Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1911-08-05
THE BATTLE MT. sANITARIUM

1
Finest Building for These Old Soldiers
in the United States.
Early Thursday morning we left Hot
Springs for Mayo, section house few
miles south Of Custer, where We were
met by my aunt, Mrs. w. R. Bond and
her son, Spencer. Uncle Warren could
not meet US as he is somewhat under
the weather at present, having recently
returned from the hospital at Hot
Springs, and cannot get about with his
usual vigor. They have a nice ranch
there, but, like everybody else these
days, they are feeling the effect of the
dry weather. They have good garden
as our dinner and supper testified, and
we could hear all sizes of turkeys sing
ing, or whatever tits that they do. We
enjoyed the day very much, at least l
did, aud Uncle Warren did, for he and
Mr.. Prettyman talked blue streak all
day. For that matter Aunt. Ida and /
did, too. 1t was just a good, old fash
ioned visiting day, without mishap, ex-
citement, or anything special to see, and
at six o'clock we tagged the Dead
wood train and went back to Hot
Springs and in the morning came home.
Came home to find forty-seven things
to do and see that others did something
too.
Well, haven't said anything about
the Battle Mountain Sanitarium that
Uncle Sam has taken such pains to build
and equip for the sick and infirm SOL
diers who fought for their country. We
first rode around the outside on the road
provided for that purpose, and we rode
on walk, for the powers that be will
not allow any other gait. As we came
up the hill the Sanitarium band came
out and marched to where Old Glory
was proudly waving" 1t was just six
o'clock, the time when the colors are
lowered, and as the band played "The
Star Spangled Banner" they lowered the
flag and took it in. They do this every
evening, and put it up every morning.
1t was not the hour for receiving visi-
tors, but they opened the door to me
and some one showed me around.
first met the new governor and chief
surgeon. DR.. James A. Mattison, who
had just been promoted from the old
soldiers home at Marion, Ind. He is a
very pleasant gentleman and he called
the chief clerk, +. B. White, to meet me
as he had been there two years and a
half and knew all about things. DR..
Miller, the governor who has been in
charge OF the Ssnitarium has been pro-
NOTED to be an inspector general, and
left Hot Springs this week. He has done
good work at the institution, and was
much liked.
On the morning Of the day was there
there was a total membership of 392,
with 294 present. The remainder were
away on leave, but only for short time.
There are l25 employees, 70 Of whom are
civilians. There are about seventy. five
rooms unoccupied at the present time
but these are expected to be full before
the winter sets in. The chief clerk turn.
ed me over to an adjutant, and he turned
me over to some one else, but this last
one took me all around. The Sanitarium
is an immense building, and as every.
body knows, it is planned with an ad.
ministration building in the center
from which radiate wings in which are
located the dormitories. The dormitor.
les are so arranged that no old soldier
ever has to walk upstairs. There is @
gradual rise for those who are on the
second floor, and gradual descent fol
those who are on the first floor. visit
ed the specialties belonging to the Home
and found that they were all built ON 6
large scale. Great tanks OF soup, tes
and coffee, were in the kitchen, besides
great kettles in which to cook vegetables
and meats. The range is an immense
affair and Samanthy Allen could almos
have gotten that meal ready for Mrs
Palmer of the Palmer House in Chicago
If she could have had a range of tha
size. In the basement are rooms il
which the Old Soldiers have whatever
enjoyment they can, fnd.. There ar,
pool tables, billiard tables, aud all sort
of things one wantsto play with. NJ
games of chance are allowed.
This building is the finest Soldiers
Home in the United States, and as m.
guide said, Uncle Sam doesn't spar,
an ythipg when it comes to making hi
old boys happy" A new building is go
ing up for the laundry, and there ar
Improvement in many ways going oi
all the time. On the two northeas
verandas we could see the tubercula
patients sleeping out, and there is an
other ward for those having that dis
ease.
The grounds are very beautiful. The!
are laid out in various figures in whicl
are planted many kinds of flowers. Th
grass looks much nicer than one nigh
expect, on account of the cold and we
season.-A. q. in Rapid City Journal.
If you want your horn to be blow
you must blow it yourself. The merch
ant who does not advertise is never
Ileadino merchant The ,,reacher wh