The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1896-08-05
Soldiers Home Of Texas.

In 1881 the John B. Hood Camp Of
Confederate Veterans was organized
and chartered under the Texas State
laws, having for it's main object the
establishment of a Confederate Home
at Austin, Texas. Soon thereafter
they purchased fifteen acres Of land,
with two-story frame building con-
tanning eight rooms. The home was
opened for the reception Of inmates
under rules and regulations adopted
by the Camp. Committees were ap
pointed to raise means for the maintc-
nance and enlargement of the home,
and these committees, aided by the
ladies of Austin, raised money enough
to maintain the inmates then in the
home, and build some additional cot
tagcs. By the individual efforts of
the members of the Camp early in
1856 the people Of the State became
thoroughly aroused to the importance
of establishing the institution on a
solid basis, aud sufficient means were
raised, from time to time, to enable
the Camp to enlarge the home and ad
NIT an additional number of inmates,
and maintain them until March lst,
1891, when, by an Act passed by the
Twenty-sccond Legislature and ap
proved February q, 1891, entitled,
AN Act to authorize the transfer of
the Confederate Home, at Austin.
from private to State management, and
to establish said home as a State in
stitution, and provide for it's support,
the John B. Hood Camp, Coufedcr
ate Veterans, transferred to the State
the home property, amounting in val
ue to about thirty thousand dollars;
and the State assumed control, man
agcment and maintenance of the same.
The institution is now controlled by
board of managers, consisting of five
cx-Confedcrate soldiers appointed by
the Governor, which board appoints a
superintendent, who must also be an
ex-Confedcratc soldier. BY an amend
ment to the State Constitution, adopt
ed at the last general election, the
Legislature is authorized to make an
appropriation for the maintenance of
the home not to exceed the sum of
one hundred thousand dollars year.
The appropriation for the fiscal year
beginning March lst, 1896, is TWEEN.
ty-eignt thousand dollars. exclu
elusive Of the salaries of officers and
employees, and four thousand dollars
for improvements.
They now have about one hundred
and eighty inmates, who are provided
with all the necessary comforts. There
have been admitted to the home, since
its opening by the John B. Hood
Camp, 81 inmates. ninetycight of
whom have died and are buried in a
plot Of five acres in the State ccme-
terry set apart for that purpose.
Any cx-Confcdcrate soldier or sail
or, who can establish his honorable
service in the army or navy, and who
is indigent and physically unable to
support himself, is not lunatlc, and
is not afflicted with any contagious or
infectious disease, was bona tdc cit
izen of the State on the first day of
January, 1895, can be admitted to the
home, no matter from what State he
entered the service.
Since the State assumed the main
tcnancc of the home. the grounds have
been enlarged and more buildings add
cd (all brick buillingS), and they are
supplied with pure water, fire protec-
tion and electric lights. The proper
ty is now worth between ninety and
one hundred thousand dollars.