Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1890-07-03
Letter from the California Soldiers Home.
VETERANS HOME, J
YoUNTvuLE, CAL, 7
May cath, 1890. J
Editor EHsnorth american:

YoUNTvILLE, CAL,
May cath, 1890.
Editor Etis,r0rth american.
DEAR CoMRADs Your letter of May
4th was duly received. and now pen
line to say that am very thankful for the
list of addresses of former members of
the old 18th Maine Vols. and exceedingly
well pleased to find that among the num-
Der appeared the name of Capt. Isaiah
Rendell of Co H." whom | have often
tried to locate, but without success, and
for whom | entertain the kindest remem-
brance. Though many years have elapsed
since we "broke ranks" for civil life. l
have not forgotten, nor shall | ever
forget the fatherly interest he used to
take in the conduct of US young boys of
his company, and that |, being the leader
in all kinds of mischievous pranks, was
often kept out of the guard-house through
his intcrcession.
As you will see by this letter-h head, | am
now an inmate of soldiers Home, and
assuming that you would like to hear how
We eXWarriors fare on this coast, | will
try to give You tiashlight photo of this
institution as seen from the inside | al
ways had dread Of going into Home;
knowing nothing as to how they were man
aged supposed that on entrance | would
become sort of frst-class pauper, in
which, | assure you, | am most agreeably
disappointed. This Home was the first
Pacific side of the Rockies" and upon
its opening In lsot, was Immediately oc-
cupied to its fullest capacity. Ii has now
accommodation for ESQ inmates, every cot
being occupied. It is situated in Napa
Valley, at the base Of the Coast Range Of
mountains, at distance of fifty five miles
northeast of san Francisco, in one of the
principal wine districts Of the State.
most delightfully."- picturesque locality, not
far distant from the now famous 'Napa
>prings",a favorite health resort much fire.
qucntcd by the one .lungcd tourist from the
East. II was until short time ago, I'M
der the exclusive management of the G.
4, K, but " support is now assumed by
the State and L. $. Governments each in
equal parts
The land owned by the Association com
prisc- nine hundred acres, upon which
have Been erected buildings and other i'm
proycmentS costing about one hundred
. wv ,I I.l.I 4
and it is understood that there is & neat
little sum in the treasury. The resident
part Of the Home is on lovely plateau,
As level A. hillard-tabe with gigantic
mountain for background upon which
the foliage i finest in mdwintcr; faced by
a we'll cultivated vineyard Of sixty acres
tankcd on either Side by peach, pear and
apple orchards, the immediate vicinity Of
the buildings being surrounded by well
cropped lawns, artistic landscape flower
gardens, laid out in appropriate designs
the q. \. X. and different corps badges
having prominent positions; and In eli
mate noted for its salubrity, the average
temperature being So deg the year round
the World could not surpass in point of
pleasuntne>s Thus located, with plenty
of good food to eat, with rocking chairs
in which to loll by day. and spring beds to
sleep on at night. with nothing to do. a
couple ot hundred congcnial spirits TO help
you to do 1t, an excellent library to do it
in, the life Of veteran IN Yountyilc i
not an unhappy lot. Our principal occu-
patton il to sit under the big oak trees on
the lawn, and "!i>tcn 10 the mocking bird"
knocking birds are a. numerous here as
mosquitoes in Mississippi, though not
quite a. large-and swap records, some Of
which If shown TO the Hon. Secretary Of
War as related to-day, and by him com
pared With the original record as issued by
his department in l-65 would so greatly
a.tonish that official that he would be
compelled TO take a half holiday to restore
his equilibrium.
Of the land owned by the Vets Associa-
ton, some sixty acres are devoted 10 vine
yard; the same number of acres for or
chard cultlk atom over two hundred to
grain and the remainder Is used as pastur-
age, there being about seventy head of
cattle to Craze on il. The source of our
water supply is a copious spring on the
mountain side, giving quite sufficient for
domestic use, as we'll as for irrigation pur-
poses; and the purity of our water ac-
counts, in some degree. for the very few
sick among Us the average being but TWEEN
about TO erect hospital building to cost
ten thousand dollars. The Home is com
manded by Col. VIM. McCleaye, retired
officer Of the regular service, and the medi-
cal department in charge of DR.. 7. }. Ain
en-, than whom, if the entire army were
culled, there could not be found two gentle
men better lifted for their respective posi-
tions. The wives of these officers are fire.
quently seen among the sick veterans, do
ing everything in their power TO alleviate
the suiierings Of those about to start on
that voyage whence no travellers return.
There il in process Of erection Nation
al Home in the southern part of this State,
but the appropriations having all been ex-
pended, everything is at standstill, until
such time as more money can be secured
from the L. s. government for the pur-
pose, and Col. II. H. Markham, local man
| ager of the Home, who is also our pro-
spective Republican candidate for guber-
Material honors, is now in Washington
making an effort to raise funds to con-
| tnue the work.
If you want information on any subject
| that relates to this State just send on your
| Interrogation points, as having been down
| its various mines and wine vaults, partic-
ularly the latter, up its big trees and
| mountains, etc, etc, am an animated en-
| cvclopedia of useful information, from
which yon may draw at will. Talking about
| big trees, you would hardly believe some of
| the red woods of this State so large that
| should p. T. Barnum erect his seven tent
| circus on one of their stumps, it would, at
distance, appear like a cluster of shelter
| tents in the centre of hundred acre ranch
and should a mounted man, furnished
with three days rations, start out to cir
| cumnavigate Its base, he would have to
| forage for grub long before he could reach
the spot whence he began his journey
| Should any one doubt this story, please
| send proper blanks for alfred Davids"