The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-12-01
IEWISCONCLUDES.
WORK FOR STATE
CONTROL BOARD
Fargo Man Has Been Very
Efficient In Handling
1 States Affairs

Today marks the retirement from
public service of r. S. Lewis of Far
= go, who, since February, 1918, has
been chairman of the North Dakota
board of control, in charge OF the
administration OF the states penal
and charitable institutions.
Mr.. Lewis resigned early last
, month. his resignation becoming eff
fective today. He is now in Bis
marck closing his work.
During the period that Mr. Lewis
has served, he has established a most
go enviablc record for efficient handling
of state business, and he retires from
the post with satisfaction at the
progress made by the various
institutions that have been under his
direction Jointly with other members
OF the board.
Bringing to the position the expert
cnce that his made his own business
affairs so successful. Mr.. Lewis saw
in the board Of control work an OPP
, portunity for the adoption of sound
business methods, confident that the
application of these principles would
be successful in the public's bust
ness.
Throughout the period Of years
that he has served the state, Mr..
Lewis has been successful to a
marked degree. The adoption by the
board of control of many Of tho es-
sential plans on which it now trans
acts business, were the direct result
OF Mr.. Lewis personal effort, and he
has seen the boards work handled in
a manner that has proved most salts
factory.
There is no bigger business institu-
hr To
and the board OF control Is one of
its most vital agencies. The board
has under it's direction, combining
the inmates Of the institutions and
the employees, a total of about $3.50
people. A great percentage of those
provided for by the board are in
competent. as, for instance. the asy-
lum for the insane and the institute
for feeble minded,
4, It is the duty Of the board Of con-
Grol to do all the buying for the
institutions. and to direct their bust
ness affairs. Mr.. Lewis, on his re-
tirement, Is leaving the institutions
In far better condition than they
were when he took up the work in
1918.
The constantly increasing costs OF
Soodstuffs, clothing, and materials of
aRll kinds, has been a big problem for
the board of control. but an evidence
OF business efficiency is found in the
reports which disclose that the
institutions are being operated to-
day on a cost basis that il but little
advanced over the cost four years
ago. 1t has required no little
ingenuity 10 successfully cope with
these problems.
In building up herds Of cattle. pigs.
and other food producing stock. the
board has also been very successful.
Cattle have been handled on a basis
of getting the best results and If the
asylum for the insane had too many
cattle, and another institution lacked
them, there was no hesitancy about
putting the cattle where they were
needed.
In the financing Of the affairs Of
the penitentiary, more particularly
in handling the affairs Of the Irvine
plant, the retiring board of control
member has also been a vital factor
i'm so handling the business as to
produce the best financial returns for
the state.
The state penitentiary at Bismarck