Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1915-03-04
BItL fBR BOARD
OF CONTROL
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appropriation of funds, there is an
other phase Of the situation requiring
a~ttention: that is, in addition to the
moneys directly expended by the
board under the authorization of the
emergency commission, some consid-
cradle amount Of money--we are not
able to figure out just how much
was directly and indirectly taken
from the maintenance funds and us.
ed in completion OF the buildings that
have been mentioned. The evidence
as to just how much this amounted to
IS not as satisfactory as we had a
right to expect, owing to the fact that
an accurate account of labor and ma
terial was not kept. The evidence Of
The two persons-the bookkeeper and
steWard-WhO should have been able
to give accurate information, was
more in "inf,ict and more uncertain
than is consisten. with good manage
ment of a pubic. ca a business instl.
tuition. There Is, in. our Judgment, no
excuse for a situation under which It
is impossible to get information with.
in some thousands of dollars as TO
what has been done with any public
funds ans! there is a crying need for
reorganization Of the internal bust.
ness management of the tsylum, in
that a more detailed record of it's at.
fairs should be kept. While we could
not get accurate information as to
the expenditures made for buildings
from the maintenance fund, it is quite
evident to us that such expenditures
amount in the aggregate to several
thousand cellars
That Hen House.
AS this investigation has progress
ed much has been said, before the
committee and in its presence out.
side, in regard to the, housing Of pa
tients in the institution "hen house"
This so-called "hen house." while not
such a building as the state would
erect to house insane patients in, ap,
pears to us to be a commOdious,
healthful and cheerful place as COM
pared with the greater part of the
asylum buildings. 1t is as comfort.
able as. the ordinary home of the
well-to-do farmer, and in our judg.
mert the surroundings therein are
the most healthful Of any part of the
institution: 81. Good Judgment has been,
and is being. exercised in keeping
the patients in that building, under
the conditions as they new exist, rath
er than attempting to house them in
some of; the otter. buildings. We
would even say that the, condition at
the restitution would be much i'm.
proved by the construction of anoth-
er similar building which would cost
comparatively little and furnish com
Portable, healthful surroundings for
patients now housed elsewhere.
Perfectly Proper.
Talking up now the charges that
patients have been paid salaries
while their keep in the institution
was being paid for by the counties Of
the state: We have nothing by way
Of criticism to offer. It is admitted
by the board and the superintendent
Of the. institution that certain pa.
tients are or the payroll and have
been for some time; that their wages
are paid 70 them directly and that
the usual charge is paid for their
maintenance by the counties. With,
this arrangement we have no fault
to find. We believe, under the cir
cumstances existing, it is a wise and
humane custom. The evidence TAX
en- before us goes into considerable
detail as to- ibis matter and we have
been satisfied, that. the best interests
of the patients are being served,
and we are firm in the belief that
the best interest Of the patient is the
thing ultimately To- ibe considered.
No GAUGE for C%or3laint.
As TO the amount paid Mr.. Crabbe
for the services performed. while il
was quite liberal it was n. in ex-
cess of what is commonly paid for
similar services in the construction Of
both public and private buildings.
We, therefore. ind that there is no
Just cause for complaint against the
board on this account.
During the. course of our investi-
cation a COMMUNICATION was forward
ed us by a former employe Of the IN.
a hospital: at present living in Cal.
Hernia, containing charges of miscon-
duct ard Encouragement n the inter
nal affairs Of The hospital, directed
at the superintendent and subordi.
nate officers rather than at the
board Of control. Messrs, Knauf,
Seller and Buck promptly disclaimed
any responsibility for this communf-
cation. and the position Of those
gentlemen in this investigation was
that MISCONDUCT of employees within
the hospital was not within the chargg-
es against, the board, and that until
it was shown that specific misconduct
had been brought to the attention OF
the board il. should not be held re-
sponsible for any misconduct Of that
kind. Notwithstanding this, howev-
er. the committee would have been
glad to look into these charges, but
"he time at our DISPOSAL. was entirely
insufficient, to enable us to do SO.
It was obvious that it the committee
was to enter uDon sucl. an inquiry as
that j. would have to ask this legls-
lature to extend its authority beyond
the adjournment Of the legislature,
and that l;i::e. investigation would re.
ruire the gathering in Of witnesses
from distant states. 1t seemed. there.
fore ,impracticable to attemn. any
such inquiry.
AS &C the complaint that the mem
beers Of the. board do not reside in lbs
marck: It is true that only one mem.
Der makes his permanent home here.
Nothing has been brought to our at
tention, however, indicating that the