The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1907-09-26

conner, said: Tell me how all this
happened. Were you surprisedT
Surprised A heap worse'n that. I
tell you. 1 was plum astonished to see
them gray fellers. I was, fer a fact,
colonel" the lieutenant answered, with
the air Of one who fully covers the
case.-Success Magazine
National Soldiers Homes.
81 am deeply interested in the Unit
ed States soldiers homes" writes a
veteran reader. ''Will you please tell
something about the national homes.
how many there are and where they
are, and how many soldiers they ac-
commodate? 1t seems as If, the war
being so long past, the homes must
begin to be thinning out In popula-
ton"
March 3, 1866, Congress established
the National Home for Disabled Vol
unteer Soldiers, with provisions allow.
Ing for branches in different parts of
the country as they should be needed
There was already the Soldiers Home
in Washington, founded under the lead
of Gen Scott, for soldiers of the regu.
lar army.
The eastern branch at Togus, neal
Augusta, Me-, was the first branch OF
the national home for volunteers to be
opened. 1t was opened for use In 1866
1t has 1884 acres Of land end can ac
commodate $500 members.
Central branch, at Columbus, Ohio
was the next put into use, in 1867. and
was immediately removed to Dayton
Ohio. This became the largest of all
the homes. Its cost was over a mil
lion and half dollars, and it can take
care of 5000 men.
The same year northwestern branch
at Milwaukee, Wis, was dedicated, and
within its beautiful precincts are nous
ed in comfort, at times, $3.50 members
was the next home opened, In 1870, &C
commodating $3.50. Western branch
near Leavenworth, Kan, followed in
1885, with room for $500. The land
for this home was donated, with char
acteristic Western generosity. 1t has
1856 members.
In 1885 the government showed It.
care for the health OF the veterans by
opening the Pacific branch, near SAINTS
Monica, Cal. The $50 acres of this
branch were donated. This home car
take care of 1909 members. The
Marion home, near Marion, Ind, was
| opened in 1890. 1t can house and cart
for 1870 members. The Danville, ILL.,
home was opened in 1898, and has room
for 2,450 men. Mountain home, neal
Johnson City, Tenn, is now under con
struction. 1t Is in use, and has beer
in use since 1913, though not entirely
finished.
In addition to these nine branches
there is now being built, at cost of
a million dollars, Battle Mountain san
itarium, at Hot Springs, S. d. Already
patients are received at this sanitart
um, which is run as one of the ad,
| juncts, If not as one of the regular
branches, of the national system OF
homes for disabled volunteer sol
diers.
The officers of the national homes are
the following:
| Managers-The President of the
United States, the chief justice, ths
secretary of war, ex-officiis; Gen. Mar
tin I. Mcmahon, president of the board
of managers. New York City; Col. John
]. Mitchell, first vice president, Mil,
waukee, Wis; Gen. Thomas ]. Hender
son, second vice president. Princeton
ILL.,; Col. George w. Steele, secretary
Marion, Ind; Gen. Charles NJ. Ander
son, Greenville, Ohio; Col. Sidney G
Cooke, Harrington, Kan; Maj. William
II. Bonsall, Los Angeles, CAL; Gen j
Marshall Brown, Portland, Me-; Col
Walter p Brownlow, Jonesboro, Tenn.
Capt. Henry E. Palmer, Omaha, Neb.
General Treasucer-Maj. Moses Har
ris, U. s. A., New York City.
Assistant Inspectors General--Gen
n. NJ. Curtis and Gen. ]. T. Richards
New York City.
Assistant General Treasurer and As
sistant Inspector General-George B
Patrick, New York City.-Chicags
Journal. :