The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-11-18
reply: I'VE need everything, and need


it right away"
Just at that moment some of the ladies
began singing THE Bonny Blue Flag"
One after another of the veterans join
| ing in the chorus.
Dixie" followed and then came the
"Rebel yell," in our honor.
At the sound of those broken, quavering
voices the mists of thirty-five years rolled
back and J saw those broken and feeble
| old men once more in the pride and
vigor of manhood, the flower and strength
| of youth, yea, even of boyhood, for we'll
| do l remember a downy-cheeked, blue
eyed boy of fourteen, who, early in 1867,
marched gaily away to the call OF the
| bugle and won his spurs four years be-
| fore he had the right to cast vote; ana
l remembered that they were Of the men
who had made possible our proudest
boast:
First at Bethel, farthest at Gettys-
burg; last at Appomattox"
They were the men who went-10O00
more than the State had voters-to the
front.
They were the men in whose hands
were held half of the muskets that Lee
surrendered at Appomattox.
And how does the State reward them?
How? Why, with scant thanks, and
scanter rations. They are made to feel
in ten thousand ways, that they are bud
dens upon an unwilling public. There
is a mean, narrow, grudging spirit shown
in what little is done for them. The
effort seems to be to do the least posi-
BILE. Yet these men, at the call of the
State sprang forward, without invitation,
and gave their all without stint, stand
ing for four long years wall of steel
| between us and the foe.
1t is shame! A crying shame, and a
| public disgrace to treat them so. There
was not woman in that gathering whose
face did not burn with shame, and whose
heart did not swell with Indignation and
sorrow, that such valor such patriotic de-
votion should be so little priced, SO i'll
requited.
If we could control legislation; if we
could make. appropriations the old SOL
diers, God bless them! should never know
another want.
AS rule, women have so little to give,
they handle so little money of their own;
but the object-lesson we had has not
been lost upon us. Love will find out
way. Coming home, 1 had occasion to
write to a very prominent business man
full Of the thought of the Home and it's
needs. l spoke of them. In his reply he
said:
II am both panied and surprised by
what you tell me of the necessities of the
Soldiers Home. The impression is
widespread that the Home was botn es-
tablished and supported in the most 1iD-
eral manner by --, and the people
have refrained from giving as they other
wise would have done on this account
Can you not prepare a statement for
the press setting forth the actual condi-
ton of affairs. l am sure it will call
forth a liberal response
at once wrote to Mr.. w. c. Stronach
and asked for an official statement of
the sources of income possessed by the
Home; the average monthly expenses,
the number of inmates 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 I 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
ters, as l know you are deeply interested
in it ALL
eve have on our rolls between 80 and
80 old soldiers, who have right to con-
slider themselves inmates of the Home.
1--WE have an arrangement with the
various railroads of the State whereby
we can obtain passes to any part of 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 for
the maintenance of the Home 10000 per
annum, and $1,000 to build hospital and
repair old buildings.
eve have kept the old buildings in re-
pair, and have, as you have seen, built
an excellent hospital.
''The present appropriation will not do
more than care for those already adj
mitted We have on file applications for
admission of between 40 and 80 more.
ITO meet the requirements necessary
TO the Home. the Legislature should APP
propriate $4,000 annually for mainte-
nance, and sufficient amount for addi-
tional necessary buildings. The officials
and regular employees of the institution
are: Two physicians. who are paid $4,000
each annually; steward, who receives
$4,000 per month, board, washing, ETC..
matron, who receives $1,000 per month,
board, washing, ETC.; also, a cook, who
receives $14.00 per month and board two
nurses, $1,000 per month each and board
live servants, who receive $500 per month
and board; secretary, who is paid $25. 90
per month only.
"In addition to this we pay for sewing.
washing, etc. that the servants EMPLOYED
at the Home cannot do. You will see
from this that our annual expenses of
officials and servants are more than
$2,CCO being about 20 per cent of the
amount appropriated for maintenance.
This appears to be quite a large slice but
we are using every economy possible
compatible with the comfort of the in
mates of the Home.
1--WE have appeared repeatedly before
the various committees on the Soldiers