The Washington herald., 1910-07-07
SOLDIERS HOME
SELF-SUPPORTING
White-haired Veterans Work
Tilling Farm Soil.
INSTITUTION IS A REAL HOME
Old Warriors Live There Peacefully,
Amid Beautiful Surroundings and
While Away Days Listening to
Music and Performing Simple
Tasks in the Fields or Shops.

One Of the most beautiful spots in
Washington these days is the Soldiers
Home three miles north from the Capt
tol, where ornate and sheerly white mar
bic buildings nestle in a park that, Law
ishly dealt with by nature. has been
turned into a beautiful garden by long
years OF toll and loving care,
Here it is that the disabled and aged
soldiers of the regular army find rest
ing place and home. There are thou
sands OF them living in the dormitories
and the marble halls, where every pos
sibie want they have is supplied; cloth
ing. food. medicine. amusements. every
thing in the most lavish style-not a
charity provided by the government, but
a home provided very largely by the SOL
diers themselves. and self-supporting in
every way
Established in 1851.
The Soldiers Home was established in
lits present location in 1851. The original
purchase OF land was e5s acres. To this
was added in subsequent years up TO
1869 about 16 acres and in 1876 the ad-
joining estate of Hardwood" containing
l1 acres. was purchased from w. W,
? Corcoran, OF Washington. Small addi-
tional tracts have been purchased since
making a total to-day OF 500 acres in
the home property.
The land around the home and its quar-
tiers and the hospital was purchased from
George ". Riggs; the prior owners were
90 Tag
HOban. OgIe Tayloe and the Glebe, Of
Rock Creek parish. Lake property was
purchased from Asa Whitney: the prior
owners being George Taylor and Anthony
Holmead. The 800 acres cost altogether
$S2s. S5455.
The Soldiers Home was founded March
3, 1851. but for many years before this
the principal officers of the army. notably
Maj. Gen. Winfield Scott, had made eff
forts TO secure the necessary legislation
Gen Scott gave the subject particular at
tention in his report of 1874. and the first
real impetus was given to the movement
when in February. 1885, Gen. Scott trans
mitted TO the Secretary of War a draft
for 100000, part Of the tribute levied by
him on the City Of Mexico, for the benefit
of the army. In sending the draft he ex-
pressed the hope that the money might
80 to the credit Of sn army asylum This
money. with other funds secured from
time TO time. was first turned into the
public treasury and afterward appro-
priated for the support of the institution.
Congress Passed Act.
When Congress finally passed an act
enabling the home 10 be founded, trus-
tees were appointed to conduct its af-
fairs, one Of these trustees being the
general-in-chief. commanding the army.
This Office has now gone out of exist
ence. and the board Of trustees is made
up of the governor of the home, at pres
ent,- since the death Of Gen. Hawkins.
the distinguished soldier. Gen. S B. N
Young, retired; the Adjutant General, the
Quartermaster General. the Judge Advo-
cate General, the COmmissary General Of
Subsistence. and the Surgeon General.
II should be understood that Congress
has never appropriated any money for
the support of the Soldiers Home. The
enabling act provided that all private
soldiers in the regular army should pay
12iA cents a month toward the support
OF the home. but this has been stopped
now as unnecessary. The funds now are
secured from all stoppages or fines ad-
judged against soldiers by sentence of
courts martial; all forfeitures on account
Of desertion. and all money belonging TO
the estates Of deceased soldiers. To what
sums these various sources of revenue
amount TO is not quite clear. but last
year there was disbursed the sum Of
Sl,0A,2 1923, aud there remains in the per-
manent fund $4166. 1864, most Of which
is invested in government bonds, the in
terest on which is used for the needs OF
the home.
And although all these old soldiers are
cared for in the most hospitable way,
the expense per man amounts to only
sSS7.74
Soldiers Have Work.
Much of the economy of operation OF
the home depends on the fact that part
Of the grounds are used for farming pur-
poses. Great quantities Of fruit and vege-
tables are raised. and on the farm sew
eral OF the old soldiers find profitable
employment. But the chief pride and
delight OF the home is the wonderfully
equipped dairy. There is a herd OF HoI-
stems, eighty-six cows, forty-four heifers.
and five buTs and lsst ,,aa, ~, -
wa. credited with tba yroS,,o+;,,. -, 70 .oo
gallons of milk al - = ,,s.s - -
bor,e "0eu ~ Tue
IN a,,er,,,binz .ba. a.
this ,ns,i,,,,,or = - "iu implies
diars NJ one aon,a -oals- -, '',e SOL
% The h,,,,s,-. ,.-l -, go me beauty
tbor, ga - ' 49, without seeing
s,5e for ,,,o,, - 80, yoU must 80 m
ribs. of 49, 80. $3.50 away IN the
vsrl, aogs-l $1,000 q oeaullI d
are restful - the e.. ''''0 . q Walks
NJ - -