The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1895-03-01
THE SOLDIERS HOME REPORT

A good deal of interest has been mani
tested in the report of the joint COM
mittee on the soldiers home, particularly
as one of the members of the board oi
directors was an Albany man. The re-
port in full covers four columns, too
much for the DEMoCRAT to give in full.
The following are selections from the re-
port which the DEMocRAT gives that its
readers may get the main facts in mat
ter that is proving very interesting. The
report was written by Col. B. +. Alley, a
| former resident of this city and brother
in-law of Mr.. +. ]. Miller, of Albany:
The report of the board of trustees
covering q period of eighteen months
from May, 1898, to October, 1894, shows
that there were held during that time
eight meetings of the executive commit
tee of the board consisting of three
members, and twenty-five meetings of
the full board, or thirty meetings in all.
We are constrained then to say that it
shows, ii nothing worse, lamentable
want of business capacity on the part of
the board of trustees. Your committee
further finds that the sum OF five dollars
q day was charged by the members of
the board OF trustees for each days at
tendance on the meetings of the board
n direct violation of section Is of the
act OF 1893, which reads as follows:
said trustees shall not receive any COM
pensation for their services, but they
shall be entitled to their actual expense
incurred while attending to the transac-
tion of any business by and under the
direction of said board of trustees.
Your committee find that the follow
4
ferent members of the board of trustees
for attendance ON its meeting: J. w,
Mullen 500; Charles Nickel $l60; S. s.
Bellows $50. We desire it to be UNDER
stood that these charges are in excess of
the regular car fare and Pullman car
fare and other expenses. These amounts
being as follows: Charles Nickel, $206:
S. 5. Train, $163; James Byron, $5l; the
latter living twelve miles in the country,
and Messrs. Mullen and Bellows living
in Roseburg. The total amount of these
charges being 81 ,3l5, OF which sum 1896
was paid themselves by the board of
find that Trustee Bellows,
after attending six meetings OF the board
and charging per diem for the same, but
coming to the conclusion that this charge
was contrary to the spirit and intention
OF the law, he thereafter discontinued it. |
He also claims to have returned to the |
state, the full amount thus wrongfully |
taken. 1t will be noticed that the per
diem OF S. S. Train as above given, was |
Sl95. He also claims to have made good |
to the state the sum of $50, the above |
amount being his alary Tor one quarter, |
aS secretary of the hOard Of trustees
which he did not draw. Your committee |
notes these faets in justice to Messrs
Bellows and Train. /
But your committee cannot fail to note |
that, allowing the return to the state OF |
$50 by Mr.. Train, there yet remains the |
sum of $50 salary as secretary of the !
board of trustees for three-fourfhs of the !
year, while il was in evidence before |
your committee, that Mr.. Train did not |
perform the labor, but that it was per
formed by the Commandant and Adj I
jutant of the home.
These men were not appointed for
their fitness for the position, the prime /
object in their appointment being to
locate the home, their qualifications and |
fitness being considered of secondary |
Importance by the power that appointed |
them.
Beginning career OF dishonesty with.
the other members of the board Mr.. |
Bellows early saw the injustice of his
course and he did what he could to make |
for his wrongdoing. He has
assisted US very materially in obtaining |
evidence and information, and has made |
! clean breast as far as we are able to
determine of the whole matter.