The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1915-12-02
Letter From John w. Schaeffer, an
Old Time Resident of Leon.

We have received the following
letter from John w. Schaeffer, OF
Retsil, Washington, an old time resi-
dent of Leon, who will be remember
ed by some of our older citizens, and
especially by the boys of Co. M, 3rd
Iowa Cavalry, of which company he
was a member. 1t has been AT years
since Mr.. Schaeffer left Leon, but he
sti,l has warm interest in Leon. Mr..
Schseffer is now 50 years of age, and
is blind in one eye, on account OF a
cataract. He resides at Retsil, which
is ID miles west of Seattle, opposite
the U. S. navy yard, and adjoining
Port Orchard, the county seat of Kit
sap county:
Retsil P. O., Kitsap county, Wash.
November, 1915.
Editor Reporter:---An old time
army friend wrote to me lately in
quiring about this Puget Sound coun-
try and more particularly about the
Washington state veterans home and
how we were treated and if the old
soldiers were satisfied as general
thing with the way the home was
conducted. / would say that so far
as | am concerned | am satisfied and
would say that from my knowledge
nirety-nine per cent Of the veterans
here are satisfied with their treat
ment and think themselves lucky to
be an inmate of the home. There are
other veterans in the state who have
app]ica tons in to come here and be-
come inmates, but owing to the lack
OF room cannot get in. | have 1t
from good authority that additional
buildings will be built in the near fu-
ture to accommodate all who are en-
titled to come in and who have been
residents of the state of Washington
for one year or more. The climate
here is considered ideal by those who
have been here two years or more.
Last winter ice here did not get more
than half an inch thick only on few
mornings and ground only frozen a
couple of inches deep.
There is a rainy season here COM
mencing sometime in the latter part
of October and lasting through No
vember and December and OCCASION
ally some snow in January and Feb
ruary, but does not last long, melts
off, AS a general thing people here
say they would rather have rain than
snow as the rain would soon run off
and then it would be pleasant again.
would say that the old civil war
veterans here are having good time
in their old age, nothing to do only
to enjoy themselves and take things
easy.
The state of Washington furnishes
good buildings, furnished with all
necessary furniture, heaters, beds
and every thing else for the comfort
of the inmates of the home.
Also has large steam laundry and
does the washing. for all the inmates
of the home. The home is lighted by
electricity as we'll as heated by oil
that is used to make steam and as for
grub, we have the best the country
affords and no complaints as we have
as good as the majority of the Seattle
hotels. If we want to go off to visit
or travel we can get furlough from
two days to six months and transport
tation on the railroads at half rates
and steamer rates at one-third off. |
There is large hospital where if
anyone gets sick or disabled they can
go, or be taken and cared for free OF
any charge, and if your time comes |
to go to the bourne from which none
return your body will be buried in the
home cemetery in due military form
and a nice stone planted at the head
of the grave, giving name, age, regl-
ment, rank and record.
John w. Schaeffer,
CO M 3rd Iowa Cavalry