taken monthly, quarterly, and annually. Unserviceable property is sold, destroyed, or utilized in the shops for Home use, according to its kind or condition, as may be directed by the president of the Board of Managers. During the year 39,208 articles (including units of weight and measure) of quartermaster property that originally cost $14,695.23 were condemned, and they were sold for $399.37. The clothing was found to be in a very satisfactory condition. The per capita cost of clothing at this Branch is higher than that of any of the other Branches; and it is claimed that this arises from the fact that this Branch has been receiving a large number of new members who had to be supplied with new clothing, and in addition a stock of overcoats had to be laid in. The value of the clothing received from the depot during the year was reported as $26,193.88. Clothing to the value of $14,002.15 was inspected and condemned during the year. This is an average of $6.75 per man of the average population present. The value of the clothing issued during the year was stated as $15,309.70. Secondhand clothing is issued and reissued until worn out. It is charged to individuals on the property account books. Worn-out clothing is condemned and sold as rags. The average length of time the different articles are worn before being cast off is: Blouse, one year; cap, one year; dress coat, three years; greatcoat, five years; drawers, six months; hat, nine months; shirt, six months; shoes, one year; socks, two months; suspenders, one year; trousers, one year; vest, one year. There is no allowance table. It was reported that during the year the sum of $254.38 was received from the sale of rags and $20.70 from the sale of clippings. These articles brought the following prices per pound, viz: Clippings, 0.075 cent; sky-blue kersey, 12 cents; dark-blue cloth, 9 cents; dark-blue flannel, 9 cents. Laundry. The laundry building is located east of the barracks, near the power house, and was in good condition. is of ample capacity. Clothing is sent weekly to the laundry, where it is listed and verified. It was reported that during the year $3,374.01 was expended by the laundry for labor and materials. Fifteen laundrymen and 1 laborer are employed. Fire department. The fire department was tested and found satisfactory. The response to the alarm was prompt. No fires occurred during the year for which the fire department was called out. The protection against fire consists of city water, with the Home lake as a reserve for emergencies, chemical engines, fire extinguishers, hand grenades, water buckets, hose, etc. It is adequate, and was in good condition. It was tested monthly. The fire organization consists of civilian employees in the engineer department, with the members of the band, the guards, and the members as an auxiliary force. ment. The condition of the steam pipes was such that it Engineer depart became necessary to construct a tunnel from the power house to the mess hall; and it may be necessary later to construct one from the power house to the hospital. Before the construction of the tunnel much time, labor, and expense was involved to keep the pipes in repair, or to find the leaks. The shops of the engineer department are 6 in number; the bakery, located in the general mess hall; the horseshoeing and repair shop, in separate frame building on the east side of the grounds, south of the laundry; the printing shop, in the basement of the headquarters building; the shoe shop, in the basement of Barrack D; and the tailor shop, in the basement of Barrack D. These all appear to be suitably located, except the shoe and tailor shops. The quartermaster has charge of the shop accounts; and it was stated that inventories are taken quarterly and annually by him. Issues to the shops are charged off of the permanent property accounts. Materials and services are charged to each shop at cost; and the work done is credited to each shop at cost, plus 10 per cent. Water is furnished this Branch from the Danville city waterworks, which is satisfactory in every respect, except that it needs filtering. There is a gravity system of sewers, in good condition; and it was stated that the drainage and sewerage systems could not be improved, so far as was known. There is, as yet, no lighting plant at this Branch, but there are 3,351 incandescent lamps. The steam plant consists of twelve 120-horsepower Babcock & Wilcox water-tube boilers, and it is used for the purpose of heating, cooking, furnishing power, and pumping. It was said to have cost $80,000, and the cost of maintaining it during the past fiscal year was reported as $32,140.35-an average cost per horsepower of $22.83. There are 5,620,187 cubic feet of air space to be heated. There is no cold storage or ice plant. Ice is purchased at $4 per ton, which is the largest price paid for ice at any of the Branches. There are 20,404 cubic feet of air space to be cooled. ment. The dining hall and kitchen were in good condition. Commissary depart- The dining hall has a capacity for 56 tables, seating 20 men each a total seating capacity of 1,120. Tables are set twice for each meal. It was reported that both the dining