The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-04-24
BETHESDA'S DAY OF DAYS.
THE UNION sOCIETY's 145TH AMI
VERsARY CELEBRATION.

Z One Thousand Visitors Oather I nueF
the Historic oaks and ThrOng the
Halls of the Time-HonOred Orphan
HOuSe-The Anniversary Address
by Rev. J. @. a. Cook, ID. D.-The
Socfety's Annual Meeting-The Or
phan Boys Dinner.
The one hundred and forty-hfth anniver-
sary celebration of the Union Society. at
! Bethesda yesterday, was tho largest gath
! ering Of members Of the society and OF the
/ friends Of the Bethesda orphan house
\ that has been witnessed on that historic
| spot for many years.
/ The day was all that could be desired,
and barring the sand flies. was one OF en-
l joyment. 1t was estimated that over one
thousand people were present.
The proverbiaI anniversary dinner to the
/ boys was up to the demands of the &C
casion, and was made more interesting
by the presence of the girls of the Savan-
nah Female Orphan Asylum.
The new dormitory was converted into
/ a dancing hall. and under the management
al the young men of the Bethesda Union,
a society composed OF those who were
once benefciaries Of the Orphan House,
those who enjoyed the dance had a day Of
enjoyment.
The annual meeting was held IN the par
lor at 1870 o'clock and was called to or
der by the president. The reports Of the
several officers and committees were reai
and disposed of. President Esulrs re-
port was as follows:
Bethesda, April o. 1870 the Members
Of the Union Society: The most import
ant matter to report is the building Of the
eastern wing, and the improvement Ct
the water supply and sewerage system
at Bethesda.
sire OF the managers to complete the
orphan house according to the original
Plan, and what has been done during me
past year is long stride toward that
much hoped for contamination.
AS you are aware. the society at is
last annual meeting passed a resolution
instructing the managers to build the
eastern wing, provided 1t could be done
with safety and proprety. that is with
out endangering the usefulness of the So
ciety by impairing its finances.
Immediately after the meeting, namely
on April a. the board appointed spc-
clal committee-Messrs. Thomas, Adj
ans and Hamilton-to investigate into
the matter and report. The committee,
with the president and several other man
ayers, visited Bethesda on April 80. The
committee examined the premises care
fully, and were of the unanimous opinion
that II was necessary to have more room
to properly care for the benefciaries Of
the society.
A building committee, consisting of the
president and Messrs. Thomas and Bal
ldlINnes was appointed 10 OBTAIN eSI-
mates and report back to the board. This
was done, and at a meeting held on May
20 the contract for the building was
awarded to Mr.. A. c. Scott Che lowest
bidder. for S7,S06
The building was completed in October.
On the 18th of that month the board of
managers instructed the committee to put
In new water supply and remodel the
sewerage system, and to otherwise i'm
prove the sanitary arrangements; and,
also, to erect new stables and make such
] improvements = deemed
| necessary. 1t was in contemplation to
put down new flooring and plaster the din
ing room, but a lack cf funds prevented
that important work from being done.
The work contracted for is about COM
pleted. The water tower which stood in
the rear of the TechnolOgical building has
been removed to the rear of the Orphan
| house, and a supply of water obtained for
II from the artesian well by using a by
! draulic ram. II is probable, that, in order
/ 10 OBTAIN an adequate supply of water,
| some other water motor will have to be
| used. Bath rooms and water closets have
/ been put on two floors of the main build
| ing and on the first floor of the new wing
| and water taps placed wherever neces-
sary The main building was fitted with
| gas pipes when It was built, and the pip
| ing has been extended to the wings and a
! gas machine put in. This makes lighting
the premises less laborious and dangerous
/ than II was with kerosene and the ex-
pense will be little, If any greater
The total cost of building the wing
! and stables and making other improve
I
/ OF which $l,521.22 is still due.
! The main building, including the pass
| age way to the dining-room, can be plas-
| tered and finished to correspond with the
new wing for $3.50, and the western
wing for $3.50. This work, with some
new flooring, will finish the entire in
terror of the orphan home.
Under directions of the board and with
! the consent of Bishop Becker represent
ing the Barry Male Catholic Orphan Asy-
lum, joint legatees with this society, the
! Tipperary plantation, comprising 7O4 acres
| of land in Bryan county, was sold at
| public auction at the court house on the
first day of January 1895. 1t was bought
| in by the society at $147 per acre. Ae
soon as the Barry Orphan Asylum is paid
| for its half interest, less what is due
| the society for taxes and other expenses,
the title viii rest entirely in this society
! l nope TO secure purchaser for the
property at about the price at which it
was bought.
Having been notified that the city Of
Savannah was about to issue an execu.
ton against the society's real estate for
| unpaid taxes, brought the matter to the
attention of the committee on finance
| r. e. Lester appeared before the citv
council, and, on their presentation of
the facts, the taxes, We're donated.
The lands reported sold in my last re-
port to w. II. Hart & Co. of Waukon Ia
| for N4S.25, has been paid for. This sale
relieves the society of an annual outlay
| of taxes on very undesirable property
On Jan. we had some trouble with +he
boys at Bethesda. The scholars of the
S6iilOI cleiSS Uni. Lowry 81 refused to
study, and defed their teacher When
! visited Bethesda the next day. l found
the trouble was to a great extent caused
by a few boys, who had been behaving
badly for some time, and they led me
others into it. 1t was apparent. how
ever that Mr.. Lowrys usefulness as a
teacher was seriously impaired, and /
therefore asked for his resignation. which
was handed 'in on Feb. %. l appoint al
the assistant teacher, Mr.. Fred w Oborn,
in Mr.. Lowry's place
Capt. r. G. Fleming. member of the
board of managers, died at his resi-
dence in this city Feb. Is He was at-
tackled with paralysis on the fifth of The
month but fingered until the dav men
toned, when he passed away In his dea IN
Savannah lost one of her best citizens
and this society an officer whose hear
always beat in unison with its benevo-
lent purposes. He was ever anxious ana
ready to do what he could to advance its
prosperity. The members of this societ,,
join with their fellow-citizens i'm mourn
ing over the great loss which has he
fallen the community.
The society's property is in good renair
and, with the exception of the Springfeld
property rented TO good paying tenants
The estate of William Hone has paid ali
notes due.
There Is no change in the situation ~
: I