The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1901-01-31
The SOldiArsI Homo.

NAAANAAS"A WNAs hOAO Will
never be time in the history of the
country when ii will not be occupied
and used for'its original purpose, and
be filled to its utmost capacity. 1t is
true the veterans are rapidly passing,
but we must remember that there were
more than 100000 volunteers in the
Spanish American war, and that the
regular army is soon to be raised to
something like 100000. 1t has been
our history that we have had war for
every generation, and it is likely that
this will be our history for centuries to
come. We are great people and yet we
are only in the infancy of our great
ness.
| haye before me the report made by
the board of managers for the year
ending June 30, 1900. In the eight
branch homes there were cared for dur
ing the year, 80, b1S members, and show
ing net gain over the number of in
mates for the previous year of 1,343.
In thirty state homes there were cared
for is, 701 members.
The first of these branch homes to be
established after the great war was that
at Togus, Me-, which was opened foi
use in 1866; the Central was located in
Columbus, Ohio, in 1867, and was the
same year removed to the neighborhood
of Dayton where it still remains. The
same year the Northwestern was estab-
lished at Milwaukee, Wis, and in 1870
the Southern branch was established
near Hampton, Va. The Western
branch located near Leavenworth, Kas.,
was opened for use in 1885, and the
Pacific branch near Santa Monica, Cal
was opened for use in January, 1888.
In 1890 the branch at, Marion, Ind,
was opened for use, and in 1897 that at
Danville, ILL.,, was established. The
branch at Johnson City is the first one
authorized in the new century, and af-
ter it, there will probably never he an
other.
The State of Tennessee will be asked
TO cede its jurisdiction to the general
government for the site of the home
and grounds comprising not less than
three hundred acres. This is always
the rule where the United States erects
q building of any kind. In the District
of Columbia there is law which for
bids the sale of any kind of intoxica-
ting liquors within one mile of the gate
of the grounds, but this would hardly
apply in the case of branch located in
one of the states. In the District the
government has control of not only the
home, but of the territory outside,
which is not the case in branch loca.
ted in one of the states.
: The average cost of maintenance PEI
capita for the home, was for the veal
ending June 30, 1900, $3.50. 81, and the
total appropriations for that year fol
all of the eight branches, was "a, 1889,
722.84. 1t can thus be seen that the
: branch at Johnson City will require a
, least half million yearly outlay fol
running expenses, after it shall go into
operation. And here is another poin
which / gather from this report. These
homes have all been quickly erected
: and occupied after the passage OF til,
law authorizing them. The delay Ions
drawn out, which sometimes happens
in the building of great government
; works, has not happened in the setting
: up of these homes, and it will not hap
: pen in this case. In less than tw,
years this new home will be PRACTICAL,
finished and filled with inmates.
= Each of the branch homes has loca
+ board officers, which consists of gov
J, ernor, treasurer, surgeon, quartermas
y ter, commissary of subsistence, assis
Q tant adjutant general, inspector an
;, chaplain. Something like military dis
/ cipline is maintained and the inmate
!, are subject to fines and punishment
:. for attractions of the rules.
IS The food furnished is wholesome
IS we'll cooked and well served. Fac
70 home has its theatre or hall of amust
\ ment, and there is fund out of whic
2 the expenses of such may be betrayed
is There is library in each institution
!. and the spiritual welfare of the inmate
D is looked after by the chaplain and PEI
he haps in some cases by visiting clergy
1t men. There is o laundry maintaine
ID in each of these home, and | think
7, most of them, farming operations al
W carried on. L think all the inmate
Of who are able to perform services of an
10 kind are given the opportunity and r,
ceive reasonable pay for their labor.
find in the report of the Central branc
q staten account with the bakery shol
a. carpenter shop, engineer shop, harnei
N shop, horseshoeing shop, paint shol
"a printing shop, shoe shop, tailor shol
N tin shop and upholster's shop. Ever
y vocation and trade under the sun
represented among these old soldier
IN of the republic, running through Il
=. alphabet from Actors to Weayers.
~ SPECTATOR.
I'd The Bill That Made Johnson City Famou
III "Be it enacted, ETC., That the Boar
>. of Managers of the Home for the Di
abled Volunteer Soldiers are heret