Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-02-14
CAPITAL CHAT.
Condition and Expenses Of
National Home at Togus.
Total Of 1922 Men Have Been
Admitted to Home.
Congress Making Good Progress and
Little Talk of Extra Session.

Washington, Feb. 13.-(SpeciaD.-A
very complete statement of the opera
ton and expenditures of the Soldiers
Home at Togus for the year has just
been printed here for the use of Con-
gress. However, there has been a de-
parture from the usual custom of print
ing in detail the inspectors report and
instead the annual report is filled with
tables of figures.
1t is pointed out that the membership
Of the Home has not changed material
~ remaining at the last account at
1863. whereas the previous year it was
1854. That was the aggregate present,
while the membership present and alb
sent was 2793 and the average present
and absent last year was PISS.
when it is considered" says this
report. that the present capacity of
the branch is only about 2200 beds, it
is readily seen that we have been at
times very crowded and are in need of
still further barrack accommodations.
The appropriation made by the last
session of Congress for new barrack
may relieve the crowded situation
somewhat, but even that is doubtful, as
many places are now being occupied for
sleeping quarters which are not we'll
adapted for the purpose and the pres
sure for admission seems to increase
yearly"
A review is made of the improve
ments for the past fiscal year including
the cost of a new road across the res
ervation to the eastward of the Home
grounds proper, at a cost of $4292.13.
This and change of the public high
way are calculated to relieve the travel
through the busy part of the grounds.
The cost of the new quarters for the
commissary of subsistence was $4,000,
and the new boilers installed in the
main heating plant cost the govern
ment $6674. The repairs to the refriger-
ating plant cost $4653.4S.
Col. S. HI. Allen, the governor of the
Home. in making his report includes 9.
letter written by George HI. Bailey,
State veterinarian, June 1 last, in
which he praises the fine condition OF
the herd of cows at Togus, and the fine
sanitary condition of them. The veter-
marian also mentions their wonderful
milk producing qualities, and expresses
the belief that it would be. a great ben
eft if those cows could be exhibited at
some of the annual State and county
fairs.
The figures given for the operations
of different branches of the Home, in
Guiding the bakery, harness shop,
horseshoeing shop, printing shop, shoe
shop, tailor shop, and numerous other
departments of activity are in much
detail but the value and significance of
them are lost to considerable extent
by reason of the delay in making the
figures public so that one may consult
them only six or eight months after
they have been made up.
The aggregate number of veterans
admitted to the Home from the date of
its organization to June last was Is, 1872.
The largest number of that total was
Of soldiers who served in Massachu-
sets regiments, 5688 in all or some
thing over one-third. Soldiers of New
York regiments came next in numbers,
being 1884, and soldiers from Maine
regiments next, being 2062. OF the to-
tai of 1879 soldiers from other state
regiments were: Rhode Island, S53;
New Hampshire, III; Pennsylvania,
6lG: New Jersey, 440; Vermont, 2Os:
Illinois. 114 District of Columbia, "a
California, So; Wisconsin, 40. Thirty
nine states in all have been represented
among the soldiers admitted. Arkansas
had /; Idaho. /; Mississippi, 1; Wyo-
ming, North Carolina. South Carolina,
Virginia. Nebraska and Nevada, two
each; Oregon. Texas and Washington,
one each. Ninety-six soldiers from
Ohio regiments have been at some time
Continued on page 81