The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1900-11-20

hecn lost upon us. Love will find out q
way. Coming home, | had occasion 10
write to a very prominent business man
in one of our eastern cities, ana btihS
full of the thought of the Home ana us
needs | spoke OF them. IN his reply ne
said:
II an both panied and surprised by
what YOU tell rae Of the necessities OF the
Soldiers Home. Tie impression IS v"r0
wida-enread that the Home was botn es-
tabiished and supported in the most nd
nral manner Nv --, and the people
have refrained from giving as they other
wise would have done on this account :
can YOU not prepare a statement Tor
tho press setting forth the actual condl-
ton Of affairs. l am sure 1t VIII call
forth~a liberal response
at once wrote to -Mr. W. G. Stronach
and asked for an official statement OF
the sources Of income possessed by the
Home: the average monthly expenses,
the number of inmate and the most OBJ
vious needs; also, to suggest in what
way the Daughters of the Confederacy
could give the most efficient aid.
In due time | received the following re-
ply:
Raleigh. n. c., Oct. %, 1900.
MY Dear Miss Cameron:
You put it very clearly when you say
the Soldiers Home has suffered from
misstatements.' l answer your inquiries
as to number of inmates, sources of IN
come, officials, etc, and a few other mat
tiers. as | know you are deeply interested
in it all.
1--WE nave on our rolls between 80 and
90 old soldiers, who have q right TO con-
slider themselves inmates of the Home.
w have an arrangement with the
various railroads of the State whereby
we can obtain passes to any part or the
State for inmates of the Home, enabling
them to visit their friends and relatives,
and thereby relieving the Home OF the
expense of feeding them.
Until the hospital was built We had
only accommodations for about seventy
now we could care for, say 120, if we
had the means to do so.
THE last Legislature appropriated fol-
the maintenance of the Home $40, 600 pei
annum, and $4,000 to build a hospital anG
repair old buildings.
W have kept the old buildings in re
pair, and have, as you have seen, bull
an excellent hospital.
The present appropriation will not d.
more than care for those already ad
mitted. We have on file applications fol
admission of between 40 and 30 more.
ITO meet the requirements necessar!
to accommodate all who wish to come
to the Home, the Legislature should ap
propriate $50, 900 annually for mainte.
| nance, and a sufficient amount for addi
tional necessary buildings. The official:
and regular employees of the institution
are: Two physicians, who are paid $1,000
each annually; a steward, who receive:
$1,000 per month, board. washing. etc.
a r~natron, who receives $1,000 per month
board, washing, etc; also. a cook, wht
receives $14. 90 per month and board; twt
nurses, $500 Per month each and board
five servants, who receive $500 per month
and board; a secretary, who is paid $25. o.
per month only.
In addition to this we pay for sewing
washing, etc, that the servants employed
at the Home cannot do. You will Sc,
from this that our annual expenses o
officials and servants are more thar
50, 600. being about 20 per cent of tn,
amount appropriated for maintenance
This appears to be quite a large slice. bu
we are using every economy possibl,
compatible with the comfort of the in
mates of the Home.
W have appeared repeatedly befor,
the various committees on the Soldiers
Home and appropriations, and have faile'
to arouse any great interest in the Sol
diers' Home.
They have been generous in their ap
preparations to all institutions, white an,
colored, but none to the Home.
1T was our intention to talk this mat
ter over with the Daughters of the Con
federacy at their recent meeting here
but no opportunity Of addressing then
liz q body appeared possible.
we do hope, however, they Will talk
the matter in hand, and thai ever.
Daughter of the Confederacy will Sc
that the Senators and Representative
from the various districts and countie
shall! be informed, and come here wit
their sympathies enlisted in behalf 0
the Home.