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About The Sunday Oregonian. (Portland, Ore.) 1881-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 11, 1908)
WHERE DEFENDED OF THE NATION, NOW DESTITUTE AWAIT STD. C HUMPHREY. IX ons of th mwt Iwautlful of all tha famous vallaya of the I'mpqua Is lo eatd the Orcron Soldiers' Home. FVoin the Southern Pacific depot at Rose burr It Is one mile to the Home. The Fouth Vmpqua makes a lance bend In the form of a horseshoe, and In the mtd.lle rf a rich valley thus formed Is situated the Home. In either direction fine fruit farms and prosper0"" homes make the scene a delightful and restful one, and a fitting place for the old veterans to pass the few remaining years allouca to mem. Thousands of visitors stop at Roseburg annually and visit the Home. Going from this rlty one crosses a suspension bridge spanning the South Vmpqua. round Mount Nebo. and the Home with all its beautiful settings lies before you. The Home i composed of four large buildings, the main building, the bar ra.ks. the hospital and the assembly hall, the latter havirw been' completed wlihin the last year. In the rear of the main building is a storage-room, which aiu-ncrs Innumerable purposes, serving f .r a niilkliouse. fruit storehouse and also for meat, vegetables and wood. All of the v.-getaNes used for the Home are Kron on the Home farm. Enough hogs are als raised to supply the Home tables u.tli all the meat of this nature used. A litrse. line orchard furnishes fresh fruit during the Summer and Fall. The main building l occupied by Com mandant XV. W. Klder and his family, and It is here also that the offices of IMmnnmlant and Adjutant D. H. Palm, are I.h ated. Part of the old veterans are housed in this building also. Model of Cleanliness. The hospital building is equipped with full stock of druss. and the operating room Is supplied with all the Instruments known to modern medical science. It Is here that one sees how time levies tribute on the sged veterans. The hospital al ways has a largo number of inmates. Heart disease and paralysis work more havoc with the weakened constitutions ot tlis old soldiers than any other disease. Twenty-three have died this year, and the hospital Is full of U-e who have l.t the use of a leg. an ami. and in some cases both, but they cling to life a little l.ng-r bilore. they answer the Unal rollcail. it u here that one cannot but notice the state of cleanliness which is every where evident. An unceasing warfare aaint dirt In ail Its forms is being constantly waged. The regular physician to the Home is Ir. E. V. Hoover, the present Mayor of Roseburg: but his as- . i p.i..,r i in constant at- ..,ni at the hospital. Mrs. Palmer is the head nurse, and has an able staff of assistants, and the faithful service given . - 4a are&tlv aOITecl- ated by the veterans whose infirmities connne .utwu On the lower or basement floor of ths hospital bulldintt is contained one of the two d:r,lng-room. of the Home. Break . i, ihnw at 12 and supper last as . " . . . at are the eating hours, and all must be on time. lryone nas ""-' . . V. in anH KtRtld behind sst. ana an - . ," tii stroke of a bell . ti,. ...l.iiers are well fed seats in-'". v.- -i. tr fvorab!y with those of many of the first-class hotels Interested In Politics. In the new assembly recently completed are comfortable settees. Mere lune.a- & FINAL ROLL CALL' ymmmMimT la'N Roman and American Builders IVU1110.11 ftUM .. . -will rncle Sain toinpariou Between S00 B. PT B M. BRERKTON. C. E. WILL the Ameri.-an Nation ever ri val the ancient Roman in viewing the construction and maintenance of g.wd roads of paramount Importance to the welfare, well-being and prosperity of every class? True it is that the Ro mans primarily built their splendid roads for the creation and maintenance of their great Mediterranean empire; but thetr commeme and agriculture always formed main rhjrrts. Rome and the chief cities were connected br wonderfully we!l-cn-atxuotetl roads, yti-& bava excited Jia SERENELY and lectures are held and Sunday aerr- lees are conducted by a pastor from some of the Roseburg churches. How ever, the average old soldier Is not much of a churchgoer, and would go much fur ther to attend a political gathering. In times like the present, when the National campaign is on. the old soldiers are like a hive of bees. When at meals or in the presence of officers politics are not men- i . ,v.