Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1899-09-15
SOLDIERS SANlTARIUN M

OVAD1A1NC CA ~ Il AlCl Y NJ
Capt. Palmer, of Omaln. Returns From
National Encampment Satisfied
That Congress- Will soon Act.
Capt. II. f. Palmer has returned
from the annual national encampment|
of the Grand Army at Philadelphia.
He was chairman of the committee to
which was referred the resolution ask
lug congress to establish soldiers
home at Hot Springs, S. ID, under the
name of the Sanitarinm of the Ma
tional System of Homes. Ho reported
to the encampment that the project
was backed by tho entire Board of
Managers of the National Homes, Gen
eral W. b. Franklin. chairman of the
board, being especially active in the
matter.
Through the influence of the Board
OF Homes thirty test cases of rheuma-
Wtic diseases, the men being totally dis
abled, were taken on stretchers from
the national home at Leavenworth,
Kan, to the state home at Hot Springs
and treated for sixty days only. Cen
eral Averill, inspector general of the
national homes, reported that one
died. "A percent were cured and that
all others were greatly benefited. He
further reports that the saving to the
government by curing rheumatic cases
would more than pay the expenses of
establishing and maintaining the sani-
tarium.
With such an endorsement the ell
campment did not hesitate to pass the
resolution unanimously and asked the
commander in. chief to appoifit a COM
mittee to wait upon congress to secure
the passage of the necessary bill.
The committee having this project
in charge was not named until Janu-
ary, 1899, and consisted of III. f. Palmer,
past department commander, Nebras-
ka, as chairman; Il. p. Farr, George a.
Silsby, w. V. Lucas, c. S. Palmer, all
past department commanders of South
Dakota, and w. H. Manning and Rich
ard Root of Iowa. The committee was
instructed to act without expense to
the organization, and the first meeting
was held in Washington on January
% of the present year. At this meet
ing memorial was drafted for pre-
sentation to the house committee on
military affairs. Upon investigation
it was found that the bill for the estab.
lishment of this sanitarium had twice
passed the senate and that at that
time similar bill was before the
house military committee.
On February an argument was
made before the military committee by
Captain Palmer, assisted by Genera
Manderson and Congressman Gamble
of South Dakota. The immense pres
sure of war business, the Hull bill ant
other obstacles prevented report o
the military committee on the bill, al
though Capt. palmer and MIR. Silsb.
remained some weeks in Washington
trying to obtain report.
Since the adjournment of congress
the matter has not been allowed t.
rest and the support of Col. Hender
son, who is slated for the next speake
of the house, has been secured. Chair
man Hull of the committee on militar,
affairs, after visit to Hot Springs las
July. is strongly in favor of the meas
-ure. 1t is hoped that with this inilu
ence behind it there will be but YER
little difficulty encountered in passin
the bill at the next session of congress
At the present time the only sani
tarium under government control is
small one for the regular army at Ho
Springs, Ark. where malaria ,and hea
for nine months of the year make tn
location undesirable. At Hot Springs
the sea. the climate is most delightful
the year round and the waters are tn
best and most curative in the worlC
1t is the hope of the committee that i
will be able to secure for the member
of the Grand Army on larger seal
what the government now provides fo
the regular soldiers at their sanital
ium at Hot Springs, Ark. Omaha Be,
The Omaha World Herald publishe
the report made by Captain Palmer I
the national encampment in full, an
among other nice things said pay
Capt. Palmer the following deserve
compliment:
congratulations are in order to I'll
citizens of Hot Springs, of South D
kota, and adjoining states, and IL
country generally on the apparel
good prospects of securing the santa
ium during the next session Of Co
gress. Capt Palmer was one of Il
committee who secured the Westel
Soldiers Home at Leavenworth, Ka
His neighbors and friends in Nebrasl