The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1906-11-09
SOLDIERS HOME.
some Facts About this State In-
slisutlOn.

St1tOtIOn.
AS there are number Of OLD
soldiers of the civil war from
his locality who are enjoying the
privilege of the soldiers home
at Hot Springs, the following
excerpts from Commandant
Goddard's annual report, as
published by the Hot Springs
Star, may prove of interest to
our readers, and the TACT that
Col. Thos. Fitch of this city is a
memb Der of the board who has
charge of the home, lends addi-
tiona! interest to the report.
"Commandant Goddard submitted
) his financial report to the. commits.
sioners of the Soldiers Home at their
meeting last June. 1t covers the
period from July lst, 1904 to July 30,
1906. We excerpt the following from
the report:
the daily average number of members
present, including two regular army
soldiers, 14S.
/ During the second year of this
period the daily average number
of members present was ISL, an in
crease of 80 members over the first
year.
| The maximum number present at
one time during the first year, was
100 members. The maximum number
present at one time during the second
year was 22S members: an increase of
80 members.
! The largest number of members pre-
sent at any time in the history of the
Home prior to the last year covered
by this biennial period, was 200
members in 1891: so last winter when
we had present at one time 22S mem
bers, we had % more members present
than ever before.
| During the first year of this bienni-
al period, we had in the employ of the
Home daily average of 9 civilians,
| not members OF the Home; and during
the second year of this period daily
average of eleven such civilians.
During the first year of this period
the Home subsisted eight cottage wo-
meE the wives of members occupying
Home cottages); and during the
second year twelve.
During the entire time the Home has
| subsisted on an average four children.
So the first year OF this period the
Home family comprised daily aver
age OF l69 persons; and the second
year daily average o: 217 persons, a
gain of 48 persons.
The cost of subsistence purchased
the first year was Sl1, ,8N.13, being
3. 1913 per person per day.
The cost of subsistence purchased
for the second year was 81, ,44O. II, be-
ing 1923 per day for each person,
which is little less than ST cents per
meal for the two years.
Everything in the line of Subsistence
used at the Home is purchased-ex-
cept milk and q small amount of fruit
grown on our young orchard, not
neither farm nor garden. We raise
neither beef, pork nor fowls; as most
Soldiers Homes do where they have
farms and gardens Hence it takes
more money to subsist our people
than it does where they have these
| advantages. Still It we had water we
could raise vegetables and fruit.
| Last winter we were very much
oyer crowded: every room was full,
with two in the halls, and the rooms
were too much crowded, In the main
building uncomfOstably SO, and in the
hospital dangerously so. We we're
compelled to crowd two each in q
number of the rooms at the hospital,
only large enough and only intended
for one person: OF course this was
neither pleasant nor sanitary for the
occupants.
Our population will probably still
increase in membership, and certainly
in employees; If so we will be cOmpell-
ed to have more room or to turn away
applicants for membership.
The average age Ofthecivsl war men,
observation-disclosures lacks . fraction of q
year OF being three score years aud ten.
Ninety eight members are past seven
ty years old: forty sixof them are past
seventy five years old and eighteen of
them are past eighty years old: ard
only thirteen of them are short Of six
ty years old. A few are mentally,
and many are physically incapable OF
taking care of themselves because of
the infirmatles OF age, and of course
they will continue to grow more aged
and more feeble until the Home will
be hospital simply. 1t is now i'm
to do the work aud nursing for the
there is very little of that, at this
writing not member out of 165 pres
ent being In bed sick, but because of
old age and feebleness. Hence would
recommend the immediate building of
an additional hospital building large
enough to accommodate at least one
hundred persons and sufficient mum.
ber of nurses TO take care OF them.
We need more helm at better wages
We are now paying from $40 to s25
per month for help in the hospital.
and outside the hospital, with the ex-
ception of the chief cook and chief
engineer, from So to $25 per month.
OF course we can employ none but
members and women at these figures,
and it has to be q special case If we
can get woman or girl at these fig-
ures. Cow boys and sheep herders
are paid $40 per month and hotel girls
| $25 per month in this part of the state.