The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-12-01
Committee Sent Ont Letters Calling
for Detailed Statements Concern
ing Institutions.
WILL AID THE LEGISLATORS
STATISTICS AND FIGURES AT HAND
WHEN NEEDED.
The Committee VIII To-Day Visit
the Institution for the Blind
in This City.

tutions, which is now engaged in compil-
ing its annual report to be submitted to the
coming session of the General Assembly.
has adopted plan of procedure that prom
ises to bring the management OF the vari- .
Gus institutions down to the exact busi-
ness basis upon which they would be con-
Quoted were they owned by a private cor
poration. The plan has worked very sue
cessfully with the institutions SO far WIS.,
tied, and there is no question now that the
ultimate result of the work of this COM
mittee will be of more value to the State
than anything that has ever been done in
this line.
The plan consists of kind of re-
port required of the several institutions by
the committee The primary object of the
committee is to investigate the disposition
of the funds appropriated by the last Legis-
lature and the needs and intended DISPOSE
tion of the funds that will be asked of the
coming Legislature. Heretofore the COM
mittee, before visiting the institutions, has
sent out a letter to the management OF
each one asking that brief financial state
ment be compiled. The committee Of two
years ago found that these financial state
ments were far from satisfactory, because
questions arose when the committee got to
the institutions. and when IL was preparing
its recommendations. which were not an
swered by these statements. 1t sug-
gcsted that different sort 0Ueporr shU
be required, and TO this end Governor Dur
bin requested one of the members of the
present committee. few months ago. TO
prepare a letter. calling for a complete de-
tailed report on every phase of the manage
ment of each institution. This letter was
prepared. and, after being submitted TO the
secretary of the State Board OF Charities,
the Governor sent copy TO the superin-
tendent of each of the sixteen institutions.
AN EXHAUSTIVE REPORT.
The report called for i'm this letter is most
exhaustive. First, brief history and de-
scription of the institution is required; Sec
ond, a statement OF the property, giving
valuation, respectively, on Oct. 81, 1901, and
Oct. 81, 1902, values to be based upon careful
and complete inventories. This second
point is subdivided so 70 call for a state
ment as to the area, value and condition OF
the grounds, the number. name. size. ca
pacity, uses. condition and value of the
buildings, the number of volumes in the
library and their value, the value OF furni-
ture, apparatus. personal property and sup
plies, and the total value of grounds build
ings, equipment and supplies. Third. the
letter required I'm tabulated form the fol-
lowing data showing the growth of the In
stitution from its origin to Oct. 81. 1902:
Total number inmates received each year.
total number discharged died or with
drawn each year. total number enrolled at
end of each year. total number temporarily
absent at end of each year. daily average
institutions number on ticket Of leave or
parole each year.
Fourth, a detailed description of the heat
ing and lighting systems is required, inciud-
ing method employed for heating. cubic
feet of space heated, maximum distance
heat is carried, means of protecting heat
ing pipes, number and capacity of boilers
work done by boilers other than heating
kind, quality, quantity and cost of fuel, age
and present condition of heating plant and
a description OF lighting plant, including
kind of light number Of lights. capacity OF
system and estimated total annual cost.
Similar statements as to water and sew
erage systems and table OF insurance
are required and then the letter takes uD
the financial phase. requesting a statement
in detail as to the earning of the institu-
and disposition OF products OF the farm,
or other departments; statement I'm de-
tailed summary of the receipts and ex-
period. showing each fund separately and
setting the amounts in columns side by
side; comparative statement OF appro-
priations for the last four years; a copy
of the last pay roll. showing the name OF
every person drawing money for personal
service, the kind of service rendered and
the daily, weekly, monthly; quarterly or
annual salary. a statement in detail of all
outstanding Indebtedness: method of pro-
curing supplies; description OF the sys-
tenn of keeping accounts and making re-
ports; a statement of the cost Of subsls-
tence of officers for each year and the
needs of the institution.
PERMANENT IMPROVEMENTS.
If permanent improvements are contem-
plated in the way of new buildings or ad-
dtions to present buildings, or improves
ments TO grounds. preliminary sketches and
specifications. together with estimates OF
cost by architects or other competent per-
sons. are asked.
These reports are required TO be made
on paper of a certain size. with the pages
numbered and table OF contents furnished.
ready for permanent binding. and when the
committee is through with them they will
be placed in the State Library for future
reference.
Nothing in the way of a history and state
ment OF the exact condition OF each OF the
| state institutions has ever been compiled
/ that has been complete, instructive
| and so valuable as these reports. Ii Is the
intention to have them supplemented from
| year TO year, with the result that there
will be available at all times a statement
/ of each institution exactly similar 10 one
/ that would be required were private cor-
poratiOn I'm control instead OF the State.
/ In other words. a long step has been. or Is
being taken. toward putting the manage
ment OF the state institu' ons on a strictly
The value of these reports Is seen readily
when one phase is taken up. For instance.
take the heating question. At present no
/ two of the state institutions have exactly
/ similar heating systems. In the last two
years II cost over sl6000 10 heat l.eo0.0Q,n
cubic feet OF space at the State soldiey
| were heated for 5000 and at the 81
/ Normal 1.30000o feet were heated for a.
/ tie over 500. OF course. there are var
| conditions at these institutions that
niain TO a certain extent these discre