The Savannah morning news., 1902-04-24

current expenses. but Col. Estill seemed
to voice the general feeling of hope
full confidence when he said he trusted
in Providence and the exertions of the
members-more especially in Provi
dence, to make this deficit good.
The report of DR.. ]. Lawton HERS,
eye, ear, nose and throat physician to
the institution, was read at the meet
ing, showing the operations performed
during the year and the present health
full condition of the boys.
The report of the president gave
general summary of the operations of
the society, in its various departments
and activities, during the course of the
year, the present condition of the or
phanage and it's future prospects for
increasing good. The report which
was read by Col Estill, was as fol-
lows:
The Presidents Report.
Bethesda, April %, 1902.
TO the Members of the Union Society:
We meet to-day to observe the 152nd
anniversary of the Union Society and
the 162nd of the foundation of this or
phanage. With increasing years Be
thesda has become greater and grea ter
in its good work, and it~affords me
pleasure to call your attention to what
hoS DCNu AOIG SlIlCe We i1SI met TO-
wards adding to it's income and thereby
enabling it to increase its usefulness.
By resolution of the Board the lot on
the southwest corner of Whitaker and
York streets. now occupied by the Be
theSda block, was purchased, and
two-story brick building consisting of
four stores and three residence flats
above, of five rooms each, exclusive of
kitchen and bath room, was erected.
The lot and Improvements cost $40, 500,
and the gross rents of the building are
1924. This property vas promptly
rented, and is now bringing a regular
income, thus attesting the wisdom of
the investment. To pay for this we
sold $500 Atlanta and West Point rail-
road, six per cent. debentures, on which
we had to pay state and county taxes,
for which we realiZed$7. 1857. So The be-
quest of the late Mrs. Elizabeth Mills,
amounting to $4,000, and $500 received
from sale of a part of the Springfield
Lots for a right of way to the Union
Station Company, was used, the ball
ance being made up from sales of Sc
curities mentioned in my last report
We have increased the income from
the Whitfield building, and there is a
fair prospect of adding more to it dur
ing the coming year. The Whitfield
annex shows a gross rental during the
year Of 81, 366.40. For further Informal
ton concerning your real estate I re-
specially refer you to the report of the
committee on Finance and Property.
take this opportunity of thanking that
committee and especially it's chairman
Mr. c. H. Dorsett, for the careful man
agement of the real estate of the So
ciety.
Financial Status Improved.
Every effort has been made to in
crease the income of the Society so as
to make its annual receipts equal the
expense of maintaining the Orphan
House at it's present capacity. I think
that we have made good progress on
that line, and hope another year will
show that we shall not have to en-
croach upon our invested funds to meet
the demands upon Bethesda.
The long delayed settlement of the
title to the half interest in the Upper
airy Plantation has been effected, and
we now have a title to the entire prop
erty. The payment due on this half in
terest will be made after the books of
the Treasurer are closed for the year
under review. 1t is now under an Of
fer to parties who wish to buy, and
have named $500 as the price for it,
subject to the approval of the Board of
Managers, and hope before very long to
have disposed of this property and
closed the investment.
To finish paying for the Bethesda
block and meet the increased expense
of maintaining the Orphan House, due
to the high price of the necessities of
life, have had to borrow $4,000. 1 do
not see, at this time, how we are going
to pay this indebtdness, but trusting to
that Providence which has always
cared for the orphan and Bethesda, l
know that it viii come from some
source. In the meanwhile, however, as
I said before, our prospective income
is such that 1 do not think we will have
to run further in debt to maintain the
Orphan House this year. For further
particulars concerning the financial af-
fairs of the Society, l refer you to the
report of the Treasurer.
On April LIST, 1901, we had a balance
on hand of SIG 057.49, which included the
amount of special deposit for school
house. The amount now on hand is
$1O,S5566, which also includes the do
nation referred to and the interest
earned on same.
The Work at Bethesda.
We had on the first of this month
1913 boys at Bethesda. During the year
we admitted so boys, and 40 boys left
the Orphan House. The health of our
wards has been excellent, there being
little or no sickness among them. The
board of physicians has kindly given
the boys their. attention during the
year, and in behalf of them and of
the Society l return them thanks
Miss Nellie K, Chaplin, Matron, who
has since died, and Miss Creech, AS
sistant Matron, resigned during the
year. Miss Williams was appointed
Matron and Miss Florence Adams her
assistant. Both have attended faith
fully to their duties. Mr. w. P. Jones
was appointed principal of the school
to fill vacancy which existed at the
last anniversary. He has given entire
satisfaction, and you will see by the
report of the committee appointed to
examine the school that education is
receiving careful attention at Bethesda.
The farm products. with the excep-
ton of oats, are behindhand. None
of the crops, however, has been in
jured. For further particulars in re-
gard to this branch of Bethesda, 1
refer you to the reports of the chair
man of the farm committee and the
superintendent. call special attention
to the fact that the farm supplies all of
the vegetables used at Bethesda, and
the long forage for the stock.
SOcfety's HOnored Dead.
During the year we lost a number of
members of the Society, all estimable
citizens and the most of them men of
prominence in this community, whose
counsel will be greatly missed, namely,
Ex-President and life member, Col R
d. Walker, the last surviving express