The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1891-04-02
THE WAUPACA HOME.
SOME FACTS WHICH THE PUBLIC
SHOULD KNOW.
(From the Milwaukee Telegraph

/
luton strongly opposing change
in the manner of conducting the
Home, made it appear unnecessary
to read it. Since then there has
been so much said about the Home,
the trustees have thought it best to
give their statement to the public.
1t is given, as follows:
An attack has recently appeared
in the official newspaper of the state
upon the provisions of the bill for
additional Improvements for the
Wisconsin Veterans Home, and in
connection with it upon the manage
ment of the trustees, which seems to
demand reply from US.
When this department Encamp-
ment first established the Veterans
Home it was with the expectation
that it was to be managed by mem
bers of the c. A. r. elected by the
Department Encampment. And
this is the first time that the PROPOSE
ton has been seriously made to re-
move the Home from the control of
the CT. A. r.
Without here arguing the question
which would be the more economical
more efficient and more sympathetic
management of a home for old SOL
diers and their wives, the G. A. r.
or the political appointees of an ad-
ministration changing with the for
tunes Of each election, we know that
the real founders Of the Home, the
Grand Army Of the Republic, aided
by the Woman's Relief Corps of the
state Of Wisconsin, who have given
time and money and affection to this
Home have some claim to retain its
management in their hands on &C.
count of what they have done for it
and Of their special relations to it.
The trustees are the representa-
tiyes of the G. A. R. elected by and
responsible to you. We have re-
ported to you fully each year and
have received our instructions from
time to time from you and have
tried to carry out the letter of your
instructions and the spirit of your
discussions. When new questions
arose we have not been afraid to
take the responsibility of deciding
upon them to the best of our ability
for what we considered your interests
and wishes. We have also felt that
we represented the state of Wiscon-
sin and have tried to faithfully guard
its interests.
I. 1t is charged that we have
given the state defective title to
the property of the Veterans Home
in violation of the law making the
appropriation with this condition.
AS far as the charge is concerned
that we did not clear the title from
mortgage of $1,000 given with your
consent before the state appropria-
ton was received, it is a sufficient
answer that we made the effort to do
so, and that the holder of the mort
gage refused to sell it to us.
But the principle charge is that we
allowed the city of Waupaca to re-
tain a reversionary interest in the
title to the extent of $500. This
interest was reserved in the original
deed to the Grand Army of the Re-
public, and we gave the state of
Wisconsin two years ago as full
title as we had ourselves. Two years
ago this matter was fully discussed
before committees of the legislature
and with those members who were
especially interested in the measure
The peculiar phraseology Of the law
relating to the grant of the title was
the result of this discussion and of
the further fact that the trustees
could not ALLEVIATE or mortgage the
property without the consent Of the
Department Encampment, which
would not meet for nearly a year
Two years ago this matter was well
understood by the legislature. Such
reservations of a reyersionary inter
est in case the property is not used
for a specified purpose are quite
common in the case of county and
city buildings, and we are Informed
that the site Of the state capitol is
held today under deed which pro-
vides that if it shall cease to be used
for state capitol it shall revert to
the heirs of the original granters
We reserved according to the law
the use Of this property for the G. A.
R. so long as it shall be needed for
soldiers home, and II after that it
shall be used for some charitable
purpose, it will not revert to Wau-
paca and even if it should be given
by the state for theological school
as was done with the Soldiers Or
phans Home only $1,000 of the value
of the institution can ever be collect
ed by the city of Waupaca. If this
Con he rallied flaw in the title If ic