hall and kitchen are inspected frequently by the surgeon, and also by the governor and commissary. The facilities for receiving and taking care of supplies, and for cooking and serving meals seemed ample. Nothing was suggested as being needed to improve them. Subsistence supplies are stored in a suitable storeroom, in which no other class of supplies are stored. It was stated that no commissary articles had deteriorated or bec me valueless during the year on account of poor storage, and that none had been condemned and sold. An average of 33 persons have been permanently employed in the kitchen and 65 in the dining hall. In addition to these, an average number of 14 have been temporarily detailed in the kitchen and 38 in the dining hall. The average cost of the ration per month was reported as $5.06, and of the hospital ration, including extra diet, per man per day, 19.71 cents. It was said that no meals had been given to transients not officially connected with the Home. The average pieces of crockery broken per man during the year was reported as 11.62, and the breakage was said to be due to the very hard water used in washing the dishes, which necessitates a great deal of handling. Some of the breakage, it was said, was due to careless handling on the part of the table waiters, who are old and decrepit men. It was stated that none of the members receive outdoor relief in subsistence at this Branch. The method of purchase, issue, cooking, and serving fixes the responWAR 1902-VOL 8- -10 sibility at each stage, and is calculated to insure accurate accountability and record of stores. The following is the bill of fare for the week ending June 28, 1902, to wit: Sunday. Breakfast: Bacon and eggs, potatoes, bread, oleo, coffee. Dinner: Roast mutton, mashed potatoes, turnips, bread, oleo, coffee, apple pie. Supper: Rice with raisins, coffee cake, bread, oleo, coffee. Monday. Breakfast: Beef stew, bread, oleo, coffee. Dinner: Roast beef soup, potatoes, bread, oleo, coffee. Tuesday. Breakfast: Corned beef hash, bread, oleo, coffee. Dinner: Mess pork, spinach, potatoes, bread, oleo, coffee. Wednesday. Breakfast: Breakfast bacon, potatoes, bread, oleo, coffee. Dinner: Roast mutton, potatoes, bread pudding, bread, oleo, coffee. Thursday. Breakfast: Beef stew, bread, oleo, coffee. Dinner: Boiled ham, cabbage, potatoes, bread, oleo, coffee. Friday. Breakfast: Baked mackerel, potatoes, bread, oleo, coffee. Saturday. Breakfast: Corned beef hash, bread, oleo, coffee. Dinner: Corned beef and turnips, potatoes, bread, oleo, coffee. The hospital was in very good condition. The buildMedical department. ing consists of the executive building, 3 stories; three wings and annex, with 2 stories and an attic each. It has a capacity for 202 patients and also for 60 convalescents. The ventilation is by air flues. The hospital basements are used for storage rooms, meat and vegetable rooms, laboratory, wound-dressing room, and repair shop, and the attics are used as quarters for extra-duty It was believed that the sanitary condition of the Branch could not be improved. men. The daily average number of sick in the hospital during the year was reported as 199.50, of whom 162.41 were in the hospital, 23.31 in barracks or sick call, and 13.78 in convalescent companies. The total number of patients treated during the past fiscal year, including sick-call patients, was reported as 3,599, and on an average they were treated 9.86 days. The total number of patients admitted to the hospital during the year was 1,032, and the total number of deaths was 130-the smallest number of all the Branches-of whom 90 were in the hospital, 3 elsewhere on the reservation, and 37 outside of the reservation. Of these 129 died from natural causes and 1 as the result of accident. Their average age at death was 64.82 years, and the death rate per thousand of the whole number cared for was 34.58 and of the average present and absent 28.91. The number of members buried in the Home cemetery during the year was 74. Coffins are made by contract at a cost of $7.05 each with box. The principal chronic diseases were rheumatism, malaria, and cardiac diseases. The principal acute diseases were cystitis and diarrhea. The principal surgical diseases were fractures, hydrocele, and amputations. There were no diseases of a local origin, it was said; and erysipelas was the only infectious or contagious disease that prevailed during the year, and of this there were 21 cases. The facilities for bathing in the hospital consist of hot and cold water baths in each ward, and there is an average of 30 patients to each bath tub. They are bathed once a week, unless more frequent baths were ordered by the surgeon. The average number of hospital employees engaged was reported as 92, of whom 76 were members and 16 were civilians. Their cost for the year was reported as $15,622.93, of which the members received $8,508.96 and the civilians $7,113.97. The average number of patients per employee was 11.2, and the average cost of each employee was $150.20. The insane members are cared for in ward 6, on the Insane members. first floor of the northeast wing of the hospital, and none of them sleep under the level of