Thomas County cat., 1891-01-08
, celve. as It deserves. your early and earn.
50 dlttuCIOU.
THE STATE SOLDIERS HONE.

BY an act of congress. approved March 8,
| 1889, that portion OF the old TT. Dodge mill
tary reservation upon which the buildings
were situated. including about one hundred
and twenty seven acres OF land, was grant
ed to the state of Kansas Tor the purpose o.:
a soldiers home to be located thereon and
maintained by the state In anticipation OF
such grant the last legislature provided for
the creation OF such home and appropri-
ated $40 zoe for the first two years. In pur-
| suance OF the act of the legislature. board
| or managers was appointed, and the home
has been accordingly located on the site
| granted, nve miles east OF Dodge City, on
| the Arkansas river.
| full statement of the origin, location
| and organization OF the home, likewise its
| present condition arI future wants, Will
be found in the report OF the board, now in
your hands.
The home is projected on the cottage plan
| and admits not the Old soldier alone, but
benefcently includes his good wife and
such other members of his family as may
be dependent upon him for support. At
| tention is called to the act OF congress.
above referred TO, which requires that a
home Shall be supported '.for the care and
| maintenance of officers, soldiers and mar
| ines who have served in the army, navy or
marine corps OF the United states, their de-
pendent parents, widows or orphans. -
These terms make no reference TO when
the service was rendered. whether it was
during the war Of the rebellion. before
or since. They would seem to i'm
| pose an obligation upon the state
| other than that contemplated by the act of
with the value of the land granted the
price of which was 81 - an acre. \ moditi-
cation OF the terms of the grant in this par
ticular could probably be secured without
much trouble.
The inmates or the home on the first of
November last numbered l2S. including old
soldiers. widows, wives and children.
school is maintained Tor the children, and
IN all respects the inmates are well cared
for. good portion OF the land belonging
| to the home Is ready for cultivation, which
a some nrOrit
light employment for most OF the old SOL
GierS.
The board has evidently employed the
limited means at Its disposal 1udicIously.
and faithfully tried to carry out the design
OF the legislature. And trust tits unnec-
esSary to commend a liberal policy on the
part of the state toward this most worthy
Institution.
THE ELLSWORTH REUNION GROUNDS.
The legislature OF 1883 appropriated s3s.
COO to be used by the trustees OF the Grand
Army of the Republic IN the Improvement
OF the reunion grounds near the city OF
Ellsworth, and the money has been accord
ingly expended. rhe plan adopted by tine
trustees, In conjunction with the state
board OF charities, was 10 erect building for
the use of annual reunions and such other
public gatherings rs ii might be desirable to
hold IN the interest OF the soldiers and sail
OrS OF the war Oi the union. Accordingly an
auditorium has been erected, with seating
capacity OF 4,G00; dining hall with
culinary department attached. and
been constructed. also headquarters
building, with separate apartments for the
grand army, woman'S relief corps, sons OF
veterans. and loyal le StOa. In addition to
these, fifteen brick cottages, OF three rooms
and cellar each, have been completed, and
some or them occupied by INDECENT soldiers
and their families.
Enough OF the money appropriated re.
mains unexpended to pay for the construct
ion OF n system OF water works. Which 1t
was expected would be secured for use dur
ing the present winter.
THE STATE "ESITENTIARr.
The financial affairs and general condition
OF the penitentlary are faithfully set forth
in the accompanying reports OF the board
of directors, warden aud other officers, and
the showing Is eminenIy satisfactory. The
biennial period covered by the report en-
braces the last ten months OF Captain John
ii. smiths wardenShip. and fourteen
months of the term OF Colonel George III.
Case, the present warden, who, with the
valuable aid OF Deputy Warden John uig-
gins and other faithful subordinates, has
fully maintained the deservedly high stand
Ing OF the institution as model prison.
During the first year of the Biennial
period there was received in cash and
paid into the state treasury from contract
labor. boarding United states prisoners,
sales of coal and from other sources, the
sum or SI03, s61. 40. During the second year
of the period, the amount received in cash
and paid into the state treasury from the
same sources, was slJJ ,25S.l0.
The expenses OF the Institution for the first
of these years exceed the cash receipts as
above given by S6O, ,9I6. A. and the expenses
OF the last year exceed the cash receipts by
SiS, ,S29.S6.
This showing however is much i'm
proved, the warden well says, If we take
into account the cash and labor expended
In permanent i'm mprovements, and the coal
furnished state institutions, for which no
cash Is received. These items for the first
OF the years considered amounted to SA,-
2S4 90. and for the last year they aggregate
S5l .6Si.4. These amounts applied would
reduce the excess OF expenditures over cash
receipts for IsS9 to 6,69l.49, and entirely
wipe out the deficit for $780, leaving a sur
plus IN the sum Of 50 .3jl IS. If heIcoal pro-
duced and consumed at the penitentiary be
included among the earnings, as 1t some-
times is, the foregoing statement would ap
pear still better. IL is a matter OF, congrat
ulatiOn. indeed, that the maintenance OF
this vast penal institution IS such a light
burden, If any, to the taxpayers OF the
state.
The output Of the coal mine for the fiscal
year ending June 30, lSsJ, was l, 1881
s66, ,5s5. .l3. For the fiscal year ending June
30, 1899, the output of cal was ,6tl .320
bushels. the sales amounting TO S6s .OlS, 30
Valuable permanent improvements have !
been made during this period, mostly IN
the way of buildings, as detailed in the
warden's report. Appropriations are asked
to furnish more light In the yard and coal
shaft. and enable the prisoners to read
in their cells; also to better the method OF /
haulage in the coal mine, and /
for other purposes, all of which seem reaS- /
enable, and ought to be made.
The total number of prisoners for the var |
fouS counties of the state in custody June /
80, lssS, was So. The number received for /
the ensuing two years was 6I5: number dis /
charged during the two years was 702. The I
numbe In custody June 30, 1890, was $50. /
on January /, 1881 there was S95 state priS- !
Cners confined in the penitentiary; on jan
uary /, 1855. there We're s9s; on June 80 OF |
that year there were 81; on January l,
1859, there were SCI and June 80, 1880, the 4
number, as before stated. was SEQ. These !
figures indicate a slight failing of tendency /
in our state prison population since 1857. /
The board of directors report the health OF 4
the inmates, and everything pertaining to \
INDUSTRIAL REFORMAToRY.
The state Industrial reformatory, created .
by the legislature of lSs5, and located at .
is still Incomplete. Its pres
ent condition. and the progress made dur
Ing the past two years. are faithfully de- |
scribed in the report OF the board OF COM |
missioners herewith transmitted.
The board has endeavored TO follow the I
evident intent OF tine last legislature in the
use OF the 500 900 appropriated to complete
that part OF the building already under way,
and prepare 1t for occupancy as early as |
Proceeding upon this idea tine
board has made commendable progress, ana
judiciously expended the means at their
It is estimated that $40. 900 more will be re- .
Uuired to complete for occupancy all the /
buildings now begun, with two hundred /
cells The probable cost and propriety or I
preparing one hundred and forty cells; for /
use at an early period is also considered In |
the report.