The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1900-03-03
FEEBLE MINDED.
Legislators Visit the Public
Institutions at Vine
land.
DOING AN EXCELLENT WORK
New Home for Soldiers and
Their Wives Inspected.

where there is not licensed saloon With
in it's borders, and where they make wine
or ''unfermented grape juice" by the car
load, was ruffied yesterday by an un-
common event. A large delegation of the
Legislature visited this city to inspect the
State institutions located here, and the
good inhabitants gazed upon the states
! men as they drove through the town in
much the same manner that they would
view circus procession.
The Pennsylvania Railroad Company
kindly placed car at the disposal of the
party and when it left Trenton at the rear
of the $3.50 train there were in its seats
| Senators Hutchinson, Stokes, Foster, van
Cleef, Evans and Stokes and Assembly
men Rees, Fleming, Gill; Kirkbride,
Smith, Meeker, Welsh, Blaum, Buck,
Wright, Cooper, Deleat, Weseman, Klein,
| Loudenberger, Moore Horner and Clark
At Camden the car was attached to a
locomotive and ran special to Vineland,
covering the distance of "a miles in 40
minutes The car stopped in front of the
new Home for Soldiers and Sailors and
| their wives
Colonel E. c. Stahl. of this city, who
was the leading spirit in having esta'b-
| took charge of the party, and upon the
arrival at Vineland yesterday morning at
once escorted the visitors to the home
The Soldiers Home rests on high site
and is surrounded by twenty acres of
beautiful orchards and wood land. The
building is of sombre brownish stone.
1t was erected by the New Jersey Metho-
dist Conference for seminary purposes.
Before it was entirely finished on the in
side the Methodists gave up their scheme
of a South Jersey seminary
The uncpmpleted building eventually
came into the hands of the Fathers of
Mercy, and was used as a novitiate for
candidates for ordination in the Catholic
priesthood. For this purpose it was con-
Quoted for four years and then aban-
doned.
1t cost sec, 900 to build but the State
purchased it for s25, 500. after it had been
unoccupied for several years and was
rapidly going into decline.
Already $4,000 additional has been ex-
pended on the building in fitting it up,
and another appropriations will be necces-
sary before the work is finished. When
completed the home will accommodate 200
couples 1t will be tastily finished and
the rooms that have been already been
furnished are marvels of neatness and
comfort
The are seven couples already living at
the home They were very happy looking
yesterday and were loud in their praise of
the institution. Only couples that have
been married twenty-five years or longer
will be admitted, and in every case where
the husband receives a pension from the
federal government SO per cent of the
amount so received is to be retained for
the board of the couple.
Among the improvements, for which an
appropriation is to be asked this year, is
an elevator to convey the aged inmates
to their respective floors. 1t will also
be necessary to complete the furnishing
of the place. 1t is proposed to ask the
Legislature for another $4,000 aDpropri-
alton, which will be necessary to get the
home into full working order.
After dinner at the Soldiers Home Sem
ator E. G. Stokes of Cumberland county
took charge of the party, and they were
driven in carriages through the city to the
New Jersey Training School for Feeble
Minded Children. Much to the surprise
of the visitors they learned while en- route
that this is not a State institution but a
private charity. Stephen A. Garrison of
Millville was a member of the State Leg
islature from 1S45 to 1850. While there he
strove earnestly to secure a State in
stitution for the education of feeble mind
ed children, but was unsuccessful. What
the father failed to secure it was destined
that a son should accomplish. In 1887 the
D Gor nd
Olin turned the old farm homestead into
a private training school. They soon cut
grew their accommodations ami moved
to Vineland After many difficulties and
disappontments had been overcome Mr..
Garrison succeeded in securing some cap
ital buildings and land. May, 1888, the as
sociation which controls the institution
was organized and the home opened. All
the State has to do with the institution
is to pay for the children which it sends
there, and the Governor is ex officio
member of the Board of Directors.
AS the procession of carriages entered
the grounds it was met by uniformed
band, which escorted it to the build
ings. A small boy in a gray cadet suit re-
spIendent with brass buttons WIS drum
major and the way he manipulated his
baton was a wonder.
Where do you get that band?' asked
one of the visitors Of Senator Stokes.
sIn the institution, was the reply, sit is
composed Of feeble minded boys who have
been under instruction some years.
1t would take page of the. Jersey
City News, to do ample justice to this
institution and it is safe to say that few
citizens of New Jersey realize what a
good work it is doing in this State. The
institution is conducted on the Cottage
system The cottages are beautifully con-
strllcted, the principal ones having been
erected by private individuals. The cot
tages are elaborately furnished. They
are buff brick and are finished through
out in hard wood. With most of the cot
tages is connected some interesting story.
One of them was erected by the Rev.
r. D. Moore AN Ohio Presbyterian minis
ter. who has a feeble minded son. Mr..
Moore built and furnished the cottage on
an extensive scale and has also erected
for himself a comfortable home at Vine
land. in order that he may be near his
unfortunate son. The boy has suite of
rooms in the cottage.
A new administration building to cost
$4,000 is just being completed, the
money having been given by B. p.
Maxim, one of the greatest benefactors
OF the institution.
There are ii the school 2se pupils, rep