prevent the establishment of saloons within a mile or more of any soldiers' home in the State. Many men have been robbed in these places, and many more have lost their lives endeavoring to return to the Home while intoxicated. Many have died in the street who have been thrown out of the saloons after spending all their money, but the iniquity continues and will continue until legislative action sweeps the dives out of the street and makes it safe for the men. RECORDS. The method of keeping the records of the Home has been a development. As the system has grown it has become more and more perfect, and now the facts concerning individual members are always within easy reach in the adjutant's office. The treasurer's department has hitherto occupied a room upon the second floor of the headquarters building. Last winter an appropriation was made to erect an addition to this building. This has been constructed and extends back of the rear office, and here the treasurer now does his work. FOOD. The variety, quantity and quality of food necessary for so many people makes the work of the quartermaster most exact ing, and the efficient labor of this officer deserves commendation. Requisitions for food supplies are approved in the month preceding their issue. It may be said that the food supplied is of good quality and ample in quantity. The diet is varied as much as possible during the season. Some complaint has been made locally that the Home does not purchase its supplies in Steuben county. It is to be borne in mind that the Soldiers and Sailors' Home is a State institution, and while located in Steuben county its maintenance must be provided for along lines of State policy. The quality of the meat and butter now supplied the Home gives no cause for complaint, and the economy exercised in the purchase of supplies is guaranteed by the watchfulness of the Comptroller's office. CEMETERY. The land used for cemetery purposes is now nearly filled, and it is necessary that additional land be prepared for cemetery purposes. To do this will require an appropriation. NEEDS. The present needs of this Home may be summed up as: 1. A new and completely equipped hospital. 2. Additional barracks. 3. Overhauling the ventilating system of the barracks and hospital. 4. The installation of a new heating and power plant in order that there may be adequate warmth and light for the institution, 5. The protection of life and property against the danger of fire. 6. The establishment of an isolation pavilion for the treatment of tuberculosis and other diseases requiring segregation. 7. The immediate enlargement of the general kitchen by the addition of a wing in the rear, and the use of screens for kitchen and dining-room. 8. The purchase of adjoining land for the enlargement of the cemetery. 9. The erection of a suitable guard house. APPROPRIATIONS. There was appropriated for maintenance and extraordinary expenses by the Legislature of 1901 the sum of $299,742.11. The average number present during the year was 1,596, and the average weekly cost of support, including the value of home and farm products consumed, $2.67; excluding such value, $2.55. The total receipts of the institution for the fiscal year ending September 30, 1901, were: Cash balance of the previous year, $85,640.67; from special appropriations, $50,932.74; from deficiency appropriation, $20,000; from unexpended appropriations of former years, $2,530.50; from general appropriations, $190,000; from all other sources, $770.66; total, $349,874.57. The ordinary expenditures were: For salaries of officers, wages and labor, $64,773.05; for provisions, $76,636.85; for household stores, $7,514.29; for clothing, $21,549.90; for fuel and light, $17,964.73; for hospital and medical supplies, $4,135.80; for shop, farm and garden supplies, $8,089.65; for transportation and traveling expenses, $822.43; for ordinary repairs, $2,062.09; for expenses of trustees or managers, $771.55; for remittance to State Treasurer, $770.66; for all other ordinary expenses, $8,210.16; total, $213,301.16. The extraordinary expenditures were $77,199.03, of which $58,958 was for buildings and improvements, $9,092.60 for extraordinary repairs, and $9,148.43 reverted to the State Treas urer, making the aggregate expenditures for the year $290,500.19, and leaving a cash balance of $59,374.38. Chapter 644, Laws of 1901 (appropriation bill), appropriated for support and maintenance, and for the transportation of applicants for admission, $225,000. Chapter 645, Laws of 1901 (supply bill), appropriated for the deficiency on account of maintenance for the year ending September 30, 1901, $20,000; and reappropriated an unexpended balance of $1,278.87 which remained from $20,000 appropriated for the construction of the assembly hall by chapter 461, Laws of 1899, the said $1,278.87 to be used for the completion of the work on the assembly hall, Chapter 709, Laws of 1901, appropriating