trustees passed unanimous vote OF
thanks to him, and ordered the same
placed on record. A resolution of thanks
was also adopted rem embering the G.. A.
r. posts, Woman's corps, Sons of Veter-
ans and individuals who have made gen.
erous contributions to the Home.
There remains to the credit of the in
stitution at this time, $Sl34 of the State
appropriation already made, $3.50 paid
over by the federal government and $500
due from the latter source up to July /.
With this fund, aggregating $11, ,794, to-
gether with the per capita fund yet to be
received fIom the federal government,
the Home would seem to be we'll provid-
ed for for the balance of this and the
full ensuing year.
The old veterans have a cheerful, at
tractive home and are enjoying it, They
speak in exalted praise of the superin.
tendent and matron, Captain and Mrs.
Coffey. The institution is as neat and
tidy throughout as a first-class hotel.
The broad verandas furnish abundant
room for out-of-door recreation, added
to the extensive groves and lawns of the
place. How much different from cam
paigning in Dixie and from homes in
rebel prison pens, and the hearts of
these veterans must swell with gratitude
toward the people who have so adund-
antly supplied these things. Not one of
the trustees of the management receives
compensation for their services, aside
from the superintendent and matron.
The trustees had very pleasant meet
ing and were gratified with the situation
and the outlook. There were at the
tables Gen. Mccullough, representing
the contributors of the valuable estate,
and Hon. Fl, G. Root of Bennington, a
valued friend of the institution and pro-
moter of the enterprise. There are
many visitors at the Home almost every
day in the week, and among these were
Mr.. and Mrs. H. G. Allen of st. Albans,
who occupied the "St. Albans room" the
night previous to the trustees meeting,
The room was furnished by our local re-
lief corps wEile Mrs. Allen was at its
head, All that is lacking in that room
to make it the equal of the prettiest is a
few wall ornaments, pictures, etc. The
institution will well repay visit from
any one happening in that locality
Warren Gibbs, Trustee, IN st. Adams
Messenger.