Societies Farm. There are two societies at this Branch, with a total membership of 190. Their influence on discipline is beneficial. The farm at this Branch is the smallest at any of the Branches, but 50 acres being under cultivation. The only stock on the farm at time of inspection consisted of 10 horses, valued at $1,250. A new greenhouse, costing $3,500, has just been completed and occupied. Of the 40 employees on the farm all are members of the Home except 1. The value of the farm products was $357.50, all of which was fed to stock. The cost of maintaining the farm proper during the year was reported as $5,694.79, and the cost of maintaining transportation and teams was $2,937.41. Disbursements The accounts and disbursements were inspected from the date of last inspection, September 8, 1900, to September 9, 1901, and may be summarized as follows: The balance was all on deposit in the Indiana National Bank, Indianapolis, Ind., except the following amounts in transit: Pension fund, $211.87; post fund, $325.77. General fund. All expenditures during the year were made by check. There were received on account of posthumous accounts the sum of $1,376.69, and paid out to the legal representatives or heirs of the deceased members $1,029.71. An average of 380 men, or about 26.2 per cent of those present, were daily employed and paid out of the general fund, and they received a total of $67,540.67 during the year, about 15.2 of the total amount expended. An average of 30 men were daily at work without pay (not as a penalty), and were employed as waiters and in scullery work. The estimated cost of repairs needed for the year ending June 30, 1903, at this Branch is $20,000. The average cost of maintenance per capita during the year is reported as $155.95. Post fund. The total receipts from sales under this fund for the year are reported as $25,837, of which $18,840 was from the beer hall and $6,997 from the Home store. In addition to this, $3,289.31 was received from transportation, $149.10 from amusements, and $206.29 from other sources. The expenditures for stock were: Home store. Beer hall. $6,675.80 7,899.30 14, 575. 10 The other expenditures amounted to $10,970.23, making a total outlay of $25,545.33. The amount of net profit for the year was reported as $5,853.86. Beer to the amount of 42.896 gallons, which cost $7,899.30, was sold for $18,840, a profit of $10,940.70, the profit being more than 138 per cent. The destruction of the checks at the beer hall has not always been superintended by the treasurer in person, but he announced that in future it would be done. A cash register is used as a check on sales at this Branch and a system of checks at the beer hall. The number of employees paid from this fund was 28, or 1.93 per cent of the average present, and the aggregate of their salaries during the year was $6,796.25, or an average of $242.72 per employee. The maximum salary paid was $2.50 for a civilian, and the minimum, 58 cents per day for a member. The details of the business of this fund are fully covered in appended tables. The number of pensioners on the rolls of this Branch Pension fund. at the close of the year was 1,965, or 87 per cent of the membership. They were paid during the year $194,680.54, of which $35, 747.99 was paid by check and the remainder, $158,563.05, in currency. The lowest pension paid was $6 and the highest $25 per month, and a large percentage of the members received $12, 88, and $6 per month. The balance due pensioners at the close of the year was $369.50, which was the smallest balance reported at any of the Branches. Thirty-four thousand four hundred and fifty dollars and ninety-nine cents was paid to absentees during the year. The clothing at this Branch was in excellent condition. The value of clothing on hand July 1, 1900, is reported as $15,195.86, and that received during the year from depot as $21,220, and from other places as $2,713.27, giving a total accountability of $39,129.13. The value of the clothing issued during the year is reported as $23,213.48, and of clothing on hand at the close of the year $6,590.11. The prescribed letters on collar of blouse were not worn. Clothing. Laundry. The laundry at this Branch is of ample capacity and in good condition. There are 16 employees. The cost of operating the laundry during the year was $3,176.77. The apparatus, including the fire extinguishers was well tested and found to be in a very satisfactory condition. A 10-inch pipe has been laid from the power house to the lake, which will utilize the water in the lake for fire purposes if necessary. There were no fires during the year. Fire department. ment. There are 6 shops at this Branch, a decrease of 