Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1905-07-14
COST OF OUR WARDS
INCREASE IN EXPENSES OF
STATE INSTITUTIONS.
FUEL AND WAGES HIGHER
Total Cost for the Biennial Period Was
2,554,e22-Wide Variance in
Cost at Different
Places.

E
Des Moines, Ia, July 10.-The state
board OF control has issued statement
showing the cost of running the state
institutions of Iowa. 1t cost $216, 49,
81 more to operate them during the bi,
ennial period ending with last month
than it did during the biennial period
ending June 30, 1903. Altogether it cost
pretty penny to care for the institu-
tions-in all $2,554,92296 OF the In
crease, S,539 was due to the increase
in wages and salaries and $115, 1881 to
the increase in the cost of coal, which
takes care of over 100000 of the in
crease. The increase in wages was due
to the operation of the institution at
Cherokee for the full biennial period,
while it was operated during but one
year of the preceding period; and to
the 476 increase in population which,
In turn, made an increase In the en-
ployes and therefore in the pay roll,
essential. Coal advanced one dollar a
ton for the state institutions during
the period, entailing large additional
payment for fuel. The total fuel bill
at Cherokee is $59,343 for the PERIOD.
at Clarinda, $44,731; at Glenwood, $751;
1893; at Independence, $51, 604; at Mount
Pleasant, $40,782. This Indicates the
size of the fuel bills at all of the insti-
tutions. Flour went up $1.60 barrel
also during the period, adding materi-
ally to the expense OF running the In
situations. The board of control has
maintained the standard perfectly,
however, throughout~the period.
Wide Variance in Expense.
One OF the interesting things about
the statement is the variation of ex-
pense for the same service at the diff
ferent institutions. For instance, sal
aries at the school for the deaf at
Council Bluffs cost the state $270.19
per capita, while at Eldora they
amounted to but $S0.32 per capita. AT
Council Bluffs there were 1856 pupils
and 81 employees, who got $50,254.9S in
wages, while at Eldora there were 500
inmates and s. employees. getting $40,-
401.30 in wages during the biennial
period. This variance comes about be-
cause Of the fact that Council Bluffs ia
run as school, as a matter Of fact
requiring peculiarly fitted teachers, al,
though, OF course, the number Of EN-.
ployes would not increase in proper
ton as the number of pupils Increased
The variance in the per capita cost OF
provisions is not large. The insane
hospitals spent less per capita for
clothing than the other institutions.
Mount Pleasant spent but $s.45, Inde-
pendencs but 1892, Clarinda but 1922
and Cherokee 1881. Marshalltown
veterans were well clothed, spending
| $3S.40 each for clothes alone during the
period. Fort Madison adopted the
grade system, which ran the clothing
expense to $27.44 each. Glenwood spent
| $3.50 and the Mitchellville girls got
$31.1s each for clothing. The average
was almost SO. The fuel and light bill
ranged from $2s.98 at Eldora to $s6.2s
at Cherokee, and $80.59 at Council
Bluffs, the average being $54.57. The
per capita expense OF the care Of the
wards Of the state was greater at Vim
ton than any other Institution during
the period. It went there to $613.S4
Council Bluffs was next at $574.S7, the
average being $372.21.
L - H.