Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-11-11
New Hospital is Almost Ready
for Occupancy.
CONDITION OF THE HOME.
Management Universally Satisfactory to
the Inmates Who Some of the Old Sol.
diers are -Au of the Furniture for the
New Hospital Has Been Given by Gen.
Us. carr-whnt tho Home Needs to be
Put OH Solid Basis.

IL
tremely small beginning the present
Confederate Soldiers Home in this city
has by constant effort and unremitting
labor on the part of it's promoters
grown to considerable size and import
ance. The new hospital. which has just
been completed. is an evidence of the
great strides the institution has taken
during the past few years.
The home was started in 1891 in a
small building on Polk street, not far
from the present location on Newbern
avenue. and Mr.. w. II. Aldrich was the
first inmate. In the News and Observer
OF March 18th. 1851 is 10 lie found pub
iished the charter granted by the Leg
islaturc. giving the list of gentlemen
composing the body polite and cor
porate. The names of some of the best
known Confederate veterans in North
Carolina appear in this list. The Leg
islature has from time to time since
then made appropriations for the main
tenance and Improvement of the home
and as more and more applications
kept pouring in. 1t became necessary TO
move the establishment to the site now
occupied. which was the old Pettigrew
Hospital during the civil war. and then
Federal camp, and later still the col
ored fair grounds. The timber of the
old wartime hospital was used in the
construction of some of the present
buildings.
While the buildings are not very
much TO look at on the outside, thcN
are comfortable enough inside, and
after all that is the main point. Until
the building of the new hospital there
were seven buildings on the grounds,
including four living houses. hospital
dining hall and kitchen. and siiperin-
tendent's house. The Reade Memorial
Chapel was given by Mrs. Beade sew
eral years ago. The organ in this
chapel is gift from DIR. Peter T.
Hines.
y SPLENDID STRUCTURE.
The new hospital is 4 splendid
structure constructed Oh modern prin
ciples. and with all the newest access
series of an up-to-date hospital. The
interior is arranged for the greatest
possible comfort and convenience.
There is n cheerful and sunny living
room, where convalescents and those
not ill enough To be in bed may sit
during the day. In this room will be
tables. and the meals will be brought
in at meal hours but no catableS will
be Kept in the room. This room and
the three ward rooms on this first floor
open into an octagonal han extending
to the top OF the building. and lighted
81 ttic up ny NliuoNS Oh I'LL SlNtS-
ThiS rather unique arrangement gives
unexcelled ventilating facilities to the
entire building. The plumbing
throughout is modern and of the most
sanitary description. Each ward room
has its bath rooms and all modern
conveniences. The walls and floors Of
the building are all double, and the
woodwork is in natural pine. oiled.
An interesting fact III connection
with the building OF the hospital is
that all of the inmates who knew any
thing of building or carpentering vol
UNFAIRLY and Eagerly lent their aid. and
thereby saved the management many
dollars. The contractor said he had
never seen body OF men work harder
or more cheerfully.
The hospital will be ready for occu-
pancy now in about four weeks time.
The contract for an engine and pump
has just been given out, and as soon
as theSe-are in, and the plumbing and
water connections completed. the
building will be opened. The furniture
has already begun TO come in. This is
all furnished by General Julian :.
Carr, and is of the most modern style,
all of the cots being of iron painted
white. and everything else in accord
ance with the best models for hospital
usage.
THE PRESENT INMATES.
Captain r. II. Brooks. the superir
tendent, told n representative of the
press that there were now about fifty
six inmates. but that this number does
not cover ALL as perhaps as many aS
thirty-1ve or forty are away on leave.
as is generally the case. for the old
soldiers are allowed a great deal OF lib
erty. coming and going almost as they
like. Several of the inmates now in
the Home were commissioned officers
in the Confederate service II. w. Butt
was first lieutenant of Company =,
Eighth North Carolina. Samuel YounS
was first lieutenant and at one time
in command of his brothers battery
of artillery. S. j. Davis was captain OF
company in the Fourteenth Virginia
Infantry and later served With the
First North Carolina Cavalry. There
is one man, Captain William Barrow,
who formed a company during the war
and paid all of its expenses out of his
own pocket. He was also the first
Mayor of Winston. n. G, Henry Lee
is a Massachusetts Yankee. He lived
in the South before the war, and sub
Stituted for Elias Carr. and was put to
bridge building. The Oldest in camp is
George w. Bum, 93 years old. He had
three sons with him in the army. An
other man named Finch. 81 years old,
had two sons in service. Mr.. Alurich.
who was the first inmate of the Home,
is famous for his pepper sauce, on
which he received n premium at the
back.
There is fine garden on the grounds
and many vegetables are raised for
home consumption. Some fine hogs arc
raised on the place. One OF them
weighs COO pounds. There are also two
fine milch cows Everything is at
tended to and kept up IL the best pos
sible manner and a great deal of vol
untary work is done by those of the
inmates who arc strong enough to
work.
MANAGEMENT POPULAR.