The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1906-11-15
VT. SOLDIERS
HOME REPORT
Vermont's Best Managed
Public Institution.
IS IN GOOD CONDITION
Home Has More Application, for
Admission Than II Can
Accommodate.

| Ah' bt'hhAai tNH'lN " bh' hAAsAafa w
the Vermont Soldiers Home ut Ben.
ninRton follows.
"Untll about three years ago the
Home received substantial assistance
toward is funds by being entitled TO
receive one half OF the pensions OF the
inmates; bu! this source Of Inc )me was
taken away by act OF Congress, dcpriy.
ing the Home OF IN income which be
fore the enactment OF that law amount.
cd 10 about $500 year, land OF
course lessened the expense 20 the state
that extent;) u pernIcIous law In ll'
general effect on the inmates but oLe
not likely TO be repealed.
"No other state In the Union having
Soldiers Home, land such homes
are now established In nearly II not
quite all the states north OF Mason
and Dlxon's Line, has cared for It's
veterans at so slight an aggregate ex.
pense rs has ours. In most OF them
the initial expense OF land aud build.
ings before an Inmate was received has
exceeded the entire cost OF our 10
year. During this period from May
|, 1887, which was the date when we
first began TO receive inmates, Though
the board was incorporated In 1891 ~
June 30, 1906, there have been S92 vet
Grams received aud cared Tor by this
home. There were on the roll June 30,
1906, 90 INN ites. OF these there we're
present at the Home ej; absen. on fur
loughs 25. The largest number on the
rolls at any time during the last bIen
NAL term was LOG. Nov. IL, 1905. To-
tai number OF deaths TO June 30, 1906
1893.
There does not seem 10 be any pros
pect OF a material diminution OF the
numbers we shall be called upon to
care for, for several years yet TO come.
The membership has varied little dur.
log the past six years, and has not
diminished during the past two years.
Vermont veterans now being cared for
by other state or national homes are
constantly making applications TO be
transferred to this home, desire which
II we pandered to itwould fill our home
much beyond its present capacity. We
therefore discourage the idea as much
as possible.
"In the ulbllment OF the trust con
fded to our care we have endeavored
TO be as economical as possible and
carry out intentions set forth In the
act OF Incorporation maintaining
comfortable and pleasant home for de.
serving soldiers and sailors. That we
have succeeded in fair degree we are
confident from the expressed approval
OF Gen Curtis, Uaited States inspector
OF state and national homes, who COM
mended our home as one OF the best and
most economically conducted OF the
state homes.
1.-THE cost per capita for the year
ending June 30, 1906, was s23S.7l which
includes every expense connected with
the home; but OF this cost the national
government paid 500 SO that the actu-
al cost TO the state was only sl3S.7l.
| 1--WE deem IL the exercise OF prudence
and good judgment to ask at your
hands the same amount OF appropris
ton for the years 1907 and 1908 as was
appropriated for the years 1905 and
1906 which is the same that has been
appropriated on each biennial period
Tor several years past, namely $A, 200
or sl2 900 for each year, assuring you
we shall draw from the treasury only
so much OF 1t as actual needs shall de.
mand.
ut would be unjust to two very COM
petent and faithful public servants to
close this report without word Of
special commentator OF Col and Mrs
Harmon. respectively, superintendent
and matron OF the Home. They have
discharged their trying duties to the
full satisfaction, both .of the inmates
and of the trustees.
"We again thank the newspapers of
the state for the free copies of their
publications sent to the Home. They
are exceedingly welcome to the inmates
being like letters from home to them in
detailing the events transporting in the
communities from which they have
come. The GAR. and W.R.C. and
other charitable associations and in
diviouals have also been generous in
their rememberances, for which on be
half of the inmates we extend our sim
cere thanks"
Superintendent's Report
The report of Superintendent TIL ON.
as Harmon to President Hugh Henry
contains a complete inventory of the
stock and farming implem ents belong
ing to the home and complete list of
all the bills paid during the Two years.
The superintendent states that the in
dicatipns for tho nrespnt winter are