The evening times., 1898-02-10
STARTLING DISCLOSURES.
Veteran Soldiers Housed Like Cat
tie fn Several Homes.

Insnector General Breckenridge OK
the Army. has made an inspection OF
the National Soldiers Home for Dis
abled Volunteer Soldiers, an institu-
ton which has branches all over the
country. The report, with appendices
makes a volnminous document, which
will be sent 10 Congress at an early
date. Gen. Breckenridge makes some
startling disclosures concerning the
bra ctices at some OF the branches.
He finds that the old soldiers are
auartered in all sorts of places, with
out much regard for sanitary condi-
tions, under circumstances which he
denominates as cruel as well as dam
gerous TO health. He points out that
the officers of the branches occupy
well-lighted and ventilated rooms for
Office purposes or for storerooms, ana
that the old soldiers are kept in dark,
damp places, herded, from ali accounts,
worse than the cattle in the branch
barns.
He describes at some 4ength the
petty economy maintained at some
branches. such as allowing old and
much-used towels for bathing purposes
and limiting the amount OF bed linen
which may be washed per month. AT
one place the soap was doled out
inadequately to the needs of health
and cleanliness, and pair Of sheets
could net be washed oftener than once
a month. Gen. Breckenridge says:
1T is evident that sleeping in cellars
and around dark closets and bathrooms,
on the floor and in tents, is not exactly
what the Government desires TO give
TO any OF its disabled volunteer sol
diers With over 1000 men sleeping away
from the eNcessiVely-filled regular dor
mstories. only a faint idea may be OBJ
tanned how urgently ana where RELIEF Is
most needed. The overcrowding and
unsanitary housing that has prevailed
at some points could hardly continue
long under the professional scrutiny Of
an unbiased and authorized medical or
hygienic expert
on the subject OF barracks ii is said:
THE occupat ation Of dormitories can only
be fair to the members when each gets
a fairly equal ration Of light, heat ana
comfort This is, of course, usually I'M
practicable when the room was not
constructed and is illy-adapted for It's
purpose, or even when il is OF such SIZE
and shape that the hunks run SxS or sx6.
compactly covering the rectangular
floor space in a dormitory. but these
NAV not be as Objectionable as dark,
damn or decaying places. whether un-
der the level of the ground or light STAR
closets
The use of the better class OF par
racks rooms for business purposes,
whether for quartermaster's store
room or for office or reception rooms
or secondary dispensary. or even for
bathrooms. while so many hundred
men are sleeping on the floor or under
ground brings the question SUFFICIENT
ly clearly, whether property or disa-
bled men deserve the first and best
consideration and care at such Gov
ernment institution.
On the subject of sanitation REFER
ence is made 10 the Improvement IN
laundry work and in the equipment or
bathrooms and IL is said: still, at
one branch the only towels furnished
FOR bathers were those from the roll
ers in the washroom, some OF which
had already been excessively used by
many faces and hands, through sue
cessive days. and were neither very
dry nor clean. Restriction in the is
sue of soap was mentioned at more
than on branch, and the washing OF
only one sheet every two weeks or the
pair every month hardly seemed equal
to the average housekeeping require
ment.