Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1904-02-25
OFFICIAL PAPER OF AUDUBON COUNTY
AND OF THE TOWN OF AUDUBON.
At the Capitol.

say this session is making good
start on being political and business
session. Some weeks ago it promised
to be rather unimportant session,
but suddenly and without warning it
developed into session of consider
able Importance, several bills being
introduced of much more than ordin-
airy Importance. The railroad ques-
tions have doomed up into big proper
tions. The question of establishing
a state hospital for consumptives is
proving to be of considerable interest.
The appropriations for the state
institutions always make subjects of
controversy" The managers of the
institutions are acquainted with the
needs of these institutions and are
ambitions to push TEEN along to
larger measures of success. So they
often ask for much larger appro-
priations than the state can give.
Some of these institutions are already
about large enough and have facilities
enough to meet the demands in their
line, while others are in capacity very
much below the needs. TO help the
appropriations committees arrive at
a better knowledge of these compar-
alive needs, the appropriation com
mittees of the two houses were divided
into subcommittee each to visit a
| TO RI hn
writer to visit the Boys Industrial
School at Eldora.
| While on the way to Eldora our
sub committee spent few hours at
| Marshallton and went out to the
Soldiers Home and, by courtesy of
the commandant, Col. Horton, looked
the home over. There are about 800
inmates. OF course nearly all of them
| are men who have no homes of their
| own, or have limited means of support.
The state of Iowa is thus undertaking
to see to it that those who gave their
services in their early manhood to the
country shall not go down in old age
without the comforts of life. We are
proud that we live in state that so
cares for our country's defenders.
The inmates, of course, are all old
men. They are we'll cared for in most
ways. They need some more facilities
there and this legislature will see that
| they are provided. They ask for
additional room so those veterans
who desire to can bring their wives
with them. About seventy five have
their wives there now. Then addition
al hospital service is badly needed.
One sad part of the inspection of this
institution is the great number of
physically incapacated men there.
This is natural and the main object of
the home is to care for them. These
old men must be given proper care.
Col. Horton and his helpers conducted
their work we'll. We passed through
the dining room when it contained
400 or 800 men who were eating supper.
AS a rule these gray veterans are
intelligent and happy old fellows.
The Industrial School for boys at
Eldora contains 500 inmates. They
are from nearly every county in the
state. They are from eight to twenty
one years old. They are boys who
have become bad and in some instances
have become involved in crime. This
institution is doing one of the best
works of any in the state. Boys are
often rescued by it and started on
the road to responsibility, good citi-
zenship and success. The superin-
tendent, Mr.. Miles, has had charge
there for about twenty years and he
and his wife are very successful in
their work. The institution is, to
greater extent than we supposed, an
industrial school. Trades are taught,
the boy being allowed to select his
choice. They do their own work there
as much as possible, so they are able
to turn out well equipped tradesmen
in many lines. Shops are being
instituted and these opportunities
increased. These trades now include
blacksmiths, carpenters, painters,
paper hangers, wagon makers,
gardeners, stock raisers, farm hands,
laundrymen, bakers, butchers, table
walters, musicians and many others.
One half the day is spent in school
and the other half at these industries.
The thought of prison is banished as
much as possible. However, there is
order and discipline. These ,subcom-
mittees now have their reports in and
the appropriation committees are
formulating their reports to the two
houses.