the ground. The recreation afforded them is walking with an attendant. None of them were in close confinement or in padded cells. No special provisions or conveniences are supplied in their quarters, and they are not permitted to mingle with the other members. The facilities seemed ample for properly caring for the insane, and there were no suggestions as to how these facilities might be improved. Forty-eight members showed indications of disordered minds during the year, and 17 of these were considered permanently insane. The principal classes of illusions were senile dementia, melancholia, delusional insanity, and epileptic mania. During the year 17 were sent to the insane asylum at Washington, D. C. Blind members. There were 5 members here who were totally blind, the smallest number of all the Branches, and 11 whose sight was so impaired that they were unable to read. All are read to twice a day by a reader employed for that purpose. The per cent of totally blind to the annual average present was reported as 0.024. The inspection of the accounts and records at this Branch show the following: There was no line of demarcation on the cash records between the accounts of the late treasurer and those of the present one, although the check stubs show that checks were issued by the retiring officer for the amount of his balance in favor of his successor. The idea seemed generally to prevail that the fiscal accounts of the disbursing officer at the Branch Homes are not personal accounts, the account of a bonded officer whose sureties are liable only for transactions that can be clearly shown by the records to have occurred since the date of the approval of his bond to and including a final transfer of all funds for which he was liable during his incumbency of the office. Of the balance of pension fund on hand at date of inspection, $3,080.46, there was $248.50 to the credit of deceased members, $608.47 of members sent to the hospital for the insane, and $874.50 to members in the Home hospital. The authorized depository for the funds of this Branch is at Indianapolis, Ind. Were it possible to have one of the local national banks designated for this purpose, it would be of advantage to the Home and avoid the expense of expressage on currency, and the treasurer could make daily instead of monthly deposits of cash receipts. The frequent changes by transfer of the members from one organization to another involves much labor upon the officers who keep the company clothing books. During the month of June 271 such transfers were requested. While it is desired to contribute as much as possible to make the surroundings of the men agreeable, it is thought that good and weighty reasons should only prevail in granting such requests. All matters connected with this Branch, and not Concluding remarks. commented upon in this report, were found in satisfactory condition. No. 7.-REPORT OF AN INSPECTION OF MARION BRANCH, MADE AUGUST 28 TO SEPTEMBER 2, 1902. Post-office. Local manager. The post-office of the Marion Branch is National Military Home, Grant County, Ind. The local manager of the Branch is Col. George W. Steele, of Marion, Ind., whose term of office as such expires in 1908. Colonel Steele has also been secretary of the Board of Managers since April, 1900. Officers. The officers of this Branch are Capt. Justin H. Chapman, governor; Maj. John Q. Adams, treasurer; 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; and Rev. H. C. Weichmann, Catholic chaplain. These are the same officers who were on duty at this Branch at the preceding inspection except Maj. John Q. Adams, treasurer, who assumed the duties of that office on October 25, 1901, vice Capt. J. H. Sanderson, who retains his position as quartermaster and commissary. This Branch retains its former degree of excellence, General conditions. especially in its administration. The grounds, roads, and buildings were all in good condition. It was noted, however, that the fire escapes from the attics were only iron ladders placed against the perpendicular walls, which, in case of fire, would probably all prove an invitation to accident and injury to those attempting to use them. Especially would this be likely to occur if the fire should take place during the winter. Some provision should be made to replace these ladders by steps, which are the only suitable kind of fire escapes in a Home for old men. The competition between the companies has been developed at this Branch far beyond that attempted at any other Branch, and most excellent results with improved discipline is reported. The good work in this direction done at this Branch is already having its effect at the other Branches, where an increased interest in this matter has been aroused. The salute to the flag at retreat is also excellently done at this Branch. None but good results can follow. The desired degree of harmony is reported to exist among the officers of the Branch. grounds. The reservation belonging to the Home consists of Buildings and about 300 acres of land; and in addition to this some 347 acres are leased by the authority of the Board of Managers for the purpose of obtaining natural gas, the lease to extend |