- . n themselves things uoneu. www " " - - on merrv. the Old fellows being greatly In earnest In their opinions. It was during tne campaign ui .. mor that excitement ran highest. Every old veteran who had ths strength to walk the distance attended every pviiuv.. meeting held In this city. Chamberlain i lv.ia. . h Issues, and the re spective admirers were at sword's points. and It required tne time diplomacy by some of the cooler heads to prevent the disputes from becoming serious. . n-1 in .Uanln nrtments building. A UB .' ' ' ' - r. r or barracks, contains the majority of the sleeping rooms. The rooms are large, light and airy, and are team-ne-j. tire interior Is scrupulously with brush and broom every morning. Several of the Inmates have made very coxy and unique dens of their rooms, and in these they spend the greater part of their tune. Maintenance of the Home, rk. vinmj. was huilt in ISM. the present commandant assuming charge In 1903. Tha state appropriates annually I1S.0O0 for the maintenance or tne ome- i win ed States supplements this fund by pay ing to the State Treasurer 1100 a year for each occupant of the Home who was mustered Into the United States Army. There are now at the Home 32 veterans of the Indian Wars, three of the Mexican War, three of the Spanish War and 98 of the Civil War. Forty acres of land Is contained In tne nome groumu. In making application for admission to the Home, the old soldier must prove that he has resided In Oregon 12 months prior to the time of making application, that he Is in destitute circumstances, and .v.-. i . ..- nn BHemiAt means of suDDort and that he Is not receiving a pension of more man - per prove all this to the satisfaction of the County Judge of the county in which he resides, he Is sent to the Home. Many of the old soldiers gave away their house hold goods and other property when they received the opportunity of being sent to the Home. Rales Not Strict. The rules governing the Home are not ..,t,-t atM commandant Elder is very lenient with toe old warriors. Caaea of dismissal from the Home are very rare Indeed, and then only for the most re ..t.4 violation of the rule. Upon re ceiving their pension money some of tha veterans nave uveii - -.e,'" -w- vuib-i tint ff4nr4 Douelas Coun- tne iiuiti'6 ty went "dry" at the last election nothing of this Kind nas occur. v.. r.i.nni Is from 60 to 90 years, and n - l.rss number there must be manv whose tempera have not grown any milder with the advance of the years, but owing to the excellent management ev erything Is as harmonious as if they wera all one big family. At a recent session of the legislature money was appropriated to build four cottages, so that when any old soldier was sent to the Home and did not wish to leave his wife, they could occupy these cottages. The number authorised to be C a 11 U iwvfr - - - " " astonishment of the ancient and modern world during 1300 years. Rome was proud of her road enterprise. "All roads led to Rome." wss the an cient boast. The Curator Viarum. or Superintendent of the Ways, was ever an officer of the highest standing among the Romans. Julius Caesar was the first Curator of the great Appian Way. Cae sar Augustus was Curator of the Fla mlnlan Wav. Consul Tertullus was Cura tor of the Aemllian Wsy and Consul Mar cellus of the Lattn Wsy. Pliny and Sta ttus wrote about these surveyors of the wsys as holding the most honorable offl a of Si mi) Ira, - TIIE SUNDAY OREGOXIAX, rORTLAXD, OCTOBER 11. 1903 y&sr&mt'vjxz .i'jt3&' city built are now occupied, and being double cottages they hold eight fami lies. Thev are permitted to draw from the Home stores anything they may need. Interesting Individualities. The visitor will miss one of the most enjoyable parts of a visit to the Home if he fails to make the acquaintance of Mike Flinn. Mike served through the Civil War in a Massachusetts regiment, and was present at some of the decisive battles of the war. and Mike can tell many Interesting anecdotes of those bat tles In a manner peculiarly his own. Mike Is 71 years of age, and came to the Home from Portland. With him he brought his pigeons and chickens, and for a length of time the Inmates of the hospital were provided with many choice bits of chicken and pigeon until an un feeling management (not the present one) caused the disappearance of the en of Public Road Ever Klse to His Duties? Before the Christian era Rome had built !9 of the grand roads connecting her empire with herself, amounting to 4S.000 miles. Among these were (1) the Ap pian Way. 350 miles In length, which con nected Rome with Brunduslum (modern Brlndlsi) on the Adriatic Sea. it was Rome's greatest of all roads, and was called the "Queen of the Roman Ways"; (I) the Flaminlan Way which connected Rome with the ancient town and port of Arlmlnum (modern RImlnll on the Adri atic: on this road there stands today the bridge of Augustus, one of the most per fect of ancient bridges; (3) the Aemillan Waya. which, also connected Boma with y -' jl- n ; ' ,,v - - x? " ' rrr ' .,mrPS- home -ossbvssg 11 j . A 11 1 II s I It I II I I I I 7 tire lot of Mike"s pets. He has not for gotten the deed to this day, and the visitor is never failed to be informed of the event. Another Interesting indl- Ariminum: (4) the Aurellan Way, which connected Rome with Gaul (Germany and France). It was this road, over the Alps, that Napoleon Improved, In 1801-05 for the passage of his armies, via the Slm plon Pass: this forms one of the grand est achievements in road building in the world. It has a carriage way with a grade of about 3 per cent through and over an immensely rough mountain range, and will remain a lasting memorial of that great soldier and engineer. England contains today remnants of some of these Roman roads. I have, for six years, had the superintendence of the annual repairs of some of them, and have traveled over some of those in Italy. Por tions of many of these ancient roads, which have endured for over 2000 years, show very few traces of wear and decay in their original foundations and forma tions, because the Roman builders were careful to exclude moisture from them. vldual is Luther King, familiarly known as "Snake" King. Tears ago aunng xne month of August, he was bitten on m . , . ...tinBoiip and now every year during that month his foot swells as It did when first Dinen. i V"1""" ... II A nnn tit completely ertiunicu nv... system. The case baffles tne bkiu oi m best physicians. 