The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-03-19

man scratched his head to make sure
Of his tactA he didn't recall the state
providing .. turkey diner In the seven
or eight years he had lived At the fort
watch recalled TO the mind OF Mrs..
LAWYER q few thoughts She and her
husband have been In the home oev-
erHl yeaEs, she said. And she wanted
. notation made in the record that
under the present administration were
not only sufficient but OF = high quail
tty and she was happy. Then Mr.
Eshander. Who has bean at the fort
nine years, ana Mrs.. Leonard and
Mrs. Dyer. each Of whom have lived
. reporter and stated that they want
ed to 30 ON record - endorsing every
thing Mr4. LaWler said.
The meeting was over.
Ou0daG3unD Up 70 Standard
Out ON the streets the testimonial
meeting continued free and unre-
strained. william Stringer, Charles
Hoddy. wiliiam spawr. z. Campbell.
Tom Flanagan, Gus Furman ana
many others wanted Z notation In the
record that conditions were well up
to standard. C. r. Hoddy stood In
front Of his cottage and proudly
called attention to . pair Of trousers
ing. And Hoddy called upon the gods
to witness that he had never received
better clothing in the seven years he
had lived in the home.
The governor. Commander Harrison
and Brooks ana Myers Of the control
board visited in scores OF homes. They
went to the commissary. they took q
peek at tho power plant, the hot
house. the five barracks. the officers
quarters. bakery. barber shop. dis
pensary. general hospital. laundry and
chapel. They visited the school where
the 30 children at the home and
where manual training and domestic
science are q part OF tho regular
school course.
Proud Of Lighting System.
In each Of the homes the present
board Of control has caused to be
placed electric lights ana there is an
every street corner OF the little town.
The electric lights have replaced coal
oil lamps, the danger OF fire has been
lessened and the old soldiers and
their wives were al proud Of the new
lighting system a. q boy with q red
wagon.
It was one Of = number OF improve
ment1.
The streets have been graded and
put in good shape for the first time
In years. Sanitary conditions have
been improved SO per cent through
live stock in the town. Tho board has
asked for the drawing OF plans for
two new public bath houses and
these improvements will be added this
summer and will furnish public show
er and tub baths for the inmates OF
the home.
EvergreeM for the Cemetery.
But the Improvement that touched
the hearts Of the veterans was the bet
terment OF conditions In the cemetery
on the hillside overlooking the fort
The cemetery looks down ON the little
town as cold and bleak AZ q December
morning. There Ii not tree or trace
Of shrubbery In the six acre enclosure.
Every day the men and women have
spectacle and shuddered. Now the
board proposes a change. It has pur-
chased 200 evergreens. A landscape
gardener visited the homo this week
and arranged for the setting Of the
trees. There IL a waterworks system
at tho fort and water is provided for
the cemetery grounds. With the new
trees. the board Of control VIII bufid q
park OF green trees on the hill that IL
now decorated only with cold granite
and marble slabs. N@A
There is another Improvement Of
which the inmates Of the fort are
proud It is the new memorial arch en-
trance, planned and built under the
supervision Of Architect Chandler. The
new entrance In constructed OF brick
and cut stone and Il the finest entrance
at any Of the state charitable institu-
lions. The new entrance was officially
dedicated this week by Commands
Harrison.
To Enlarge Storage Plant
While at the fort thta week. Stats
Architect Chandler drafted plans for
charging the forts storage plant and
adding new capacity to the state owned
ice and power plant
Estimates have already been received
for the overhauling and painting Of the
105 double cottages at the fort The
work will not be undertaken this year.
owing to the limited appropriation
available at this time. But the plans OF
the board of control call for an over
hauling of the entire soldiers me
plant. All Of the cottages and bar
racks are to be painted white. houses
repapered and repaired and plans
drawn for at least two new barracks
Want Fifty New Cottages.
That is In general the plan for the
future of the home. Recommendations
will be made for improvements in the
reports of Governor Hodges and the
state board of control. These recon-
mendations will be based on sugges-
lions made by Commander J. N. Har-
rison in report to be filed with the
governor in the next few weeks.
While Commander Harrison has moi
as yet discussed his report. it IL prob
able that the legislature will be asked
to make appropriation for the building
of at least 50 new cottages and to over
haul the old ones.
>>.as .--~