The Waterbury Democrat., 1931-12-31
THURSDAY, DECEMBER sl, 1881
More Opposition Voiced

More than economic grounds prompted the Connecticut Department of the G. A. K. to protest change of location for Fitehs Home for Soldiers now conducted at Noro- ton Heights. Incidentally the c. A. R. is but one of many Connecticut organizations of military character that has taken action against the recent announcement of the com mission that new home would be built upon the present site of the Hartford Re- treat in Rocky Hii. The state is fairly familiar with the case. It has been given many columns of publicity of recent months. In fact, so much that we are tempted to de- clare that the commission cannot well pro ceed any further with it's plans to build new home in Hartford.
 The c. A. R. prefers that the home be retained at Noroton Heights and gives four teen reasons for this stand. Many of them involve economic causes, but there are an equal number based on pure sentiment. Oddly enough they ought to carry consider able weight in this matter From the outset of the public dispute it was apparent that there was bland indifference to the original plans of the founders of the home. It was regarded solely as state institution with which the state could do as it pleased. No one save for a few interests in Fairfield county took into consideration the hopes and aims of the original founders of the home -- the Fitch family who endowed it and con- dueted it as a private institution for many years.
 However, the c. A. R. has gone thor oughly into this phase of the matter It mentions among many items that Fitehs Home was founded originally for Civil War Veterans. That was in 1864 when there were only Civil War veterans in the United States. The articles of incorporation dis tinctly state that the property cannot be sold' but must be used for the use of the soldiers Forever" "A part of the property IS cemetery where more than 100 soldiers who died at the Home are buried and there are many being buried there every year. This cemetery is continually being visited by rel- atives of the men who offered their lives to fiaht the battles of the nation. Many trees have been planted by various organizations to commemorate the soldiers. There are tablets there for the same purpose.
 Again the c. A. R. calls attention to the fret that This Home was established by Mir Fitch. a patriot and a nobleman. with the intent that it should always be used for the purpose for which it was founded. It has. for the past seven years. been d Mecca to all the patriotic citizens of Connecticut and to abandon it now would be a crime to all the loyal men, women and soldiers of the State. ." There are many more significant facts pointed out by the department to show the continued availability of the present site even if expansion is necessary It has always seemed curious to us that the state would not consider d building program that would en- tail use of the present site which certainly is suitable for its primary purpose. We are afraid that the Commission for the Estab- lishment of a Soldiers Home may find it's work undone in very short order. It may have acted wisely. but evidently without much consideration for the value of sentl- ment. It adds up high in such an incident