The Washington herald., 1909-04-25

! The plantation" did not remain In the
possession Of the Pemberton family, but
became the property OF the Abbots, who
held 1t until, in May, 1896. the Abbot lot,
comprising some twenty-three acres, was
bought by the United States government
for SlS,000 TO serve as a naval asylum and
hospital.
Founding the Asylum.
The history of the Naval Asylum and
Naval Hospital is very Interesting. In
1873 Congress provided that an assess
ment Of % cents month on the pay OF
all seamen should be levied for the relief
Of such sailors as should become 50 or
disabled This was generally known as
hospital money" The fund thus col
lected was in charge Of the Secretary Of
the Treasury, and the sick or disabled
seamen We're sent TO the various civil
hospitals Of the country.
Ia 1870 however, It was felt that a gov
ernment hospital should be provided. and
Congress passed an act creating a Board
Of Commissioners Of Naval Hospitals. "
consisting Of the Secretaries Of the Navy.
War and the Treasury. The hospital
money was turned over TO the COM
mission to constitute a naval hospital
fund" In 1911 Congress authorized the
commissioners 10 acquire sites and pUr-
chase or, If necessary. erect buildings
suitable for hospital purposes. and also
required that a permanent asylum for
decrepit and disabled naval officers. sea
men. and marines should be provided
When "Pemberton plantation" was pur-
chased the hospital at the old navy yard
IN Southwark was abandoned and the in
mates transferred 10 the new quarters.
Among the patients IN the old Pember-
ton mansion az various times were men
who became noted in American history.
such as Farragut, Twiggs. Bainbridge
and Hull
! The plantation" house was used mere
y for hospital purposes. and il was de-
cided that on tne same ground suitable
/ building could be erected 20 serve as the
I asylum contemplated by the act OF ISL
! and measures were taken accordingly.
The commissioners at the time were
Samuel L. Southard. Secretary OF the
Navy; James Barbour. Secretary OF War.
and Richard Rush. Secretary OF the
I Treasury The architect was Strickland.
and associated with him in the construc-
tion Of the new home for seamen was
Thomas Harris, surgeon in the navy.
Laying of Corner stone.
The corner stone was laid April 3. 1SZ7-
A wharf was built on the SchuylkiH for
convenience in bringing materials for the
work and IN 1873 the asylum was finished
and partly furnished. The hospital
fund" il was found. was not sufficient
! for the inevitable expense Of such an ex-
+ tepsive building and Congress apPropri-
st.
I sary outlay. Up TO December, 1874 the
/ total cost Of the building itself the land.
wharf. and furniture for one wing was
/ estimated At SZ75.ooo.
Z At the date OF the opening Of the asy-
+ lum fifteen patients were transferred
+ from the Pemberton mansion 20 the new
hospital quarters. Besides the patients
there were four benefciaries
/ There has been so Httie change n the
/ asylum that the description Of II made
T IN the report Of the Secretary OF War
when IL was completed is stlll correct n
/ all essential particulars The asylum. -
I says the report. as ss5 feet in front. in
/ cludinE a center building 10 BY 80
/ feet in depth. which is embelliShed with
a marble portico Of eight Ionic columns
three feet each IN diameter The wings
I consist OF e granite basement supporting
marble sgperstructure three stories N
I height. with piszzas or verandas on each
/ story OF the front and rear. raised on
/ eigbty-three cast iron columns resting
upon granite piers The interior OF the
building IS vaulted throughout and IS IN
/ every respect completely freproof.
The dormit0ries on the fianks contain
; 80 rooms The basement contains q din
( ing-ro0n. kitchens, laundry. pantries.
I So =
( or the second building in front are eight
; parlors for officers quarters; in the rear
I Is handsome chapel, ffty-six feet
F square. lighted from a lantern IN the
dome The wings Of the building are
symmetrical and terminate in the pavil-
I ion"
Property Is Exempted.
In 1894 the legislature OF Pennsylvania
+ passed an act exempting the property
from taxation SO long as it IS used for
the purpose OF d United States naval
asyf6u.
It was here in this asylum building
that the United States Naval Academy
was first started by the Navy Depart
ment- Tie school was something OF an
! experiment. ard eleven midshipmen were
ordered there TO be Instructed and com
petent teacher provided. The inmates OF
the asylum were rot al all favorahly in
clined 10 the inroads the school made on
their comfort in restricting their quarters.
The school was regarded as a necessity.
however. but in 1875 was removed 10 An
napolis-furniJure, apparatus, midship-
men and alto the academy which has
since become so vel known
In a few years after the erection OF the
asylum. in 1895, the Pemberton mansion
was torn down. having outlived its use
fulness. It's outbuildings. and even the
( ice house. the last 70 go, are Ike the
mansion itself. only memories Of the old
time Philadelphia DAYS
During the civil war IL was deemed ad-
visable either to enlarge the Naval Asy-
lum for hospital needs OF 10 erect a
separate building. The latter was done,
In the western part Of the grounds. but
the work was not finished until 1855. In
the early days OF the asylum burials were
made in the grounds. there having been
al least two cemeteries in use at different
times. As the need OF land for new build
ings became urgent il was decided TO
secure burying space IN Mount Moriah
Cemetery For the sum Of $3.50 ample
ground WAS bought, and so bodies re-
moved to st in 1866. being the third burial
for some Of them.
Famous Men In Command.
The Naval Asylum from its earliest
foundation has had many famous naval
officers in command Commodore Barron
was the first, as he had charge Of the
Philadelphia station when the asylum
was built During the bitterly cold win
scarce and correspondingly dear. the
commodore had all the trees on the place
cut down and used for fuel II was plen-
tifully supplied with trees. many Of them
fruit trees. and the action was much
criticised at the time