The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-09-11
APPEAL FOR THE VETS
NECESSITY FOR SOLDIERS HorrR
 ARE PRESENTED.
Captain !. M. Falkner Writes Pathetic Plea for His Indigent Old Comrades to the Legis-
 lature of Alabama.

In behalf of the indigent Confederate
 soldiers of Alabama the following print. 1 ed appeal was laid on the desks of the
 members of the Legislature yesterday
 morning:
 To the Legislature of Alabama: l The necessity for a Home for indigent l ex-Confederate soldiers has been empha.
 sized in so many ways for number of
 years past that 1t must be now recor-
 nized by practically all of our people. No other fact Is necessary to demonstrate this necessity than the mere statement
 that two years ago there were not less
 than 1C0 ex-Confederate soldiers in the | several poor houses of the different coun- ties of this State.
 While there Is no question but that the | State of Alabama has always been ready
 to make the very best provision possibie | for the needy ex-Confederate soldiers yet
 the fact that there were so many without
 homes. without families, without friends. without money or property, and who were unable t1 supply their wants by their la- DOT. seems not to have been generally
 known until comparatively recent date
 While the money distributed as pensions
 by the State of Alabama to the needy ex- confederate heroes is a great blessing to
 many, still there is a class whose wants are not and cannot be supplied by means of this pension fund. In this class are those who have no homes no families. no relatives. no friends, no money or prop erty, and who are too feeble to work and earn living.
 To relieve this class of worthy men, on the 1th of April. 1902 the Confederate camp of which am a member. with only few dollars in the treasury, with a set of plans for building. and with unbound Cd faith that the good people of Alabama would rally to the support of such an in- stitution. commenced a Home, and since that date twelve beautiful buildings have been erected. consisting of a store-house, combined stable, barn and wagon house, a poultry house, seven beautiful cottages, each consisting of four living rooms, din- ing rooms and kitchen. bath rooms, clos cts and the like. and one large headquar- ter memorial building. One cottage was burned, but 1t has been replaced with really handsomer and better building. Each of these cottages, with one excep- tion, cost not less than 5000. We have eighty acres of land, a pair of splendid mules, one carriage, two wagons. eight milch COWS. We have cleared land and provided truck patches, gardens and orchards, which have afforded us abund- ant vegetables during last year and this: anu WHiie tue f1Offle ndS never been IOE- mally dedicated or opened. we have had from twelve to twenty old soldiers there, having taken a few as early as the 3Oth of May last year. We now have room for fifty old soldiers, besides ample room for a superintendent and matrori, hut we have not filled up the home with inmates for the simple reason that the funds re- ceived have not been sufficient to feed so many and continue to erect the necessary buildings.
 There are now nearly. if not quite loo people who are asking for admission into the Horne. Their applications. which are sworn to by them and witnessed by oth- CTS having knowledge of their condition, show that they are old and feeble, With out families. without relatives, or any one able ao supply their needs. and that the applicants are too feeble to earn living.
 These people must go into Home pro- vided for them, or must go to or remain in the poor houses in their respective counties. In many of the letters of the applicants such statements are made, that the wife and children are all dead, II have no property. am unable to work for Gods sake help me-" In some in- stances the statement is made that the applicant has one or more brothers and sisters, but that they are as poor as the applicant, and are unable to help. In many instances that have come under our immediate observation these men are feeble in mind as we'll as in body. They realize that to a large extent their lives have been failures. and that the future gives them no hope. It is our duty to render their declining days as bright and happy as possible.
 In the management of the Home, 1t is absolutely essential that there shall be a superintendent who can have a watch ful care over its affairs at all times. There must be a matron to see that the rooms are properly kept, that the bedding shall be clean, and that the clothing of the inmates is kept in proper order. There must be a physician to prescribe for these | men when they are sick; there must be servants to cook and wait on them; oth- | erwise they will go unserved.
 The Dill how pending before the House | provides for an appropriation of $l0 a | month for each inmate, and out of this | all of the expenses are to be paid, in- ,luding the salary of supersltendent, ma | iron. physician servants, feeding. cloth- | ng, medicines and the like. Besides this | if a death shall occur, the burial ex- pense must be paid out of this | But 1t Is believed | that with truck patches, gardens. cows, |
  strict economy to get along with this | amount.
 Alabama pays 30 cents day for feed | ing State prisoners confined in the jails, | and the cost for caring for indigent con- victs Is more than is asked for these old | soldeirs
 An appropriation of $25.OOO is asked for | In the bill to enable sufficient additional buildings to be erected. The property is now reasonably worth $2O.OOO, and Is sit- uated in one of the most delightful and healthy regions of the State of Alabama. with pure atmosphere and with the very best of water. and before any of the appropriation will be available. 1t is pro- yided in the bill before you that the legal title shall be conveyed to the State of Alabama, and the whole institution will be under the absolute control of the State of Alabama.
 The buildings already erected are of such character that when this trust Is ended the property can be devoted to other and similar trusts.
 If each and every inmate or applicant |