1- or recreation tne . . i.t . - .i ., t -munria and at all times lO IIIO v;iwhwc ft ' . during tha day when the weather permits the croquet grounos are o. In bad weather they can play at chess. cards, checkers, or, as the Home nas a good library and receives man B--zines and newspapers, they can put In the hours at reading. The old Civil ana mamu ' , ine away, and it will ever be remembered by a grateful Nation that their declining years - comfortable and happy as is done for them at the Oregon duiuioi Roseburg. Oct. 8. Over 60 generations of posterity have used these roads and are using them to dav Truly posterity has benefited by a.y: .1 .nt.mriu in this useful tneir antenna -r i. - internal communication, and could well bear a portion of the first cost of construction. What Has the United States Done? . .v, nw.A- mil Fathers of tha in iioi, nns - , ..... . - Constitution provided therein for the gen- -li - "yV. Pnnmci era! wenare as iunu-. shall have power to establish postoffices and post roads." (See Article S.) Has Congress ever exercised this power for the general welfare of the Nation In the .. hii niut roads? The answer is yes; but In a most paltry fashion compared with the growth or population and commerce. In. 1823-5, under the ad ministration of the Democratic-Republican President Monroe (the "era of good fueling", and when Henry Clay was ' i JiOSPlXA-L. J3UILPIN Speaker of the House, Congress aopro- UIIUICU ,wv,vi public road from Cumberland, in Mary land, to Ohio. This road was specified by Congress to have a width of 100 feet, but It was given only a width of 30 feet. Since then Congress has at various periods do nated several millions of dollars to the establishment of military roads; but not a single cent for the establishment and support of postal routes In the shape of public roads throughout the United States. Statistics given In Whittaker s Almanac show that In 1907 the Government Postal Service had established 62.663 POt''s within the United States and used 463,406 miles of the public roads for the distri bution of the postal and parcel matter. The volume of this matter amounted to 12 255.666,387 pieces. For the transporta tion and distribution of this matter the . . in -aiimnris Rta?e lines. aepanmem. i.u ' """ - tv,, I $78, 809,083 ; DUt not unc Consequences to Benefit to the Farmer BT JOHN STROUP. GITATION for a general parcels post has been going on for many .-! several of our Post master-Generals have seen fit to recom mend its establishment. It seems rather inconsistent when I can send a pack age of merchandise from jrurnu. t - hnif a cent an ounce, but if a XlnJll"9 . .' similar parcel is to be carried from th a to Vancouver, wasn., uuu.c n i -essarv. Again a auuaoie parcel weighing 11 pounds can be sent from here to almost any European coun try for 12 cents per pound; Mrs. may want to send a parcel to Mrs. Smith, who resides on the same rural route u. 4M.nt. but she must pay ll cents per pound postage to do so It is gener- ally understood uia.i - ; to a more equitable arrangement In this country has been the fear on the part of merchants in small towns of the cat alogue houses in Chicago. If a material Injury should result to the country mer chants it Is a debatable question whether a general parcels post would be a good thing for our people. The bill now pending before Congress providing for a local parcels post for the delivery to patrons on rural routes of parcels weighing not to exceed 11 pounds originating at the respective offices of these routes, or originating on the rural routes for delivery at the distributing postofflce or to a patron on a route out of that office. The following rates are proposed : parcels not exceeding 2 ounces.... to Over 2, ounces and not exceeding 4 c Over 4 ounces and not exceeding 8 3c Over 8 ounces and not exceeding 12..... 