Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-11-13
THE SOLDIERS HOME
Annual Report Of the Board Of Com
missioners.
IMPROVEMENTS DURING TEE YEAR
Over 1900 Soldiers Have Been
Cared For.
ADMINISTRATION PRAIS E D

The annual report of the board of COM
missioners of the Soldiers Home, District
of Columbia shows an increase of seventy
| three beneficiaries on tie rolls since the
last report, there being on September 30
last, 1860 soldiers at the home, fiftyfour
of whom We're but temporary inmates. OF
| the total number of soldiers on the rolls
$40 are present at the home, All are on
outdoor relief, 20 are in the Government
| Hospital for the Insane, "A are on fur
| Tough and AZ are sick in the general hos
pital at Fort Bayard. N M.
| The total number of deaths was 80. Last
year it was 81. OF these, 80 died at the
home. II on outdoor relief 1 on furlough,
| 3 near the home, 8 In the Government
Hospital for the Insane, 10 at the general
hospital at Fort Bayard, 1 en- route to
Fort Bayard and 1 accidentally drowned at
Chesapeake Beach, Md
During the year temporary relief was
given to destitute discharged soldiers who
were not entitled to admission to the ex-
tent of 1O567 meals and 251 were provided
with lodging for few nights each.
The permanent fund Of the home in the
United States treasury September 80, 1900
was $2,5S0.S0S The total receipts Of the
year are set down at $500, 1923. So and the ex-
penditures at $39S, OS9O5.
Improvements to the Home.
In regard to improvements made during
the past year, General Ruggles, governor
of the home, says:
THE extension Of the King building and
the Barnes Hospital and the addition to
the power house have been completed. The
King building is now thoroughly comfort
able, commodious barrack The addition
to the hospital has given. besides other
| improvements and apartments, additional
bath rooms and water closets etherizing,
operating and steriliZing rooms and a we'll
appointed laboratory for clinical micro
scopy and X-ray apparatus, with a photo
graphic department.. The hospital is now
| thoroughly equipped with the latest applt-
ances, and Its capacity has been Increased
forty beds. Its increase in size and useful
ness has neceSSitated the employment Of
twelve additional attendants and one act
ing clinical assistant DR.. w. c. Kellogg
from Johns Hopkins Hospital. was APP
pointed to fill the aforementioned position
on the Sd Of June, 1900.
"A handsome observatory has been erect
ed and will be completed within a few
weeks. A large and commodious stable
and carriage house, removed from the
vicinage of the quarters, has been con-
tracted for. and the work thereon Is now
under way. This building will be COM
pleted early in the coming spring. When
this shall have been ACCOMPLISHED the I'M
suitable and unsightly structures between
| the conservatory and the King building will
be removed and the ground now occupied
by them will be graded and its appearance
improved by lawn and shrubs and flowers
THE completion of the city sewers to the
immediate neighborhood of the Ivy gate
On the Rock Creek Church road. has en-
abed the home within the year to discon-
meet all the officers quarters with cesspools
and to connect them with the sewerage of
the city. The use Of these cesspools has
accordingly been discontinued and thew
| have been filled up.
About two miles of roads and two and
| half miles of cutters have been added
| to the road system during the year.
| Between 5000 and 1900 feet Of cross
| drainage have been constructed to protect
| the roads in the future from the serious
| damage which they have heretofore sustain
| ed by floods and washouts In times of
heavy storms.
| Michigan avenue, which was dangerous to
| health and unpleasant to the sight has
| been drained and entirely removed Pro-
tecting walls have been constructed about
| the bridge at the head Of the large sewer
near Michigan avenue.
| Two hundred young trees have been set
| out along the driveways with a loss of not
over per cent. Five hundred shrubs have
| been planted, and they doing we'll
| Three hundred cords of wood have been
cut and piled from fallen timber, and will
| be held for good market Stumps In great
numbers have been removed from the
| grounds. Current repairs to buildings and
| roads have been carried on to keep the
property in the best condition.
! Report on Inspection.
Inspector General Breckenridge, who re-
| Gently inspected the home, said:
| 1.-The great improvements and repairs ac-
| complished and in prospect. and the fine
spirit In which matters are run, mark the
present administrator Of the home The
expenditures for permanent improvements
during the past year amount to nearly
100000 and each Improvement from green
| house to enlargement Of hospital and bar
| racks, tends to increase the comfort. con-
| tentment and convenience of the men for
| whose benefit this magnificent institution
| was established nearly half a century ago.
| 1t has always been celebrated and never de-
| served its high reputation more than now.
| Much that has been needed long is now be-
| ing accomplished: and it must be pleas
ure to all who are interested in it to see
what seemed SO good can still be improved
| If the home is to be maintained in such an
| expensive location and on land so valuable
| it is seeminly run it on lines In accordance
with its environments, trying always to get q
| full dollars worth for every dollar wisely
expended. The minor items, as to which 1t
may seem some question Is raised are
noted only for such consideration as may
| seem best, recognizing that the general eff
| feet is admirable
| The sanitary conditions of the home are
! described as excellent and Lieut.. Gen
| Miles, as president of the board of commits
sioners, commends the excellent administra-
ton Of the affairs of the home, which, he
says, is evidenced by the fine condition OF
the buildings, roads and grounds.