The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-01-04


in amounts aggregating more than 100000
to be applied to the central heating plant,
widows home. building for matrons.
dining room for employees and road and
walks repair fund. The heating plant is
estimated To cost $4,000, and is urged on
account of convenience and economy. Not
withstandng the home took time by the
forelock and contracted for and procured
1909 tons of anthracite at $50 per ton, the
fuel problem has been this season some
what vexatious. Besides the anthracite.
the home uses tons and tons of soft coal
and cords and cords of wood. the fuel bill
amounting at the end OF the last fiscal year
to 1900 and a few odd dollars. 1t was
quite cheering when the long strike was on
last summer 10 see ton after ton of hard
coal being pulled up the long hill TO be
distributed where use was to be made of
it. but orders had gone out that none OF
this coal should be burned until winter
came on. Therefore, when the thick snow
Is falling and ice is formed everywhere, the
old veterans heart is all aglow because
he has anthracite to burn.
The matrons will insist that the needs of
the Widows Home. and a building for
heating or any other problem. The veteran.
though would prefer an easy way up the
Hill to either heat or more buildings. If
he has had grievance at all the past
year it has been the trick the street-rail-
way company turned upon him. Until about
the beginning of the summer the track
came into the camp from the southwest.
and passengers stepped from the cars on to
level ground with no activity to ascend.
Down on Tecumseh trail, at the main en-
trance of the home. and directly across the
road, the street-railway company owns
a summer resort. The company was i'm
pressed that there was more money In ac-
commodating summer pleasure seekers than
in saving the legs of those who marched
through Georgia the tiresomeness of walk
ing a hill of steep grade. The company
moved its tracks to the trail, and the vet
eran has been swearing ever since.
Friendly relations will not be restored until
the veteran is given the choice of either
walking up or riding up the hill. But
there was one occasion when the hill was
descended and assembled with willingness
and promptness. The summer resort peo-
pie engaged a fine military band and fixed
the prices of admission to the grounds
at a nominal figure. The old soldier, who,
until then, had uninterrupted access, of
course, protested. The manager of the re-
Sort with more tongue than brain, and
more zeal than wisdom said he didn't care
continental for the old soldiers, and
boarded up his gateway With little as
sistance of agitation there would have been
no buildings in the companys park and no
fayette. However, wise counsel prevailed,
and the old soldier entered upon the con-
certs with good humor. He discovered that
he. with his wife, could gather on the
other side of the Trail and hear the music
just as WELL if not better, than those who
were nearer. He not only went down the
hill willingly, but the evenings of the con-
certs you could see him coming from all
directions carrying benches, camp stools.
barrels and boxes for seats. He went on the
principle "if you don't see what you want,
go after it, Yet the future relations be-
tween the Trail and camp. whether friend
ly or hostile. depend upon the method of
getting up hill.
TROUBLESOME BOOKKEEPING
AS a financial unit in the revenue of the
member. Through a system of passes and
Burroughs, for instance, each one of the
| many who have gone out the past two
weeks for any length of time from ten
days to sixty or ninety, using the holiday
occasion to meet with children and grand
children, had to have a furlcugh. They
cease to be, for the length of time they
have gone out of camp, a financial unit.
They must either take care of themselves
be taken care of by their friends, but
the moment they come back they revive
their s12. so a month value to the home. AL
this involves complicated bookkeeping, in
which the man or woman appears as dol
lars and cents based upon reports made to
headquarters every morning Of the num-
Der who pass the night in each cottage or
building. Now, upon these reports reports
In triplicate are made TO the state auditor
and United States government, third
copy being retained by the home authori-
ties; but when the United States govern
ment comes to settle with the State for its
500 year for each soldier taken care Of
the reports made to the auditor of state
are not accepted, the settlement being
made wholly upon the report made to the
government That is why, when the gov
eminent Inspector of soldiers homes visits
the Home. he is very solicitous to have
every man on the roll accounted for, and
then the government settles not only on the
500 a year basis. but upon the length OF
time during the year the veteran is i'm the
home Thus, if Smith was in the home
but eight months of the year, his value to
the home revenue would only be sl25f
ment would pay its eight months proper
ton of the 800 a year.
VIM. A. WILKINS.
To Be Sure.