Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925, 1897-05-06
FUEL COST REDUCED
Appropriation For the South
Dakota insane Hospital
Cut in Two.
Cost Of Heating the Yankton
Asylum and jamestown
Hospital Compared.

Also Figures For Heating and
Lighting Other State lnsti-
tutions Compared.
1t will be remembered that Governor
Leo Of South Dakota vetoed one years
fuel appropriation for the state insane
asylum at Yankton, on the grounds that
$4,000, the smount appropriated for
one years fuel supply was enongh for
two years. The governor did this for
the reason that s. E. Brookman, pro-
prietor of the electric light plant, and q
responsible citizen and dealer 10 Ver-
million, s. d., offered to give an iron
clad bond TO furnish the fuel the insti.
tuition would require for two years for
the sum of $4,000. This is large
saving and as the offer was bona fide the
duty of the governor seemed PLAIN and
he did 1t.
Brookman states that he knows q
good thing when he sees it, and gives to
the public the basis OF hls figures. He is
quoted as saying:
Before making my offer ! learned
from the asylum authorities the number
of boilers used used and their capacity,
and the number of hours they are kept
going. made liberal allowance for
wood and for all incidental expenses. l
then sent the data to Prof. Solberg, pro.
fessor OF mechanical engineering OF
Brookings college, with request that
he calculate 1t for the most liberal ex-
psnditure.
Il also made calculation and when
the profeesor's and my figures were COM
pared there was Q difference OF only $50.
We figured coal at 81 ton, though 1t
can be bought for So, unless there should
be an enormous and unexpected increase
in prices. ! deqSed the wood st 2
higher price than ! have ever paid for it..
and made full allowance for detective
boilers, though those in the asylum are
in excellent condition. In fact, I calcu-
lated every item Of expense at high
figure and then added Is per cent to
cover all contingencies. That will give
me . profit Of fully $500 year, with
the probabilities that twill be nearsr
$500. That, yon can see, would not be
q bad lnveetmest."
The fuel appropriation Of $4,000
which the Legislature made and which
the South Dakota governor out in half,
is said to have been equal to that for the
state penitentlary, the Brookings COL
lege, the two normal schools and the
school Of mines, OF South Dakota.
This matter is Of interest in North
Dakota chiefly as showing the public
the carelessness, to call it nothing else,
with which Legislative appropriations for
specific items are made, and also as it
relates to comparison Of the cost of
fuel for the North Dakota and South
Dakota hospitals for insane. According
to the institution reports, the North
Dakota Legislature appropriated in 1898
S22,6OO for fuel and lights. In 1895,
$4,000 and deficiency of $1,000 for
fuel, or total for two years of s26,5OO
for fuel aud lights. besides $1,000 for
electric repairs and supplies" and ''en-
gine room supplies" making grand
total for those two years of 0,0Oo for
these two items Of heat and lighting.
The last legislature, 1897, appropriated
for the asylum s2O,OoO for fuel alone, q
reduction, but still $4,000 more than the
Yankton asylum can get along with.
For lights, however, the following
amounts were added to the fuel appro-
priation: 1.-Two heaters $4,000; .englne
for electric lights" $3.50; electric re.
pairs," $500, and '.englne room supplies"
$500. or total IN addition to the fuel
item OF $3.50, and with that item, $685.
$50 for heating. supplies and lighting
for two years. These appropriations for
heating and lighting the asylum, com.
pared with the cost of heat and light
for the other state institutions are as
follows:
The total fuel and light appropriation
for two years for seven other North Da-
kots state institutions, detached build
ings, made by the last Legislature, is rs
follows:
1900
SOldiers. Rome. NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. 1,OU
Deal ScnOol ... 1,5uO
Two NOrmals. observation-disclosures. 3,4OO
College. ................... 1000
........................ 5000
Total .......................Sl 1890
Or IN other wOrda tho aaylnm fno1