The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1902-07-12
THE SOLDIERS HOME AT WASHINGTON.


that General Winfield Scott suggest
ed, IN his annual report to the Secre-
tary of War, the establishment of
soldiers home, but the matter seems
to have been entirely ignored. But
ne was undaunted in his determina-
ton, and after the conquest of the
State and City of Mexico he made as
sessments upon the large towns and
cities occupied by our troops, in pro-
portion to their ability to pay, and
added to this sum moneys received
through capture and the sales of cap
tured good. Portions of the amount
thus accumulated were distributed
among the rank and file, given to the
wounded in the hospitals, or applied
IN other ways, leaving a balance of
some SIG, 900 unused at the close of
the war. After the troops -had-Fe--
turned home General Scott requested
that this money be expended in es-
tablishing such home as he had
previously recommended, and this
fund became the foundation of the
Soldiers Home at Washington.
This sum, augmented by a tax of
twelve cents month on the pay of
privates of the regular army, and the
money received from fines, fcrfeitures
of pay, &c., and the unclaimed pay of
deceased soldiers, brings the amount
to a total of S.. 600. 600.
Soldiers of the regular army who
have served faithfully for twenty
years, or who have become disabled
during service, are entitled to resi-
dence in the Home the remainder of
their lives.
1t also shelters aged and invalid
veterans of the Mexican War. The
number of inmates is usually six hun
dred. They are under a very mild
discipline, are generously provided
for when we'll and tenderly nursed
when sick. The greater part Of the
work about the Home and grounds is
done by the more ab1e-bodied of the
men, liberal compensation being paid
for their labor. The Home is in
charge of governor, who is always
a retired officer of the army, of the
rank of colonel, and is conducted un-
der the supervision of a board of army
officers, at the head of which is the
general in command of the army.
The original tract of land for the
purpose Of the National Soldiers
Home was bought by the Government
in 1851, and this was later added to
by the purchase of Glare Wood"
the farm of w. w. Corcoran. The
grounds now comprise about FIVE hun
dred acres of beautiful, diversified
hill and dale. There are more than
seven miles of broad, wel1-made
drives, shaded by splendid trees, to
which the public has free access at all
times.
The main Home building is of
white marble, three stories in height,
and fashioned after the Norman order
of architecture, with tall central
tower.
On the grounds are several beauti-
full cottages for the occupation of the
officials, a pretty church of Seneca
stone, capacious hospital building,
from the wide verandahs of which
superb view of the Capitol is to be
had; fine library building, we'll
stocked with books and periodicals,
and various other small structures.
Near the main building is the large
cottage frequently used in past years
by the President of the Uniied States
as a summer residence. Pierce was
the first President to pass the summer
here, and Buchanan, Lincoln, Jack
son, Hayes and Arthur all retired at
various times to its quiet, cool COM
fort.
On the brow of one of the hills
stands bronze statue of General
Scott, by Launt Thomas, erected in
1874, at cost of $751; 900.
Beyond the east gate of the Home
is the Soldiers Home Cemetery,
where almost every day the bell tolls
and the flag is lowered to half mast
for the departure of one more of the
fast fading guard of Our Nation S ear
ly defenders.-A. r. E. ~, IN NeaO-
tozOn pa. Enterprise.