Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-06-28
IRE SOLDIERS HOME
Report OF Committee That Se-
cured Liberal Appropriations
for Veterans.
This and Other Interesting Mat.
ter Embodied in Proceedings
OF Encampment.
Blackmore's Candidacy for Rail-
road Commissioner Not Re-
garded in Good Faith.
Special to Times Republican

the assistant adjutant general on th.
proceedings of the department encamp.
ment, G. A. r. is in the hands of thu
printer and will be out in very shor
time. The report will be an interest
ing one in many ways. The fine ad
dress of Gen. Dodge will be included ir
the whole and all the reports of officers
and committees made to the encamp.
ment. The visiting committee OH the
Iowa Soldiers Home at Marshalltowr
was in fact not made to the encamp-
ment at the proper time because Mr.
Grape, who was to have prepared the
report, was unavoidably detained al
1t has just been made out and forward
ed and will appear in the department
records in its proper place. 1t is as fol-
| lows:
I Your committee take pleasure in pre-
senting to this encampment report OF
more than ordinary interest. Upon Wis
! iting the Home and investigating its
conditions and inquiring particularly as
to its needs in the way of enlargements
and Improvements the committee was
! impressed with the wisdom of the sug-
! gestions made by the commandant and
resolved to go to Des Moines to urge
upon the general assembly the necessity
| Of making the full appropriations asked
| for.
Department Commander Metzgar and
Honorable G. S. Robinson, member of
the board of control, met with the COM
nlittee at Marshalltown, and joined in
presenting the arguments to the appro-
priations committees of both branches
of the general assembly in favor of the
large appropriations desired for the
Soldiers Home.
1t is simple Justice TO say that the
board, Of control recognized the neces-
sity of every appropriation asked for,
and in the most cordial manner gave
them the benefit of their recommends
ton. Our mission secured for us every
where friendly welcome and a sympa-
thetic hearing. That such large appro-
priations were made for the Soldiers
Home speaks volumes for the patriot
ism of the Twenty ninth general as
sembly. The list of appropriations Sc
cured is as follows:
Assembly hall and equipment ..s1s,0O0
Additional hospital facilities -. 10000
Laundry bldg, equipment, etc .. 5000
New kitchen. equipment, etc.,. 5000
Ice house and cold storage 49,. 1000
E,nlarging boiler house, new boil
er. etc ......... 1850
New bath tubs, stools, etc. ...... 1000
Elevator for main building :. -. $500
Tunnel steam connections, etc >. 2,200
Total 'i2oO
AS the necessities in the way of inn
provements are urgent the general as
sembly has wisely permitted the eNpen-
diture of the entire appropriation dur
ing the present year, with the single
exception of the s3,500 for elevator in
the main building. BY this generous
act the Soldiers Home secures the
largest expenditure during the present
year of any institution in the state. The
reason of this is apparent. The inmates
of the home average about IS years of
age They are rapidly passing iawy,
Still it makes the old SOL
ders hearts feel warmer to know that
the people of Iowa are so considerate
of the comfort of their disabled COM
rades.
On March 4, 1902, there were 705 men
women present at the home
"a total of 7S2. There were thirty
eight absent on leave. AS the weather
grows warmer many comrades leave the
home to visit with their friends. AT the
present time therefore the above total
is reduced fully $50.
On March there We're ninety-one
men and six women sick in the hospital |
the present number is seventy two.
The number of deaths in the past |
eleven months has been forty eight
men and four women.
The management of he home during
the past year has been very satisfac-
tory. The inmates almost universally |
testify that they are satisfied with what |
they receive and that the commandant
and his assistants are uniformly kind
and considerate and disposed to do ev-
;lything they can for their comfort.
The hospital accommodations have
lot been adequate, but this will be
by the new appropriation.
The kitchen, laundry, bath room clos
sts ETC., have heretofore been cramped
md inconvenient and in some respects
title short of a nuisance, but these
lcfects are all to be remedied now
ma another winter will find the Home
much more convenient and attractive
II many respects. 1t is not practicable
or us to enter into detail with refer
nee to all the changes and improve
nents to be made at the Home as
'esult of the appropriations recently
secured. 1t is enough to say that in
securing them the main thought in
mind was that they would contribute
II no small degree to the comfort and
happiness of the inmates.
In concluding this report 1T affords
our committee great satisfaction in
aging that the state of Iowa is for
unate in having its Soldiers Home in
uch capable and sympathetic hands,
nd the old soldiers are to be congrat-
Ilated that in their treatment or the
Home the board of control and general |
ssembly are SO fully in accord with