Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1893-06-08
WOMEN At THE HOME
The Soldiers Home Board Is Net
in Favor Of II.
WANT A NEW INSTITUTION
And WouId Build IL I'm Anot her Cisy
Governor Rich Present az the
Boards June Meeting.

bovtfuoT flfcn brteGu~u Tue june
meeting " the Soldiers home toaEd.
which VAS held in the home yesterday!
The other members present we're James
A. Grocer Of Menouinee. L. W. Sprague
u Grsensille. John Northwood of New
Lathrop. L. q. Rutherford and l. H.
Bishop 81 Grand Rapids
The principal business TO come before
the meeting was the matter of providing
suitable quarters for the wives and
widows a old soldiers The legislature
appropriated si5.Wo for u woman's an
mex. and 5000 to maintain il for the
next two years II WAS decided 10
rcit "a. dormi;ory at the south Of the
grounds aud use this for womans
building This can be done at very lit
tie expense. and will be much more eco
nomical than constructing a new build
ing. Accommodation can bc furnished
"a the couples. and II is not believed that
there will be any necessity for more
room for some time. Thus far only three
applications have been made. II neces-
sary the board will build cottages later.
Elected the Same Onicers.
The officers OF the Soldiers home
board were reelected for the women
annex. They are: Governor John II.
Rich, chairman. ex-oilicio; Rush j.
Shank. chairman pro TEN; James A.
Grocer. treasurer; L. q. Rutherford.
clerk
The committee on grounds were in
stfucted TO finish the work on the new
fountain. To complete the new walks.
and finish sodding the grounds. A new
cement floor was ordered To be laid ia
the kitchen % the hope. The board
settled with Mrs. A. L. McCrea Of kala-
nazoo for some work done by her in
preparing plans for improving the
grounds. A mistake had been made in
regard 10 the matter. Mrs. McCrea i'm
agined that she had contract and the
committee had the record Of it, Mrs.
McCrea had submitted drawings for
Identifying the grounds by settling out
shade trees and otherwise. Ii was
deemed best To pay her for the work she
had done.
The members OF the board expressed
satisfaction over the condition 81 the
house at the close OF Commandant
Graves first month in Office. The e1-
penses were little higher than usual;
but the commandment has been furnish
ing the veterans with better quantity
Of food than that which they received
under the old administration.
Although the board is doing the best
il can TO carry out the legislative pro
visions for the womcn's annex. yet not a
single one OF the members unless. per
haps, Governor Rich is in favor az the
scheme. Governor Rich signed the bill.
and consequently the board thinks he
may approve the plan.
Mr.. sprague's Views.
Said L. w. Sprague last evening: II
confess that have serious doubts about
the feasibility Of the scheme. think
it would have been far better 10 have
given tho appropriation To some city
like jackson, Saginaw. Battle Creek or
Port Huron. and let it provided enough
mo.e 10 erect a separate institution.
Any one OF these cities would have been
glad TO do il. / do not believe the
Soldiers home is any place for woman
any more than a regimental camp would
have been during the war. The veter-
ans are old men many OF them child
ism. peevish and in their dotagc.
Their wives are old. too. and a life OF
Of hardship has not tended 10 improve
the natural sweetness Of their DISPOSE
tions. Under the arrangements AT the
home there will necessarily be quarrel
ing and pickering among the women.
and probable jealousy among the men.
\ man IL usually jealous of his wife
whether she Toe IL or 20. Children IN
der Ia may be admitted. and the young
sters will be constant source u irrita-
ton To the old folks. Persons are rot
apt 10 be very tolerant OF other persons
children believe the wives and wild
ows Of the old boys should be provided
for God knows they've suffered as
much as the veterans themselves. but
believe IL should be done in more
favorable location than the Soldiers
home. Provide separate home. and
bring the husbands tn the wives, not the
wives TO the husbands