Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1897-02-05
LADins' HOME OF LAS VEGAS
Something Timely and OF Interest
About This Institution and Its
Noble Work.

EAST LAS VEGAS, N. NJ, February
9TH, 1897 Noticing q short article in
your Tuesday edition, suggesting that
the ladies in charge OF the Home, should
publish a record Of their work for the
benefit of the general public and the
Territorial legislature, l, as a friend OF
the institution, considering such a STATE
msnt due the public and the ladies
themselves they who persist in carry
ing ON their noble work of relief In
such q way that the left hand knoweth
not what the right hand doe.h, pro-
cured from them such data as l thought
desirable, and shall endeavor to let the
public know, in as concise a manner ~
possible, Just what the ladies OF the
Relief association are doing TO help
those who find themselves stranded ~
our doors.
Such an article Is hardly needed for
| our legislators, as the auditor OF Inc
Territory receives tabulated reports.
each month, and duplicate bills OF all
expenditures, which are kept on ME IN
his Office IN Santa Fe, and will be re-
ferred to by those interested.
1t is hardly necessary to 60 over the
history of the ladies' Relief society and
it's struggle to provide some permanent
and effectual means OF helping the un-
fortunate.
Il will be sufficient to make a state
ment of the resources OF the Home, and
give an epitomized report OF the
work of the current fiscal year
up to date. The fiscal year,
begins March LIST, and the records
now take us to February 1st OF the clos
ing year, and should give us a very
fair idea OF what is being done.
The Home is prepared 10 accom-.
modate eighteen patients. including
both pay and free. Often, demands are
so urgent that room is made for a lew
extra cots. .
For resources, the principal depend
ence is the Territorial appropriation oil
IS, 900. This sum IS paid out OF Ter.
~ritoriai funds, so long as they hold out;
but, usually, there IL 9 deficiency OF
about four months of the year which
goes over until the next meeting OF the
Legislature, when there is an issue OF
bonds to cover the indebtedness.
bese are put on the market for what
they will bring. Aside from this, there
is nothing regular except the dues OF
the ladies' Relief which are "a q year
per member. !.
A few pay patients are received and
treated and the revenue from this
source 10 quite a help in keeping up
the free wards. There ara also occa-
sional donations Of old clothing; and
usually a Thanksgiving offering OF pro-
visions from the pupils OF the public
schools.
There have been treated during the
, past eleven months sixty different In.
Q digent patients, making an average Of
: fifteen per month. OF these, t%wenty-one
!. were coDsumptives from distant states
Other diseases treated were casualties
rheumatism, epilepsy, dementia, deoll-
/, ity, asthma, ague, uterine trouble,
' tonsilius, peritonitis, bronchitis, men
! cngitis and typhoid fever.
There were seven deaths.
The record then shows that the Home
gives medical attention, medicines
! nursing, food, and 10 many instance'
clothing to an average monthly attend
ance of fifteen persons; also, an aver
: age of eight persons through the year
outside the Home, have received aid II
the way of TODD, clothing and medicine
! which would about equal the cost Q
keeping four additional patients in tn
Home. Such cases are not reported L
= the Territory.
o There are, too, an average OF fou
o persons employed as help: The ms
!, iron, cook, man of all work, AM
nnrses. as occasion demands, maxim
a total Of t~wenty-three persons sur
ported by the Home during the yeal
This would be equal to 1896 person
e, for one day to be kept on an income G
q, %, 900, which is thirty. five cents pc
N day per capita. This estimate 10 TO
D, great, az we are short one month.
y This summary does not include pa
s. patie nts, bat does depend on the sligt
th income derived from this source
10 help make up the deficiency in the al
a preparation. Surely, these figure
speak for themselves as TO the fir
financial management of the institution
This work has ben organized an
carried on by a few ladies, most
mothers of families, resident in Las '
\ gas. This self imposed task, to who
- they give both time and money, is 9
OF arduous one, attended with many Diff
10 ~culties; least among which is not Il
many times unjust and nncharitab
criticism of those who allow Their
II. selves to Judge without adequa
knowledge Of circumstances and co
=. ditions. Nevertheless, there 10 such
10 constant demand on every increase
be facility, showing the ever-growing nee
n. OF such an institution, that the ladi
feel it an imperative duty to keep =
the work, And in spite of hard tim
and b~urdening debts, they still feel
but right to ask The Territory to Co
tinue lis aid as the life of the instit'
ton depends on this help. ANXIOUS.
.H HNN AM