The Alaska daily empire., 1923-03-10
ANNUAL REPORT 0F S|TKA HOM!E
 SHOWS ECONOMY
Cut in Cost of Operation and Maintenance of Pioneers
 Home Is Claimed.

Seyenty-Iour residents were in the Pioneers Home at Sitxa at the end of tha current biennium, 24 were dis charged during the years 1921 and 1922, three had been adjudged insane and transferred to Morningside, and 10 died from the Home during the same period, according to the biennial report of Superintendent Theo. Ket- tleson. just transmitted to the Legis- lature. Expenditures incurred in operating and maintaining the in- stitntion. exclusive of the cost of in- stalling new heating system, as gregated $91,510.42. S48,541.55 in 1921 and $42,96SS7 for the calendar year 1922.
 MT. Kettleson indicates that con siderable economy was effected un- der the new management of the Home ty careful scrutiny of all ex- cenditures and by the adoption of a policy of requiring residents to per foim a material proportion of the labor done on the buildings and Fl oupds.
 Gives List of Improvements
 IT. this connection the report said:
 lowing to the fact that an uri-ro- portional amount of the 1921-1923 ap- proprsat5on was used rp in the first nine months eff this ibiennium--as B shown by this report-the result ,s that the balance eff the biennium had te be cut to the strictest economy This retarded the improvements which could have been accomplished with comparatively small cost h,d there been money available to pur- chase materials, such as ceman' and lpnber. A good part of the .ahor could have been done by resider:; |, the Home, who are always wiliias 10 do reasonable amount of work when 1t is for the purpose of improv- ing the Home. I wish to call atten- tion to the Improvements listed be- low. The work on these improve ments was done by residents of the Home:
 ''CompGeticn of painting of the in terior eff the hospital.
 Cl d tnC hallway on the upper floor of the hospital.
 "comrletion of the concrete work in the main building, viz: Construc- tiea of floors, walls, etc.
 "Excavating for a basement under the superintendents' residence and construction of concrete floorA and walls in same, also drainage and re- pairs to Home.
 Digging ditches fer construction of syphon under the main building.
 "Excayating under the hospital for d dry room for the laundry.
 "Lathing the roof and construction of concrete floors.
 "Constructing a picket fence around the garden plot.
 Patching floors, furniture, etc.
 "Construction of a double bathroom and toilets with concrete floor in the main building"
 It is estimated that the Territory was saved approximately $1,000 in this manner and it is recommended that an allowance be made so that 
 the policy may be continued. Tt Is planned during the coming year, it was stated, ''to make such i'm provements as can be made by resi- dents of the Home. However, va rious other improvements will have to be made which the residents will be unable to make. Owing to the age and worn-out condition of the main building, it is questionable whether or not a great amount of money should be spent for the i'm provement of the building"
 Other Recommendations
 The hospital was completed and partially furnished Heavy linoleum for the floors is recommended as an economy The purchase of a sterilizer and two dozen steel bed side tables requested.
 A new heating plant was installed at a cost in excess of $5,000 which,