the following amounts: For reconstruction and repair of the electric plant, $10,000; for reconstruction and repair of the steam plant, $5,000, and in addition the unexpended balance remaining of appropriation made by chapter 395, Laws of 1900, $9,132.74; for reconstruction of boiler house and dynamo room, $15,000; for equipment of kitchen and annex, $250; for finishing three cottages, including cesspools, electric fixtures and walks, $1,600; for installing three kitchen ranges, $200; for general repairs to sanitary equip ment, $950; for repairs to barracks 4 and 5 and hospital annex, $1,200; for general repairs to other buildings, $3,000; for filling and grading, $3,000; for reimbursing maintenance account, $2, 530.50; for addition to headquarters building, $1,600; total, $53.463.24. The chairman of your committee has had a conference with the president of the board of trustees of the Home on the subject of appropriations; while the trustees and officers of the Home recognize the propriety of a larger appropriation to meet more adequately its requirements, yet in conformity with the views of the Governor to reduce as greatly as possible all requests for appropriations for similar institutions, the amount to be asked of the Legislature has been reduced as far as is consistent with proper business administration. Your committee recommends that the appropriations asked for be approved, and that the State Board of Charities request for this institution the following appropriations, or so much thereof as may be necessary: For carriage house and stable for the commandant, $2,500; for horse stable for work horses and wagon sheds, $3,000; for gate house at entrance to Home, $800; for house of detention or lock-up, $1,200; for cement walks, $2.400; for general repairs to barracks and other buildings, $5,000; for second-hand store, tailoring and repair shop, $2,400; for purchase of Faucett farm of 153 acres at $45 per acre, $6,918.75; for grading and filling at new cemetery, $2,000; for sewerage, sinks, closets, etc., at hospital, $1,615; for ventilation system in hospital, $6,200; for electric fans for hospital wards, $912; for addition to chapel, $600; for new convalescent barracks, $45,000; for light arcade at main entrance to dining hall as a shelter to the members of the Home, $5,000; for isolation pavilion for tuberculosis, $25,000; for enlargement of main kitchen, $2,500; for fumigating plant. $1,500; for additional washing machinery for hospital laundry, $250; for spring house on the hill, $400; for completion of rearrangement and reconstruction of the steam and power plants, $5,000; for pipe covering in assembly hall, $400; for fire protection, $3,000; for smoke stack at power house, $2,000; making the special appropriations approved of $125,595.75; maintenance appropriation, $225,000; making the total appropriation, $350,595.75. NEW YORK STATE WOMAN'S RELIEF CORPS HOME, OXFORD, CHENANGO COUNTY. The development of this institution proceeds rapidly along the lines approved by the Legislature. The Home has been visited during the year by the President of the Board. Your Committee on Soldiers and Sailors' Homes visited and examined it on June 19th. It has also been inspected by the Board's Inspector of State Charitable Institutions. The situation of this Home is exceptionally fine. It is about 100 feet above the Chenango river, in the center of the valley, with the high hills overlooking it. The proximity to the river makes the drainage an easy matter. The rules of the Home make veterans unaccompanied by their wives ineligible for admission. In the case of veterans and their wives or of widows of deceased veterans, the marriage must have taken place prior to 1880. The applicant must present a certificate of honorable discharge from the United States serv ice, have resided one year in this State, be of good moral character and sound mind, and have no relatives in the State legally liable for his or her support under the law. In the case of those in receipt of a pension, it must be assigned to the treasurer of the Home. If a veteran with his wife, resident in the Home, is bereaved of the wife, the veteran must leave and seek admission to some other Soldiers' Home. Of all pensions under $12 per month, assigned to the Home, $6 per month is paid to the pensioner and the balance is retained until his discharge or furlough, provided in the meantime he makes no other proper disposal of it. Of all pensions above $12, the Home reserves the excess of that sum for its own use. On the 1st of October, 1901, the population consisted of 32 men and 77 women, there being more than twice as many women as men. Few of the men are able to labor, but a number of the women are capable of light forms of housework. There is seldom occasion for penal discipline, as intoxication is very rare. The nearest saloon is in the town of Oxford, a mile and a half away, and the rules are exceedingly stringent |