Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1909-11-19
HOME IN FINE SHAPE

Board Approves of Work Done By Com
mandant Geddis and Compliment
Him Highly at Last Meeting.
Many Improvements and Large Amount
of Work Done at Minimum Expense
--Now Thoroughly Renovated.
With winter starting, the State
Soldiers Home at this place is in
better shape to care for the old boys in
blue than ever before. Commandant
j. B. Geddis has had force of men
busy for the past two months making
needed improvements of which men,
tion was made in these columns some
time since. He has personally super
vised every piece of work, and, as was
his intention, the work was completed
by the first of this month. A few of
the facts that were pleasing to the
Board was the exceedingly low ex-
penditure for the improvements and
work, in most cases the amount being
far below the appropriations. Some
changes were also made i'm the arrange
ment of the offices and officers quart
ers. The commandments and adjutant's
offices have been moved from the two
rooms on the southeast corner of the
main building to the adjoining rooms
north on the same floor, the com.
mandant's former office now being used
by the seargent. The parlor was moved
accross the hallway and part of the
chapel partitioned off for this purpose
New furniture and carpets have been
purchased for the offices and for the
officers quarters as we'll as in many
other parts of the building. Every
thing has been thoroughly renovated
and cleaned and presents homelike
appearance as we'll as being cozy and
comfortable. At the present time
there are enrolled on the books of the
Home 212 members present with forty.
five on furlough. New members are
coming in daily and it Is expected that
q full enrolment of about $50 will be
registered within few weeks.
The following is report of the COM
mittee on Improvements submitted to
the Board at their meeting last week
and will give those interested an idea
of the work done and the cost of same:
ITO the Honorable Board of Com.
missioners of the South Dakota State
Soldiers Home
Gentlemen:-Your committee to
whom was referred the report Of j. b.
Geddis, Commandsnt, beg to submit
the following on repairs and improve
ments, authorized by you at your June
meeting
We find that the "court" Tor back
yard) has been covered with a cement
floor, and with bitches draining all
back of main building and what was
known as the old hospital building.
About 1000 feet Of cement work.
We find new spouting on the quarter.
master and bake shop buildings. oon-
nected with iron pipes under driveway.
connecting with drainage ditch.
We tind the driveway maoadamized
and in good condition, preventing for
all time any seepage that would be un-
sanitary or unsightly.
We find the building known as the
''Aunty" building, adjoining the old
hospital, has been removed some 400
feet south and is being converted into
two cottages for the benefit of com
rades and their wives.
We find that the laundry building
has been moved in line with the main
building and the machinery set in
good cement floor.
We find that in the space between
the engine room and laundry there has
been erected building to be used as
workshop and store room for repairs
for the engineer, with good cement
floor covering the entire surface.
We end that the leanto adjoining the
Ice house Is converted into storage
room for sugar and -four, faced and has
good cement floor which makes il
absolutely rat proof
We find painted in good workman
like manner the porch of the old
hospital building, also the porch OF
main building.
We find the grading Rround the new
hospital to be in good condition
necessitating the hauling Of some l5O(
loads Of filling.
We find one cement walk leading
from the old hospital building, four fee,
wide and ITO feet long, also walk lead
ing from end of walk running from
main building nine feet wide and 12Ofee
long to new hospital. We find also gooe