3 Engineer depart since last report, located as follows: Bakery in general mess hall; horseshoeing and repair shops in separate frame building on east side of grounds south of laundry; printing shop in basement of headquarters building; shoe and tailor shop in basement of barrack D. With the exception of the shoe and tailor shop they are all suitably located. There is no cold storage or ice plant. Ice is purchased at $4 per ton. Twenty thousand four hundred and four cubic feet of air space is cooled. ment. An average of 22 persons are employed in the Commissary depart kitchen and 57 in the dining hall. There were no sales of condemned subsistence stores, and no members received outdoor relief in subsistence. The method of purchase, issue, cooking, and serving fixes the responsibility at each stage and insures accurate accountability for and record of stores. The following was the bill of fare for the week ending June 29, 1901, to wit: Sunday. Breakfast: Bacon and eggs, potatoes, bread, oleo, coffee. Dinner: Roast veal with brown gravy, mashed potatoes, stewed corn, green onions, pie, bread, oleo, coffee. Supper: Rice pudding, sirup, strawberries, coffee cake, bread, oleo, tea. Monday. Breakfast: Beef stew, bread, oleo, coffee. Dinner: Barley soup, boiled shoulder of pork, potatoes, bread, oleo, coffee. Tuesday. Breakfast: Corned-beef hash, bread, oleo, coffee. Dinner: Roast beef, potatoes, bread pudding, bread, oleo, coffee. Wednesday. Breakfast: Beef fricassee, potatoes, bread, oleo, coffee. Dinner: Boiled sugar-cured ham, spinach, potatoes, bread, oleo, coffe». Thursday. Breakfast: Mutton stew, bread, oleo, coffee. Dinner: Roast beef, navy beans, potatoes, pickles, bread, oleo, coffee. Friday. Breakfast: Baked mackerel, potatoes, bread, oleo, coffee. Dinner: Stewed codfish (cream sauce), stewed peas, potatoes, corn bread, wheat bread, oleo, coffee. Supper: Oatmeal mush, sirup, cheese, bread, oleo, tea. Saturday. Breakfast: Fresh-beef hash, bread, oleo, coffee. Dinner: Boiled corned beef and cabbage, potatoes, bread, oleo, coffee. Supper: Stewed fruit, ginger cake, bread, oleo, tea. A special menu was prepared for Thanksgiving Day dinner, which was served at this Branch at noon on Thursday, November 28, 1901. During the dinner hour patriotic selections were rendered by the National Military Home orchestra. The menu was as follows: Medical ment. year. Dinner menu.-Roast young turkey (oyster dressing, cranberry sauce), sweet potatoes, stewed tomatoes, celery, pickles, table sauce, horse-radish, bread, butter. Dessert.-Hot mince pie, cream cheese, cottage pudding, oranges, bananas, apples, assorted fruits, coffee. The number of patients in the hospital on June 30, depart 1901, was 98, and of sick in barracks and on sick call, 35, a material decrease over the number reported last The principal chronic diseases reported were rheumatism, malaria, and cardiac diseases; the principal acute diseases were influenza and cystitis, and the principal surgical diseases were fractures, hydrocele, and amputations. There were 13 cases of erysipelas and 1 of variola. During the year there were 106 deaths, 80 of which occurred in the hospital, and the average age at the time of death was 64.24 years. The death rate was 57.99 to the 1,000 of the average present and absent. The coffins are made by contract outside the Home and cost, with box, $8.75 each. The total cost of a funeral is $15.05. There are 62 employees in the hospital, who were paid $13,059.35 for their services during the year. Twenty-eight of the patients showed indications of disordered minds and 15 of this number are considered permanently insane. They are quartered and cared for in the annex to the hospital, which provides ample facilities for the purpose. None are in close confinement or are allowed to mingle with other members. Five of the members were totally blind and 23 had impaired vision so as to be unable to read. One reader is employed, and all who can not read are read to twice daily. None of the members were under treatment for alcoholism. Cemetery. Sixty-eight members were buried at the Home cemetery during the year. No. 6.