The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-03-09

do with the smoke consumers. No
body asked the engineers opinion, but
the full board, at a regular meeting,
authorized their purchase, after care
fully examining the testimonials IN
their favor.
90 Investigate the purchase of the laundry
plant now being used by the home.
1t is claimed that this plant was purchased
a year before there any place for 1t,
and that during that time the new mangler,
which was bought for the state Of Mime
sofa, was exchanged for a secondhand man
gler said to have been used by Simpson &
Henderson, in their laundry in Minneapolis.
In connection with this matter, it is sug-
gested that the committee call before them
j. M. Kelly, of the firm Of Kelly & Lamb,
plumbers and steam filters, of Minneapolis.
The laundry machinery was pur-
chased, five or six years ago, direct
from the Eastern manufacturers. 1t
was shipped to Minneapolis, transfer
red to the home and has been there
ever since. Not a machine has been
removed since it arrived there, and no
one has ever before intimated that any
of it had been previously used. If there
was any substitution Of machines,
which We do not believe, it was done
en- route, as we paid freight bills di-
rect from the factory.
"a Investigate price paid for clothing fur
nished the Minnesota Soldiers home
The state of Minnesota is at present paying
$12 so to F. E. Tallant for every suit of
clothing furnished. 1t is believed that this is
at least 80 1-3 per cent in excess of their
real value; that such suits could, in all prob
ability, be bought at retail at a price not
to exceed So. 1t is also suggested that the
cost of all clothing and supplies furnished
to the soldiers home be fully Investigated.
The clothing is purchased on COM
! petitive bids, taken at frequent inter
walls 1t is of very superior quality and
costs 5000 per suit. This is believed
to be very low, quality considered. But
II any lower bids can be obtained for
equal quality, we shall be glad to as
certain the fact, and purchase accord
ingly.
60 Investigate the method of discharging
inmates from the soldiers home.
1t is claimed that, in order to procure an
honorable discharge from the soldiers home.
It is necessary TO secure the approval of the
BOARD or trustees, but, in the matter of dis
honorable discharge from said home the
commandant has full power; that it has been
the universal custom Of the board of trustees
to uphold the commandant in such cases re-
| CARELESS of the merits of the case.
investigate the circumstances Of the dis
charge Of Martin Tibbits, October 1894, and
Henry Ellingston, August 1896.
In most soldiers homes. the comman-
dant has the entire discretion as ia
admissions and discharges. AS the an
pllcantS to this home have nearly al
ways been in excess of it's capacity
the board has required that the execu-
tive committee pass on all, so as to
/ carefully discriminate. AS many in
mates, IN moment of fretfulness OF
| restlessneSs demand a discharge. the
applicant therefor is referred to the
executive committee, more to secure a
! few days delay than for any other
/ reason. BY this means many applica-
! items are withdrawn, when otherwise
the inmate would go away and then
Propdply return within month and
| beg for readmission. The power tC
| dishonorably discharge must always
as matter of discipline, be left tc
! the discretion of the commandant II
Is a summary proceeding, and it would
be ridiculous to postpone an expulsion
until a committee could pass upon it
! If the cOmmandant cannot be Trusted
! with this power, he is not fit to hold
! the position. That he has not abused
! 1t may be inferred from the fact thai
In nine years not a single dishonorably