The National tribune., 1899-05-25
THE RELIEF CORPS.
News and Gossip of the Great
Auxiliary.

NATIONAL woMAN's RELIEF CORPS HOME.
Fearing that exaggerated reports of
sickness at the Home may have alarmed
| the friends of the institution, the Secre-
tary of the Home Board, Pluma l..
COwles, Geneva, o., writes to relieve their
| anxiety. The epidemic of Ia grippe eff
fected the inmates of the Home during
the early part OF the year, but notwith-
standing the extreme age and feebleness
of many of the sick only three cases
proved fatal. The health of the inmates
is now unusually good.
A very large number OF States are rep
resented at the Home. and kindly letters
or little tokens from their own Depart
mentS would be most gratifying.
AS many new members have come into
the W.R.C. who know little OF the Home
and it's work, Secretary Cowles gives the
following statement:
"In 1886, at San Francisco, the Ma
tional Woman's Relief Corps Convention
took action to set aside eight cents per
capita tax annually for a relief fund, to
be administered through a committee ap-
pointed for that purpose. In 1888, at
Columbus, the fund had accumulated,
and So 900 was turned back to the gen.
eral fund. That Convention took action
to establish a Home, and laid the matter
before the Encampment for its approval.
But it was not till the Convention in Mil
waukee in 1889 that mandatory action
was taken, and the incoming National
President was instructed to inaugurate
the movement.
Ten acres of land, with two large, sub
stantial buildings, were offered free OF cost
by the trustees OF a seminary near Madl-
son, o., and the people of Madison and
Geneva and in the surrounding country
raised over 81 300 to make the necessary
changes and put it in proper repair. At
the Detroit Convention in 1881 money
was raised by voluntary contribution to
purchase five more acres OF land, on
which, with the land from the trustees,
making Is acres in all, most OF the small
fruits and vegetables needed in the Home
are now raised. Later the Ohio Legis-
lature appropriated S35, 900 to erect
building. 1t has a frontage of 98 feet.
The end portions have depth OF 20 feet,
and inclose in the rear Of the main
stories and half high, and was well
furnished by the State. The whole prop,
erty is now worth at least $4,000, all OF
which has been secured with small cost
to the W.R.C.
"a large family of from e5 to 10 are being
supported there in comfort at this time,
representing 16 States.
aBesides the one-half Of the per capita
tax, S2,000-an amount equal 10 that
taken from the relief fund at Columbus
was appropriated FOR the support OF the
inmates. AT Detroit in 1891 $1,000 was
same purpose, and seven years later-lS9o,
at Cincinnati-S1, 900 was appropriated.
Thus il will be seen that, after deduchng
the So 900 which had been taken from the
relief fund, only $4,000 have been ap-
propriated from the general fund OF the
W.R.C.
GAS result of this investment in
charity work by the W.R.C. we have ex-
tended needed help to hundreds OF needy
Army Nurses who could not come to the
Home. in all, S4,527.50. We have secured
pensions for nearly 700 Army Nurses; 655
were reported last year, and this years
work will add to that number, SO that
about SlG0, 900 annually is now going out
of the United States Treasury into the
homes Of these heroic women.
During all these years we have sup
ported a large family on the one-iiaf per
CAPITA tax, except the sums appropriated,
amounting to Sl3, ,42516. The only addi-
tional aid given is from portion OF the
pensions received from inmates who are
pensioners, and from donations OF De-
partments, Corps, and friends, amounting
to Sl8, ,O4O2O This is a record OF humane
service that the National W.R.C. may
we'll be proud. 1t is the crowning glory OF
their splendid work.
"The property decided In trust by the
trustees of the seminary to the National
W.R.C. was held in trust by them for
educational and benevolent purposes, and
can never be used for anything else. The
title is good and strong, and the property
can be held and used by the W.R.C. and
their successors in benevolent work as
long as the organization exists"
WISCONSIN CONVENTION.
Over 400 loyal women attended tho 10th
,an,,1 Copvention Mt Milwaukee last