-REPORT OF AN INSPECTION OF THE MARION BRANCH, MADE SEPTEMBER 16 To 19, 1901. Post-office. Local manager. The post-office of the Marion Branch is National Military Home, Grant County, Ind. The local manager of the Marion Branch is Col. George W. Steele, of Marion, Ind., whose term expires in 1902. Colonel Steele has also been secretary of the Board of Managers since April, 1900. Officers. The officers of the Branch are: Capt. Justin H. Chapman, governor; Capt. J. W. Sanderson, quartermaster; Maj. A. D. Kimball, surgeon; Dr. Harry Miller, first assistant surgeon; Dr. L. H. Marks, second assistant surgeon; Dr. O. W. McQuown, third assistant surgeon; Rev. D. E. Myers, Protestant chaplain; Rev. F. C. Wiechmann, Catholic chaplain. At the preceding inspection there was no quartermaster at this Branch. Capt. J. W. Sanderson has since been appointed to this position, and at the time of the inspection he was also acting as treasurer in place of Capt. H. O. Heichert, resigned, who had been the treasurer of the Branch for several years. For the purposes of best administration there should be a treasurer here, and it is learned that since the date of inspection Capt. John Q. Adams has been appointed to the position. This Branch continues in its former high state of General condition. excellence under the superior administration of its governor, who develops the military spirit, so far as is practicable, considering the age of the members. The beneficial effects are easily evident. It is also noted that great cleanliness is one of the prevailing features at this Branch. It more nearly approaches a "Soldiers' Home" than any of the other Branches. Reservation. The reservation belonging to the Home consists of about 300 acres, and in addition to this some 347 acres are leased for purposes of obtaining natural gas. The lease remains in effect, in the discretion of the Board of Managers, as long as gas is obtained, and the cost is $347 a year and $100 for each new gas well put down. The grounds are well kept and cared for, and present an extremely attractive appearance. Barracks. There are 12 brick barracks, centrally located. They were in very good condition, except that in a few of them there were some cobwebs, and a number of unauthorized articles under the beds. The general condition was very satisfactory. The number of fire buckets in the barracks was deficient. It is proposed to have a new barrack, with dining room and kitchen attached, for old men. All the barracks have basements, which are used as furnace rooms. The 12 barracks were originally intended to furnish accommodations for 1,320 inmates. The population present at time of inspection was 1,751, of whom 11 were temporary. None of them were sleeping in basements or on floors, but 119 were sleeping in attics, 13 in a room over the kitchen, and others in the barn, renovating shop, pumping station, guardhouse, library, and gatehouse. Some of the rooms on the second floor of the administration building are used as quarters for the adjutant and the band leader, each having a kitchen. Nine of the barracks have 2 bath tubs each, 1 on each floor, and 3 barracks have 4 bath tubs each, 2 on each floor. There appeared to be a sufficient supply of water-closets and urinals. The barracks are lighted by electricity. All of them have open fireplaces and 6are heated by hot-air furnaces. The beds and bedding were in good condition, and the allowance of bedding seemed ample. It was reported that the thin mattresses are not yet expurgated. No record is kept of amount expended on each building. At most of the Branches each individual member looks after the extermination of such vermin as may afflict his bed or barrack, but at the Marion Branch there is a "bug man," whose business it is to go from barrack to barrack as often as may be necessary to attend to the extermination of the vermin, and this plan has been found to have most excellent results. Storehouses. There is but one storehouse, the quartermaster and commissary building. It is used for quartermaster, subsistence, and medical stores, and was very crowded. It was in good condition as to repairs, and not damp; but is of insufficient capacity. Quartermaster supplies are also stored in parts of the basements of three of the barracks. It was reported that no articles had deteriorated or become worthless during the past year on account of poor storage. Shops. Heretofore the various shops, except the blacksmith shop, were in the basements of the barracks. A new frame building has been erected for the shops, but it is remotely located, and does not accommodate all the shops. The chances of fire are increased by the storage of oil and turpentine. An oil house should be built. Water supply. Water is pumped from 7 wells 87 feet deep, and from 2 deep or limestone wells, into the standpipe, which has a capacity of 240,000 gallons. The water is satisfactory as to quality; and is sufficient, but not abundant, in quantity. Any further reduction in supply may suggest additional wells to increase the quantity. Drainage and sewer age. The sanitary and storm system of drainage and sewerage is in use, and was in good condition at time of inspection. It was reported that the drainage and sewerage system required no improvement. |