Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1922-11-08
<sUncle'' Rufus Derrick Visited
the Soldiers Horae in
Columbia.
Editor Edgefeld Advertiser:

Editor Edgefeld Advertiser:
l visited the home for the old Con-
federate soldiers in Columbia for the
first time and feel like saying some
thing about what saw, putting it
in as few words as possible.
I was met on the porch by Capt.
w. II. Stewart, the superintendent,
and ne gave me cordial welcome,
telling me to come in and make my
self at home. I was given room num-
Der "a, about Ia by 20 feet in size,
There were two single iron beds in
the room, with good springs and thick
mattresses, two sheets, heavy woolen
blankets and one pillow. The room
also had a dresser with drawers and
mirror, wardrobe, with hangers for
clothes. In one corner was basin
with running hot and cold water
pipes. There were tall glass windows,
screened TO keep out flies and mos
quitoes, also a transom over the door
for ventilation. The room was lighted
by electricity and opened on broad
hall running the full length of the
building. It was told that there were
35 rooms like this one in the home,
all of them well furnished like the
one I occupied. The home is located
on tract of go acres of fine land in
the edge of the city. The superin-
tendent's home is near by on the
same tract. At one end of the main
building connected by hall lighted
all night with electric lights, is the
hospital for the sick. I was surprised
to see such a we'll equipped and COM
Portable building and how well the
old vets are cared for. It may be that
they were treated poorly at some
time in the past but now they are all
traeted all right.
They have a good superintendent
and two good ladies who do all they
can to make the old veterans COM
Portable "A hall is provided with COM
Portable seats and an organ for re-
ligious services. They have preach
ing every Sunday at the home by
preachers from the city. The good
Christian women visit the home once
a week and sing and pray with the
old veterans. They sing the old time
songs that the old soldiers like. They
made me feel like I was in pro-
tracted meeting. One lady called on
the superintendent to make talk
and he said home without woman
was very poor home. He said we
have two in the home here and they
are worth their weight in gold, Mrs
New and Miss Myers who is said to
be such a good nurse.
In times past they killed hogs with
out hams and had only the middling
meat but now they kill hogs with
hams and serve them in the home.
There are two rows Of tables in the
dining room and IL sit at each table.
When the bell rings the veterans
march in the dining room and each
one takes chair at his place. No one
helps himself until the superintend-
ent knocks on the table, says grace
and then all commence to eat. A
waiter comes around and gives each
one coffee and milk. No old soldier
is allowed to go in the dining room
with his ocat off.
I was shown around the grounds by
a good old friend, Mr.. M. c. Whit
lock, who was well posted about
everything. 1 saw fine rutabagas,
Irish potatoes and two acres IN sweet
potatoes. They also have hogs and
mich cows that give four gallons
each of rich milk. The porch is sup
piled with ice water for the old vet
erans. The home is located only a few
hundred yards from the trolley car
line that comes out from the city.
There are now sc old veterans in
the home and they are expecting
two or three more soon. Only two of
the &c veterans have living wives.
Eighteen old soldiers have died in the
home this year. When one of the old
soldiers dies and his people want his
body sent home he is put in a good
coffin and sent to his old home. If
they are not sent home they are bur-