The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1911-08-14
union PRINTERS HOME
Further Development Ad-
vocated by Printers In
ternational President

The volume containing the reports
of the officers of the International
typographical Union for the fiscal
year ending with May, of 1911, is just
from the press. President Lynch has
this to say as to the Union Printers
Home-that magnificent institution at
Colorado Springs erected and main
tanned by the International Typo
graphical Union:
Reference to the report of the
board of trustees of the Union Print
ers Home will make clear the nature
OF the improvemen that have been
made to the institution during the
fiscal year. The partial completion
of the two additional stories, not in
Guiding the interior finish, runs over
the fiscal year and we'll into July.
The boiler house was considera bly, en-
iarged, two new boilers installed, and
commodious, sanitary and pleasant
quarters provided for the male en-
ployes in the second story Of the heat
ing plant and laundry building and
other and necessary improvements
made in this connection. The library
annex has been completed, with the
exception of finishing the interior of
the upper stories The total amount eX-
pended for the improvements men
toned has been about $4,000. A
beautiful and adequate institution has
been further improved, and in every
way an effort has been made to COM
ply with the intention Of the men,
bership in establishing the = Union
Printers Home so that it shall be a
haven of rest and cure for our aged
members and those afflicted with dis
ease. A barren hillside has been con-
verted into garden spot, than which
xx1 h ~
country
Future of the Institution
The time has arrived. however, when
the future of the Union Printers
Home must be taken into more care
full consideration. The old age pen
sion policy adopted by the Interna-
tional Typographical Union, and sue
cessful beyond our fondest hopes, has
within the past year affected the I'm
ion Printers Home in that our aged
members are not seeking the Homes
bounty in the same degree that was
true prior to the esta blishment of the
old age pension. Our older members
prefer to draw the pension and re-
main at home, with their friends and
den on their kin, and, in many in
stances, securing and accepting light
enploym ent, they are self-supporting.
Eventually, in my judgment, the old
age pension will depopulate the main
building of the Home, which hereto
fore has been used for the housing
Of the older residents. I believe that
the Home has a new and greater ca
reer before it, and that it should and
will be converted into a printers SAN
atorium where all the members of
the International Typographical I'm
ion afflicted with disease of whatever
nature may find a home and a posi-
HI II co
than this and establish an institution
where our members who are exhaust
ed and run down by the strenuous re-
quirements of the composing room
Of today may resort for month or
two months or six months in order to
build up shattered nervous and ply
steal system so that they may con-
tinue at their trade, useful members
of society and supporters of families.
Those who are blessed with sufficient
of this worlds goods yearly seek wa
tering places and summer resorts in
order that there may be recuperation
of energy and ambition to meet the
coming ordeals of the social season
or business world. Why not, then, the
Union Printers Home, converted into
a great sanatorium and rest-cure,
where our enevated members may
find that surcease from toll and Worr1-
ment that will instill into their sys
to their years of usefulness. If this
project is ever made effective, then
there will of necessity have to be an
increase in the per capita for the sup
port of the Home, for it is a well
established fact that the patients at
the Home cost much more to main
tain than the aged and INDECENT res
idents. Under the plan as outlined,
the Home fund should bear the travel
ing expenses Of the patient to and
from the institution. But whatever
the cost, the venture will be we'll
worth undertaking, and will further
rebound to the glory and public lau
dation of the International Typo
graphical Union. That we will be
compelled to face new problem as to
the Home is, I believe, amply demon
strated by the facts that 1 have set
forth. In the very near future the
number of aged residents will be re-
duced to very few. Even with the
changed policy suggested we can still
care for such of the aged and super
animated as may prefer the Home to
the pension. At this writing there
are a number of vacancies in the
main building, while the sanatorium
is nearly filled. The Union Printers
Home has been great institution, and
1 predict will be a still greater institu-
ton, if it is developed along the lines
that 1 have Indicated.