The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-07-23

know what he wants and does know
there's never a chance to get it. "
a Delightful Retreat.
In these words an Intelligent veter-
an of 20 years gave me his explana-
ton of the prevalence of suicide at the
Soldiers home. We stood by the beau
tiful lake in which several of the in
mates have drowned themselves. The
day was beautiful beyond description.
A soft south wind gently stirred the To-
liage of the magnificent forests The sky
was but lightly hecked with hay clouds,
and looking on the soothing beauty Of
the grounds it seemed unreasonable to
suppose that corroding care should find
the place in such a paradise.
From various points on the southern
slopes the outlook is full aud Free and
one may overlook the whole valley of
the eastern branch of the Potomac and
beyond it take in a beautiful picture of
the eastern hills From the point of
view the land falls off IN a gentle slope
and ridges toward the city, and this
long slope reduces a sort of illusion
which makes it seem as if one were
higher than the dome Of the capitol or
even the peak of the Washington monu
ment. But a small part of the 500 acres
in the property is cleared land. Nearly
all is in a primeval woodland, and
walks and macadamized roads, lined
with shrubbery of all American and for
eign varieties which will grow in this
climate, set wherever an opening in the
native timber gives place. It is indeed a
delightful retreat, and yet, as the vet
eran said, there is here abiding melan-
choly, and many an inmate has sought
release from the dread monotony by
rushing voluntarily into the great I'M
known.
On the day of my first visit there was
unusual animation. In the summer
house and at each group of benches in
the grounds discussion was in progress,
for the old soldiers We're wonderfully
interested in the strikes and riots, and
their views were we'll worth listening
to- Perhaps it was from professional
feeling, but they were without excep-
ton severe in denunciatiOn of the riot
ers, and many a curious story was told
by actual participants of times when the
regulars were called out to face mobs,
the "reminiscences extending as far back
as 1887, and this leads me on to speak
of the fact which astOnished me most
the great age of many of the inmates
The most noted veteran went into a hos
pital IN 1891 at the age of 90 and died
few weeks later of pure old age. An
age of 81. The youngest man in the in
stitution is but p. and the oldest one
at present is 80. 1t must be noted that
this differs from the various soldiers
homes scattered through the country in
that it was established 10 years before
the war, and it is for the regular army
exclusively. although a few men of the
volunteer army have been admitted tenn
pOrarily.
A Veteran of Fourscore.
Equally remarkable is the variation in
the length of service One inmate had
served but four months when admitted
and 40 but one year or less The aver
age thereafter is about 20 for each term
of two, three, four years, etc, until the
eighteenth year term is reached, after
which it increases rapidly. There are
in the home 30 men who served 10
years, 90 of 20 years service, 20 of FL
years, 80 of % years, 40 of 90 years.
and so on, with a gradual decline to the
two honored veterans, one of whom
served 33 years and the other 81, the
last being at present among the oldest
men IN the institution and not only in
good preservation for a man Of 80, but Il
very pleasant and intelligent gentleman
His name is Frederick L. Colclaser, ma
tive Of Pittsburg, and his first enlist
ment was dated Sept. %, 1882, for the
Black Hawk war, his discharge and
admission to the home occurring "a
years, months and "a days afterward-
| He served in the Florida war under
| Colonel Lindsay, Second artillery, in
| the Mexican war in the Fifth infantry,
/ in several Indian wars in various COM
mands, and four years in the war for
the Union and thereafter - years in
/ New Mexico. The home dates from
1851. and its founder, if it had any one
founder, was General Winfield Scott