The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-12-05
The Vouchers Show That the
Institution Is Honestly
Conducted.
TO ADOPT FoLsoMs SYSTEM.
In Every Other Way the Home Is
Excellently Manageable State
Saved $4,000 Year.


things to praise and at the same time
much TO condemn.
Superintendent Osborn was warmly con-
graduated on the uniform cleanliness Of
the home, the invariabIe kindness shown
toward the unfortunates under his charge,
and the remarkable cheapness with which
the institution is run. On the other hand,
he was roundly scored for not keeping
certain records required by law, and for
the generally incoherent manner in which
the commissary department was con-
Quoted.
In this connection Bookkeeper Knapp
came IN for large slice of the Governors
criticism. The system was all wrong, he
said. and while satisfied no 'leak" had
occurred, it would take a Philadelphia
lawyer to get at the facts desired.
Governor Budd, accompanied by Labor
Commissioner Fitzgerald, F. W. Longee
and T. P. Woodward, the last two being
members of the board of directors, left the
City Tuesday afternoon, reaching the
home about 7:30 P. NJ. They were met by
Directors A. P. Overton of Santa Rosa,
Colonel J. I. Harrington of COlusa and
ex-Mayor Reibenstein of Stockton. The
coming of the directors was expected, for
yesterday was their monthly meeting day,
but the appearance OF the States chief eX-
ecutive was a genuine surprise, During
the evening the board held short execu-
tive session at which the general affairs of
the home were discussed.
Yesterday morning, bright and early,
Governor Budd visited every part of the
premises, from the incurable ward to the
commissary department. There was moth
ing out of place or that had the appear
ance of being unkept. The floors were
white and clean, the walls free of cobwebs
or dust. and the patients themselves in
neat and good physical condition.
Down in the cOmmissary department,
however, the trouble began. After sizing
up the stock on hand the Governor
walked to where large bundle of brooms
was neatly stacked. Taking one at ran
dom he gave the ends vigorous yank or
two and out fell great pieces of rotten.
straw. 1t was evidently not confined by
the wire, but simply stuck in to fill up.
Then the Governor grew wrathy. He de-
manded of Mr.. Osborn whether he had
accepted such brooms-brooms he said that
the State was paying 81 "a a dozen for,
but which could be purchased anywhere
for 81 10. The superintendent denied any
responsibility in the matter, saying that
he never saw the goods when they came
in. Clerk knapp was then placed on the
rack, and he, too, discldimed any respon-
sibility. He merely checked the goods and
there his duty ended. The Governor read
both a neat little lecture and then de-
manded the books of the house.
The manner in which the books were
kept made the States chief officer open
his eyes in amaZement.
''Let me see your commissary book, he
said.
Clerk Knapp did not have book an
swering that description, though he made
the Acknowledgement with evident en-
barrassment.
DO you mean to tell me- said the Gov
ernor that you haven't record of every
thing that goes into and comes out of the
storeroom? What sort OF bookkeeping is
this?"
1.-The matron, Mrs. Osborn, has charge
of the storeroom," answered Knapp, land
| know nothing about it. My duty is to
simply check the goods when they come
in and make out bill for more when those
give out. Mrs. Osborn attends to giving
out the days supply"
Then the whole naked truth came out.
The books of the institution were kept in
a most primitive fashion. There was no
records of goods received except the bill
itself. These bills were audited and paid
by the directors each month, and then
filed away for possible future reference
The ledger showed cash entry equal to
the amount of the bill, but neither day-
statement of what the bills contained
The vouchers for money paid out and re-
ceived were produced when demanded
showing that the cash account was abso-
lutely correct.
The Governor said this was not the way
to transact the States business. There
must be a system Immediately inaugur-
ated whereby one could turn to the books
and at glance see where the cash had
gone, what bills had been paid, the goods
received; and also a stockbook should be
kept showing when and how every pound
of -four and grain of coffee was disposed of.
"The system of bookkeeping employed
in the institution is absolutely rotten"
said the Governor later on, though the
receipts and disbursements are correct to
a cent. This, however, does not lessen
the fact that under such a loose system
a leakage could go on for years and not be
discovered. Mr.. Osborn and his assistants
are not wholly to blame for this, because
they have simply followed lines already
laid down, and further Mr.. Osborn has
been doing the work of secretary and
superintendent, when the law distinctly
says the board of directors must appoint
a secretary. We have named w. P. Ed
wards for that position, and he will also
have charge of the commissary depart
ment. This will even up matters and
am satisfied that in the future there will
be no OCCASION 10 CrltlClZe Cne bookkeeping
system employed. They will adopt the
plan used at Folsom and San Quentin"
During the afternoon the board held a
long executive session. transacting bust
ness of much Importance to the State at
large. The manner of committing chill
dren to the home is to be looked into.
There are 465 patients now in the wards,
vet the income from this source is only
$500 a month. The law distinctly says
that the parents or guardians of children
at the home who are able to pay for their
keeping must pay. 1t will be the duty of
the new secretary to look into this matter
1t is thought that this source of revenue
can be increased to at least $500 month.
By the action of the board yesterday the
State will be saved between $4,000 and $4,000
a year. The farm was leased to respon-
sible parties, the home receiving one
fourth the income. This act means the
official decapitation of Manager Robert P.
Hill and his five assistants, reducing the
salary list $1,000. AS it has cost the home
between $4,000 and $1,000 to run the farm, it
is easily seen where the profit comes in.
1t is possible that Mr.. Hill will be given
position as overseer, though this will not
be determined until the next meeting.
1t was shown that the home was IN
position to furnish other State institutions
with certain supplies now purchased else-