New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-10-11

Soldiers Home at Bath may seek asylum
with their wives In the institution. The sum
only SD 600 actually cost SG0o0n' said Mrs.
Kate f. Jones. president Of the Board OF Man
Capitol so long that he appears 10 have lost the
ar; Of constructing buildings Of moderate cost
The State Capitol has about million dollars
poured into il annually. Everything about II ~
expensive and on large scale Hence. when Mr..
Perry came 70 draw up the plans for the Home,
he prepared them upon what must be- pro
nounced an extravagant scale. What needed
was a plain brick building with comfortable
rooms and sanitary hut inexpensive plumbing.
Instead, a costly brick building, with expensive
woodwork and richly constructed bathrooms.
was erected Then there were additions 10 the
work while it in progress and alterations to
the rooms. What II was estimated would cost
Of $1,000 has already been expended. Allowing
$50 600 the cost OF the power-house the cost
per person Of the dormitory buildings is over
81 OOo. This Is double what 1t ought to he. ana
is exclusive OF the cost of land or furniture: in
deed architects and managers OF charitable in
sttutions say tina; 500 per capita is sufficient
for the construction Of suitable buildings. and
that even then they need not be without consd
cradle architectural beauty.
The result Of the extravaganza in construct
ing the present buildings will naturally be TO
deter the Legislature from making any further
appropriations for the Home until there has
been a radical change in the plans for additional
buildings for it, While one hundred old SOL
diers. owing to lack Of State appropriations
for additional dorintory accommodations, are
now sleeping in underground cellars at Bath. II Is
a misfortune that S12,OOD has been expended
in sheltering only forty-six persons at oxford.
of whom only seventeen are veterans.
William X. Stewart, President Of the State
Board Of Charities, visited the Home recently.
"a
Kate T.. Jones. president of the Board OF Mana
gers. and The Tribune correspondent. They saw
the pleasant side Of the Home II has a truly
homelike appearance. Indeed, with it's porce-
lain bathtubs. tiled floors steel ceilings and
Georgia pine floors. wide and well-lighted halls
and large verandas. this brick building browning
the hillside near this place. might we'll he con-
sidered a summer hotel of modern construc-
ton and with rates Of s., a dav. Mrs. Putnam
the superintendent led the way around the
building. opening its various rooms TO the inspec-
ton Of Mr.. Stewart The rooms Of the veterans
and their wives have a cosey and cleanly APP
Deararce.
Mrs Putnam said that it was her design 10
make the place just much like a home as
possible She Is certainly succeeding The air
of the place is sweet The furniture bedding.
rugs carpets and pictures are we'll selected
and the kitchen and dining-roon Of a neat APP
pearance. There is Al electric plant. and every
where visible are expensive electroliers. and
one saw In the valley the tall brick chimney
of the electlic-power and stcam-hea;ing plant
A sufficiently large electric and steam-h heating
for five buildings OF the size Of the present
one Mrs. Jones said that the furniture and
carpets for the building had been bought by
the Womens Relief Corps. This tho reason
Of their superior character. one saw the pic
lures Of Union Generals upon walls Of many Of
the
There is also q "rclic room" whore. In cases
upon the walls is a grim collection Of army
bullets. shells. bayonets cartecns and KNAPP
sacks. Mrs Putnam stated that several Of the
soldiers did teamwork. and that Il was her
purpose to have all the vegetables ALL potatoes
Of the institution raised upon its farm The con
ditiOns for the admission OF veterans were that
they should be needy. married before 1880 and
possessed OF an honorable war ecord The HON"
also gave shelter to the wives mothers and
widows Of soldiers. and to army nurses.
DENEFACTIONs or THE RELIEF CORPS.
THE womcn's Relief Corps has expended
about $4,000 In all upon the furniture Of the
Home" said Mrs JSnes. "ar1 We intend to con
tinue our benefactions. There various corps
which have given pledge to maintain the fur
niture In various rooms. The women Of the
corps also put up fruit the pre- sent year for it's
inmates We have bought span OF horses for
SI75 and a carriage for $40 for the Home. and
Grover Corps. Of Cleveland has promised to
send us a sleigh We shall labor to make the
lives Of these veterans and their wives happy
ones We desire the approaching year to expcnd
$50 .tG - upon another dOrmtOry. S1j.ODD in the
maintenance Of the institution $500 upon
barns and OutDullninRs. ~, ihi ~ Tor plumbing.
and 5000 for IA laundry. For these purposes
and other minor ones we shall ask the Legisla-
turc for $50 900 when II meets
The impression that the Home gives is
that its buildings far too extensively con
struced. and since owing to the nnrmities Of
age, more and more Union soldiers need the care
of the State, it is a great misfortune to the old
soldiers that such buildings have been con-
structcd the taxpayers OF the State will natur-
ally object 10 erecting more OF them With hun
dreds Of old soldiers requiring aid the State
should now change the policy OF management OF
this oxford institution by Insisting upon the
construction Of far less expensive buildings In
that way accommodation viii he provided for
many more soldiers and their wives and moth
crs. The present extravaGant buildings not
IN their interest. but against them. a reform Is
needed and the Legislature should at in
stitute II. f.. l.. II.