Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1899-04-22
THE GILL ODD FELLOW HOME.
Grand Master j. H. Blakley Inter
viewed-A Base SANDER Proved

Grand Master J. H. Blakley Inter
viewed-A Base SANDER Proved
Gr0undleSS.
The Independent Order of Odd Fellows
is one OF the great and noble orders The
beneficent influence OF its principles and
its teachings is felt over the civilized world.
But it is not our purpose to speak OF the
order as whole, but Of that portion Of the
| order limited to the domain of Vermont
aud especially of a notable charitable insti-
tuition, the Gill Odd Fellow Home, opened
at Ludlow three years ago. A short time
ago the following item credited to state
exchange was widely copied and comment
ed upon by Vermont newspapers.
The Gill Odd Fellows. Home at Ludlow
stands a monument to the order, but from
business point OF view it is white ee-
plant. When fitted up at an expense Of
$12, 900 it was intended to be a home for
aged and INDECENT brothers Of the craft
Members have been loath to leave friends
and home comforts to take up an abode
even in go lovely spot as that where the
home is located. The result is that the
order has been Curing for sick and in6rm
members at home beside paying an assess.
ment annually OF $4,000 or more for the
maintenance of the home at Ludlow. Only
four members have been admitted to the
home since it was started, and the expense
annually for each has been about $500, not
counting the cost for nursing.
J. H. Blakley of this place is the pres
emit grand master of the grand lodge OF
Vermont, and he was shown the item by
a representative of the TIMES and asked if
the statements we're true, or even approx
mated the truth. He said: "Most OF
the statements are without foundation.
This is the situation. The home at Lud-
low was the gift Of James S. Gill, who had
built it for a summer hotel at cost as l
understand of over $4,000. The order
in thi, state thankfully accepted the build
ing as it was and expended some $1,000 in
fitting it over into home. The furnish
ing was done by lodges, Rebekah lodges
and encampments. In order to maintain
the home and establish surplus fund
a per capita assessment of so cents per
annum was levied on each member of the
order in Vermont. The present member
ship of the order, including both lodges
and Rebekah lodges, is about 800, but as
there are 300 Rebekahs, there are 5000
members subject to the assessment. The
expense of maintaining the home last year
was abe ut $1,000, and when the grand
lodge meets this year there will be sur
plus of some $4,000 derived from TIL, SO
cent tax.
81 have occasion to know that the home
is run in careful and econ mical way. II
is probable that the 80 cent tax will be re-
duced to % cents at the next session of the
grand lodge ard In future years the assess.
ment may be made even smaller. The &C.
tual cost of running the home during the
past year, outside OF salaries, was 1914
Since the home was opened, May 20, 1896,
there have been only FIVE inmates, and one
of these died during the past year, leaviaa
the present number four. think the or.
der is rema, kably fortunate in having nc
, large number OF aged and INDECENT mem
, bers."
t els it true that there are several who arr
eligible yet because of prejudice will mo-
, enter the home, and the order has to sup
port them at their own homep"
81 have known of only one such case
. Of course no member is compelled to 60 t.
/. the home; if any ave sick or infrm ant
have homes of their own and prefer to liv,
there they can do so, and draw their bene
t fits just the same"
"What is the ceiling Of the order through
| out the state toward the homer"
7 81 have taken especial pains during thu
: year to inform myself on this point and i
| is my opinion that IS per cent Of the mem