Jasper County Democrat, Volume 8, Number 9, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 June 1905 — STATE SOLDIERS’ HOHE [ARTICLE]

STATE SOLDIERS’ HOHE

The Large Institution and Beautiful Orounds on the West Bank of The Wabash River. The Democrat man and wife and son George were in Lafayette Monday on business and spent a couple of hours out at the soldiers home, northwest of the city. This is a beautiful place after one reaches it, lyiDg upon a plateau on the hills on the west bank of the Wabash. But it is evident that a great mistake was made in locating the home ht such distance from railroad lines. True, a street car line from the city runs out the three and a half miles to the foot of the hill on which the “home'’ is located, and the street railway magnates hold up the old soldiers and visitors for ten cents transportation each way, about three cents per mile. There are many protests over this rate, whioh is said to be the most excessive to be found anywhere else in the country. There is no other transportation line out there, and all building material, coal for the beating ana light plant, provisions, etc., must be transported by teams from Lafayette. Thiß is an immense expense eaoh year whioh oould have been saved had the home been located near some railroad. Chaplain F. M. Cones, who was stationed as pastor of the M. E. church at Remington from March to September, 1889, taking the plaoe of Rev. Woodson, who died there, kindly piloted us about the grounds, showed us the principal things of interest and explained muon about matters connected with the home. They were just erecting a California red fir flagpole 200 feet high the day we were there. This pole was in two pieces and was hauled through from Chioago by team, the railroads wanting ISO for transporting it by rail. This pole oost S2OO erected, or about 9216 lees than the fifty foot sas5 as pipe flag-pole that surmounts asper county’s court bouse. Another gentleman whom we

met,is well known to many of onr readers in the vioinity of Remington and Goodland, Mr. J. H. Sawyer, a former photographer at Goodland, who with his wife has been an inmate of the home for the past five years. Mr. Sawyer is quite an active and intelligent man, and for two years was foreman of the painting gang, having a dozen men under him. He edits 4 column of “home news” in the Lafayette Courier each week, and is also correspondent for the Indianapolis News and other papers. In addition to the number of large and handsome brick buildings that have been erected by the state at a cost of hundreds of thousands of dollars, there are a number of “c ounty cottages.” Some of the latter are pretty cheap looking affairs, although in most cases no doubt the taxpayers paid enough for them to put up much better looking buildings. “Graft” has probably played a prominent part in most everything done there, from the 6ale of the grounds to the erection of the cottages. It will be remembered that Jasper county has appropriated $4,500 for a cottage at the home and that contract for same was let some months ago. All that has been done to it thus far is to excavate for the foundation and get the lumber on the ground. The amount this building is to cost Jasper county ought to provide a large and fine looking building. of good material and worknfanship. It is located at the south side of the circle, just across the street from the Newton county cottage. Most of the old soldiers who are able to work are kept busy about the grounds, working in There are now only about 425 inmates of the home, many being out on parole. Last winter there were 750 on the rolls, most of whom will be back when winter comes again. They all appear well satisfied with their surroundings and the well kept grounds and pure air of the hilltop ought to do much toward making them contented.