4c Over 12 ounces and not exceeding 1 '" Each additional pound up to 11 pounds... zc Perishable articles such as meat, eggs and butter, may be accepted at sender's risk when offered for mailing not more than three hours before the scheduled de parture of the mails. If this bill becomes a law it will be possible for the farmer In the busy season to mall his grocer his butter, eggs and other produce at' 25 cents for each 11 pounds and to order by telephone in re turn his bread, meat, sugar, coffee and almost any other article he needs and have same delivered by mail at a very small cost. The immense benefits to both merchant and producer, would appear In calculable. At the present ratt the cost of sending large packages is prohibitive. To send a pound of coffee by the rural carrier costs almost as much as the coffee Is originally worth. Several times has some such local service been recommended by former Postmasters-General, but the rates pro posed were always a straight 5 cente per pound. The rate of 2 cents per pound after the first pound Is more liberal both to merchants and patrons, and still further protects the former against the competition of the mail order houses. The machinery for the added service Is all here. True, some carriers may be compelled to provide the adquate conveyances 'they now should have. There Is fear on the part of some car riers and Postmasters that the facili ties may be swamped, but it is not likely that there will be any danger of that. Should the service become so successful beyond bounds, then the use of the above mileage of roads! If the framers and fathers of the Con stitution, in the day when the population was only 11,000.000. thought It necessary to give the Congress power to establish post roads in connection with postoffices throughout the United States, surely the same National policy is far more urgent and important in the present day! The Eastern States wear the mantle of commerce-trade and manufactures the Mid dle and Pacific Coast States that of ag riculture; the former can better aftord the burden of road construction and maintenance than the latter. The publio outcry for good roada Is yearly on the increase in both the East and West: the farming community Is expected to pay the cost. Is It not time, is it not more ra tional to appeal to Congress to exercise Its Constitutional power In this National work? Posterity could well afford to bear a nnrtlnn it the first OOfit. Woodstock. October t. Us of Parcels Post and to the Country Store. Increased revenue would be sufficient to provide the additional facilities for the carriers. There Is no prospect of any hardship In this respect or of any added cost. On the other hand, the in creased revenue reasonably expected will go far toward wiping out the pos tal deficit. On July 1 of this year 39, 290 rural routes were In operation; by the last of December the number will have been increased to about 40,000. Three packages a day on each at the maximum weight would be $9,250,000 a year. This local service ought to add to the trade of thousands of country stores. The commercial bodies in several cities have, I understand, had this measure under discussion and have resolved against it, on the ground that it is but an opening wedge for a general par cels post system. But even if the gen eral rates were to be somewhat re duced, the local merchants would al ways maintain their aavaniaBe, uwn.s to the extremely low local rate. A general parcels post would never be established at a rate less than the actual cost of the service. From the records of the special weighing of the mails In 1907, it was determined that the average haul of second-class mat ter Is 640 miles. At this rate It is es timated that the average cost of han dling fourth-class matter is J212.10 per ton or slightly more than 10 cents a pound. With the local rate of only 2 cents a pound, it Is obvious that the general rate will always be many times as high. The Postmaster-General Is now advocating a general rate of 13 cents per pound, which is six times that of the local rate. At that rate, there would be a profit to the depart ment of $27 per ton. The local rata can of course, be made only because there Is no cost of transportation and no additional cost of handling. The increase In revenue would be clear profit. , , It would seem that the opposition to tills local service must be based upon misunderstanding of what the pro posal means. It is probably much like the communication from a certain com mercial club which appeared in the Congressional Record of January 4, 1908, arguing against the 12 cents a pound rate. -- The Postmaster-General Is quoted as saying: "The free rural delivery has improved materially and Intellectually the life of the farmer. Is it too much to ask that the department snail inane a further use of this important system, a use which, while adding appreciably to the postal revenues, will directly and vitally benefit every man, woman and child within reach of a rural route' The countryman would hava the necessities of life delivered at his gate at an average cost of 2 cents a pound, thereby facilitating and in creasing consumption. This would mean augmentation of the trade of thou sands of country merchants. It would inevitably tend toward the improve ment of the roads. Better roads and improved postal facilities in the rural districts would result In Increased val ues of farm lands. The rural service as now organized has accomplished something in this direction; Its en largement would add to the good at tained." Pjrtland, October 8.