The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-02-19
AN AID TO ASYLUM
Senate FavOfs More Liberal
Appropriation in Topeka.
Would Give $4,000 Allowance
for improvements.
APPROVES FUNDS FOR "PEN''
Maintenance at Lansing Same
as Two Years Ago.
Other Appropriations Were
Favored by Senate Today. S

~~essASS
tee last night killed the appropriation
bill for the Topeka state hospital
wnicn the house Of representatives had
sent over and today gave the senate
rs recommendation that the upper
mousse stand by it's own hospital appro-
priation bill. The senate stands for
an allowance of $4,000 a year greater
IMAM the recommendation of the
nouse OF representatives. The senate
niii carrying gross appropriation OF
*z4b'OOO year for salaries, mainte-
nance ana upkeep is In the hands Of
the house and must now come up for
action unless a plan Ia devised to draw
conference committee bill.
Tne house bill killed by the senate
appropriated $4,000 a year for the
by whatever fees are collected by the
institution during the next two years.
would be the total available for the
institutions management
= members OF the senate ways and
means committee and members Of the
state board Of control agree that the
proposed house appropriation would
hamper the Topeka hospital to the
extent of giving it no money for any
OF tne Improvements necessary to the
upkeep OF the institution. The SEN
ate committee proposes to increase
the appropriation to a sum sufficient
to cover the running expenses and to
leave the $4,000 or so Of fees an
nuaily collected to be used for i'm
prOvements.
While the proposed house appropri-
alton Is identical with that made by
the legislature of 1913, when 81, 900
a year was allowed for salaries and
$4,000 for general maintenance. IL
is asserted in behalf of the larger APP
preparation that there will be avail
able In the fee fund $4,000 less
money than there was at the begin
ming of the 1913 biennium. At that
kNea
ing the benefit of collections Of ar
rears fees made under favorable court
decisions by Harry G. Bowman, then
chairman of the board.
Estimates by DR.. Biddle.
Allowance was made by the legis-
lature of 1918 for the use OF this bal
ance Of $4,000. The following year
proximately $4,000 and since July 1,
last, the fund has declined to SIS, 1000.
1t is predicted by members Of the
board of control that it will be prac-
tically exhausted by the beginning of
the next biennium.
Recommendations furnished by DIR.
T. c. Biddle. superintendent of the
state hospital. estimate $125 q year
as the actual per capita cost OF paying
salaries and maintenance. On the
present population of 1.563 inmates
this would total $236,576. On the
estimated probable population within
the next two years of 800 it would
be increased to $243,2O0. Pursuant
to this recommendation the senate
fixed its appropriation at $245,0OO.
leaving the fees to be available for
the improvement work not regularly
| classified as maintenance.
Other Committee Reports.
1 The senate committee Of the whole
has approved the house bill for the
state penitentiary which leaves the
| maintenance appropriation the same
| as two years ago.
| 1t called for a conference with the
house on the reformatOry appropria-
ton having made an increase in the
salary allowance from $38, 800 to ST.
$50 and allowed an item of $4,000 a
year for installing new boilers The
total of the senate's recommendations
is still $1,000 less than two years ago.
The senate committee increased the
| house allowance for the penitentiary
revolving fund which was depleted by
the Irvine plant fire. from $4,000 to
appropriation from 5000 to $4,000.
These will probably go to conference.
| Appropriation Of $1,000 for the
Denver dry farming congress made by
the house was approved, as was a
small bill for the maintenance of the
state park at Pawnee Rock. The SEN
ate committee also put its o. X. on
the house bill to change the pay Of the
managers of The Old Soldiers Home
at Fort Dodge from a salary of 5000 to
per diem basis.
Transfer GOss Collection.
| The bill for the transfer of the GOss
collection from the fourth floor Of the
old capitol building to the shelter OF
| Memorial hall which the house pass
| ed was approved by the senate finance
! committee. The bill carries an ap-
preparation for remounting the col
/ lection and putting 1t in good order.
L The houses bill cutting down the
allowance for the state tuberculosis
sanitorium which it passed while en-
4 croaching on what the senate regards