Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-09-15

! hospitals and laboratories, and the
fGovernor and the officers took great
pains m explaining to me the CONVEX.
1 fences and workings of the Home.
/ could not find the cotnrade purporting
to have written the above lettSr. The
[only comrades that | found dissatisfied
with the home We're those complaining
| that the canteen had been abolished. 1
| found the Home well equipped and
with all the conveniences necessary for
| a Home. l went to the dining room
when dinner was served, and l asked
many of the comrades If it was the
| usual dinner for that day. there being
| a menu for each day in the week, and
was Informed by one and all that it
was, and no complaint could or would
De made by any Inspector with the
dinner and the manner in which it was
served. The Governor and Surgeon in
charge kindly and cheerfuily answered
all questions put by me, and gave me
| all the information that 1 desired in
the proper investigation of The Home
cared for in the National and State
Homes for the year ending June 80,
1905, was $685. a gain over the previ-
Gus year of $685.
l foHnd that the act of Congress APP
| proved May rs, 1908. which requires
| that the pension of members OF State
Soldiers Homes shall be paid directly
to the pensioner, has been compiled
with by the authorities OF these
Homes; but it is generally condemned
as being of no benefit to the members
and on; ha c RI fhA mi, no
mcnt. 1t has necessitated changes in
the rules anu regulations of nearly all
of the State Homes, as the disburse-
ment of pension money to members
was formerly to a large extent con-
trolled by the Home authorities, partly
for disciplinary purposes and partly
for the protection of members who are
incorporated by infirmities and there
fore require assistance and supervision
in the care of their pension. In some
instances 9hfortunates who could be
kept in tlfesfIome as long as the dis
bursement of their pension was under
control now have to be set adrift be.
cause of dissolute habits and conse-
quent interference with the comforts
Of others:
l also lind that under the provisions
of the act approved Feb. &C. 1881, as
amended by act approved Aug. Z, 1882,
the Treasurers of the several branches
of the Home have received from the
Pension Agents during the year PEN
sion money belonging to the members
to the amount of $4,269,6SS.12 OF this
sum SO, 17ST26.12 has been paid to mem
berS, and 81, 022, a0297 sent, at the re-
quest of the members, to their families
and dependent relatives. I find by the
report of the President of the Board
under the authority conferred upon
him by the law, that for the year end
ing June 80, 1905, the amount appropr-
ated and spent in the National and
State Homes for support, maintenance,
etc, was the sum of 81, 1S7361.
l find that the land upon which the
National Soldiers Homes are erected
| amounts to 536936 acres, valued at
$4S3,474.s5, and buildings erected there
or S10.513, 64S.42; total, $1O.901. 123.U7
| did not have the time to invcsti-
gate as to the cost of the State Sol
dleTs' Homes. l find that the average
expenditure for the year ending June
30 190S, per capita, was the sum OF
$232.633
This is Il summary of the amount of
money that has been expended in cree
| ting the National and State Soldiers
Homes for the care of our wards, and
the amount which it costs each year to
support and maintain them. In add
| ten to this, each ana every comrade
in the Home receives the pension al
lowed to them by statute
I did not have an opportunity to
visit but one Home where the com.
rades are admitted with their wives
and that was one of the two Homes in
New Jersey; namely, the Soldiers
Home at Vineland. I was much
pleased with the management and con-
duct of affairs in this Home. The
comrades seem much better satisfied
than in Homes where their wives are
not admitted. and l only wish that
there could be more Homes of this
kind. The Soldiers Home at Vineland
is model in all respects, even though
it is expensive to maintain. The ladies
of the Woman's Relief Corps are
maintaining several Homes of this
kind, one in Pennsylvania to which
my attention was called, where COM
rades and their wives are admitted.
and there is more contentment in these
Homes among the comrades than
among those in the Homes where the
wives are not admitted.
The Pacific Branch.
/ received anonymous communica-
tons in regard to the Home in Cali
fornia, and l read an article published