The Chitina leader., 1911-04-15
LET US MINE a, OUR OWN COAL
ALAsI<A'S NDIGENTS.

Delegate Wickersham has intro- duced the following bill in Congress, which provides for the care of the fndigent of, Alaska
 Be it enacted by the Senate and House 7, of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled: That the, several com missioners in the District of Alaska are hereby constituted overseers of the poor within their respective pre- cincts and such adjacent. precincts within their respective divisions as may not have a duly appointed com missioner, or, in the absence of such and as such overseer. it shall be the duty of the commissioner to inquire into all cases of destitution that may come to his knowledge, and when convinced of the necessity and de- serving character of an alleged indi- gent he shall so find and order the
 
 marshall to take charge of such per son for the purpose of rendering necessary assistance.
 See. 2. That upon person being e mmitted to the care of the mar shal, as provided in the preceding section, he shall provide the aid that seems best suited to the need of the particular case. Where detention hospitals are established as provid- ed by act approved June 25, 1910, entitled, An act to provide for the care and support of insane persons in the. territory. of Alaska" the mar shal shall utilize such, as far as prac- ticable, where the indigent does not require medical hospital accommo- dattons and treatment. Where aid to families or other persons is prop CT and desirable without detaining them, such shall be provided, and where the public good will be best served indigents may be transported beyond the district.
 Sec. 3. That when person dies without an incorporated town and in destitute circumstances the commis- sioner may order that he be decently buried by the marshal at the ex- pense, of the United States.
 Sec. 1. That where a destitute person is in. need of urgent and inn mediate assistance and action by the commissioner for any reason cannot be had, the marshal or any deputy or other person, may render such aid and forthwith submit the facts to the commissioner, and the same shall be a legal charge under this act if l the commissioner finds that the said aid was necessary and could not be delayed, and that the disbursements are just and reasonable.
 Sec. ,. That in the absence of the marshal or deputy marshal. the commissioner may appoint person to act as such in indigent cases and until the services of a marshal can be had
 Sec. 6. That the act approved June 25, 1910, above referred to, is hereby amended so that the hos pitals therein provided for may be known as houses of detention for in digents and insane, and the sum of ..... dollars is hereby appropriat-
 for the maintenance thereof, and
 the expenditures provided for un-
 this act, and the same or as much l1reof as may be necessary shall be .isbursed by the marshal and ac- counted for in case of other judic- ary funds; but his accounts there for shall be- examined and approved by the district judge and United States attorney for the division wherein expended
 Sec!i7. That the actual and nec- essary expenses of the marshal or any deputy or person appointed by the commissioner, as above provided