Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1907-10-04
National Soldiers Homes.


something about the national homes,
how many there are and where they
are, and how many soldiers they &C
commodate? 1t seems as il, the war
being so long past, the homes must
begin to be thinning out in popula-
ton
March 3, 1865, 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, near
Augusta, Me-. was the first branch Of
the national home for volunteers to be
opened 1t was opened for use in 1866
1t has 1894 acres of land and can ac-
commodate 1900 members.
Central branch, at Columbus, Ohio
was the next put into use, i'll 1867, and
was Immediately removed to Dayton
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 hous-
ed in comfort, at times, $3.50 members
Southern branch at Hampton, Va,
was the next home opened in 1870, ac-
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 1855 the government showed It's
care for the health of the veterans by
opening the Pacific branch, near Santa
Monica, Cal. The $50 acres Of this
branch were donated This home can
take care of 1909 members. The
Marion home, near Marion, Ind, was
opened in 1890. 1t can house and care
for 1870 members. The Danville, H.,
home was opened in 1898, and has room
for 2,450 men. Mountain home, near
Johnson City, Tenn, is now under con
struction. 1t is in use, and has been
in use since 1908, though not entirely
finished
In addition to these nine branches
there is now being built, at a cost Of
a million dollars, Battle Mountain san
itarium, at Hot Springs, S. ID. Already
patients are received at this sanitari-
UNI, which is run as one of the adj
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, the
secretary of war, eX-otficiis; Gen. Mar
tin T. Mcmahon, president of the board
Of managers, New York City; Col. John
J. Mitchell, first vice president, Mil
waukee, Wis. Gen. Thomas j. 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 =. Brownlow, Jonesboro, Tenn. ::
Capt. Henry e. Palmer, Omaha, Neb.
General Treasurer-Maj.M Moses Har-
rs. L. s. A.. New York City.
Assistant Inspectors General--Gen.
n. NJ Curtis and Gen. J. L. Richards.
New York City.
Assistant General Treasurer and AS
sistant Inspector General-George b.
Patrick, New York City.-Chicago
Journal.