Thomas County cat., 1890-11-13

TOPEKA, KAN, November THE board of
trustees Of the charitable institutions have
made their report. 1t contains the following:
In supervision of the affairs of these insti-
tutions, the board visits each one monthly,
audits all accounts, approves the estimates
for supplies for the following month, and at
the same time examines carefully as to the
edition and health of the inmates, quan-
sty and quality of their food, and where
schools are conducted, into the management
thereof. An inventory is made every six
months of all the property of the state at
each institution. When it is considered that
there are nearly $500 inhabitants, including
officers and employees, in our eight charitable
institutions the work of conducting them
all properly is seen to be no easy task. Fully
one third of the time of the members of the
board have been given to these duties, and
every part of the work has received careful
attention at our hands.
Supplies needed for the several institu-
tions, not of perishable nature, are bought
by the board every six months, after invit-
ing the widest competition by advertising,
the rule of the board being to purchase OF
the lowest bidder, giving Kansas men and
meat and butter consumed by the institutions
we're not SO bought. Six months prior to tho
end of this biennial period the board con-
cluded to buy meat and butter on the same
plan as other staple articles. Some criticism
was made upon this action in localities, but
the result has been saving to the state, on
the meat supply alone of over $500 per
month from the cost when purchased of the
local butchers without general competition.
APPROPRIATIONS RECOMMENDED.
In view of the fact that the per capita cost
of maintaining the inmates of the charitable
institutions has been less during the last two
years than before, it would seem that no
greater appropriations for the future are
needed than were expended each year during
this biennial period; but supplies furnished
the institution will, perhaps. not be SO cheap
again for several years No moro will DO
expended than Is necessary for the manage
ment of the institutions in an economic way.
After careful consideration of the needs of
the institutions, studying the probabilities of
the future, We make the following recon-
mendations as to the appropriations to be
made for general expenses for the ensuing
biennial term, asking that the same be in
bulk, and not itsiniZed, except in a general
way. because the board. when the appropria-
tions are itemized, cannot divert from one
use to another. and often find that an estl-
mate for one item will. by some unforeseen
circumstance, fall below, while one for an
other will be far in excess of what is needed.
thus reducing the aggregate available appro-
priation, as actually occurred in the case of
the Soldiers Orphans home in the last legis-
lative appropriation. We have founded our
Recommendations upon per capita basis,
believing that to be tho best one for correct
judgment.
FOB INSTITUTION FOR DEAF AND DUMB.
For fiscal year ending June 80, lSg2:
Number OF inmates ................... 240
Per capita ita...... .....S IT'S 90
officers and employees . 42,Ooo 90
For fiscal year ending June 30. 1898:
Number of inmates. Observation-Disclosures. 250
Per capita a...... 80. s lis %
For maintenance and repairs and pay of
officers and employees yes.......-....--.. $3.50 90