imposed, as penalty for misconduct, or as a condition of readmission to the Home, 9. Repeated drunkenness and absence without leave, and having been arrested by civil authorities and sentenced to the house of correction for disorderly conduct in the city of Milwaukee, 2. Theft, and carrying off and disposing of government clothing, 3. Representing a dead man, and having in his name gained admission to the Home, in 1872, and attempting to fraudulently obtain a pension, for which he was arrested by the civil authorities and convicted, and sentenced to the penitentiary, 1. INSPECTION BY THE PUBLIC. During the year 1878, 4,818 visitors, representing every part of the country and several foreign nations, have been registered at this branch and shown through the buildings, and many of them have taken occasion to express to the commandant their surprise and gratification at the cleanliness and good order which has every where prevailed. And it is estimated that upward of 60,000 people have visited the park during the year. OFFICE BUSINESS. Some idea of the amount of office business transacted by the commandant and treasurer may be obtained from the following statement: I am under renewed obligations to Dr. E. B. Wolcott, the resident member of the Board of Managers, and to the officers and non-commissioned officers of the Home, for assistance and faithful co-operation in the discharge of my duties. I am, general, most respectfully, Maj. Gen. JOHN H. MARTINDALE, EDWARD W. HINCKS, Secretary of the Board of Managers. PROCEEDINGS OF THE BOARD OF MANAGERS OF THE NATIONAL HOME FOR DISABLED VOLUNTEER SOLDIERS. OFFICE OF SURGEON-GENERAL, U. S. A., Washington, D. C., March 19, 1878. The Board of Managers of National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers met at the Office of the Surgeon-General U. S. A., in the city of Washington, D. C., on this, Tuesday, March 19, 1878, at 12 o'clock m. President Butler in the chair. There were also present Chief Justice Waite, General Martindale, Governor Smyth, Judge Bond, Dr. Wolcott, General Negley, and Mr. Gunckel. The minutes of the last meeting were read and approved. The regular quarterly reports from the several branches, including returns, estimates, &c., were received, examined, and ordered on file. REPORTS. Judge Bond submitted written report from the visiting committee to the Eastern Branch, showing that the committee had visited said branch and examined the accounts of expenditures thereat, for the year ending January 1, 1878, and found the same correct and properly vouched. Report received and ordered on file. Governor Smyth reported that Judge Bond and he visited the Southern Branch and examined the accounts of the treasurer of the said branch for the year ending January 1, 1878, and found the same correct and supported by proper vouchers. Report received and ordered on file. General Butler, from the committee appointed to consider the subject, made the following report: WASHINGTON, D. C., February 8, 1878. The committee charged with that duty having before them the requisitions of the several branches of the Home for clothing and bedding for the year 1878, report that under the construction of the act of Congress approved January 23, 1873, the Home is entitled to receive from the Quartermaster's Department, for the year 1878, 1,821 suits of clothing, or the equivalents of the same in clothing from the stock on hand in the Quartermaster's Department. The Secretary of War, on February 21, 1877, in assenting to the request of your committee for a settlement of the clothing account under this act, for the year 1876, says: "I would respectfully state that in future the Asylum [Home] will have to look to Confor an appropriation for this purpose, as the War Department cannot any longer furnish the amount of clothing required." Notwithstanding this decision of the War Department your committee have felt it their duty to apply to the Quartermaster's Department for the 1,821 suits of clothing, or their equivalents. Up to this time no reply has been received by the War Department. The money value of these equivalents at the price heretofore fixed is $40,116.63. As some articles of clothing and bedding were needed for immediate use, the committee had asked for proposals from leading dealers in and manufacturers of the clothing and bedding required, and having received them, after a careful examination and due consideration of the same, have accepted the offer of Messrs. Pitkin & Thomas, of Philadelphia, Penn., for the supply of clothing as follows: 1,650 great-coats, 7503, 850, 505, at $6.44 each. 1,600 dress-coats, 1, 1004, 5005, at $9.75 each. 5,800 lined blouses, 3002, 2,5003, 2,5004, 5005, at $2.90 each. 6,200 pairs trousers, 250, 3,100%, 2,8504, at $3.05 each. 15,000 pairs drawers, large sizes, at 60 cents each. 15,000 knit shirts, large sizes, at $1 each. 500 pairs hospital slippers, at 50 cents each. All to be equal to the United States Army standard in quality, and all to be subject to inspection and acceptance by a board of survey at the several branches where delivered, and we have required the contractors to give a bond in the sum of $25,000 for the faithful performance of this contract on their part to the satisfaction of the Home. It will be noticed that all of this clothing, with the exception of 250 pairs of trousers and 300 lined blouses, is required to be of the largest sizes, and has to be made up, the stock of the old pattern Army clothing of these sizes being exhausted. The standard schedules of the Quartermaster's Department require only twenty per cent. of No. 3, and five per cent. of No. 4, while a glance at the sizes required by the Homes shows the extraordinary needs of the Home in large sizes. Your committee had before them the price-list of clothing of the Quartermaster's Department, taking effect on January 1, 1878, and upon comparison and computation find that the aggregate, at the price of the contractors, is $9,750 less than the Quarter master Department's prices for the same articles of clothing, without taking into consideration the question, a very important one, of sizes at all. Your committee also awarded to the same parties a contract to deliver 4,000 graywool blankets, to weigh 10 lbs. per pair, at $2.374 each, while the Quartermaster Department's price, as stated in the price-list for the year 1878, is $4.25 each, being an aggregate of $7,500 in favor of the Home on blankets. The committee also asked for and received proposals to supply articles of bedding for the year 1878, and after consideration awarded to John S. Holden & Co., of New York, as follows: 7,000 linen sheets, @ $1.29 each. 700 bed sacks, @ $1.16 each. 50 hair mattresses, @ $10 each. And to Pitkin & Thomas, Philadelphia, as follows: 7,000 linen pillow-cases, @ 36 cents each. 1,000 linen counterpanes, @ $1.60 each. 400 hair pillows, @ $1.10 each. 850 iron bedsteads, @ $5.50 each. 900 white hospital blankets, @ $3.40 each. 4,000 gray blankets, @ $2.374 each. They being respectively the lowest bidders. All of the bedding is to be of the United States Army Hospital standard, with the exception of gray blankets and bedsteads, which are to be of the United States Army standard, as being better for the wants of the Home, besides being more durable. Bonds have also been required for the faithful performance of these awards, and are to be subject to the same inspection, &c., as the clothing. The aggregate cost of the clothing so contracted for is $89,206; of bedding, $32,137; together making $121,343, for which amount an appropriation will be required. If the Quartermaster's Department accede to the request of your committee for equivalents, $40,116.63 will be deducted from this amount, as the contractors for clothing are required to take such equivalents if it seems to be for the interests of the Home, and at a price to be fixed when it is known what the equivalents are to be. In view of the fact that so large an amount of clothing is to be made up for the use of the Home, your committee submit the question whether measures ought not to be taken to have our clothing made up at the several branches, purchasing only the material by contract, to be manufactured to our order. BENJAMIN F. BUTLER, Committee. After some discussion, the further consideration of the matter was, on motion, deferred until to-morrow. APPLICATIONS FOR REMISSION OF PENALTIES. The application of the following inmates for remission of penalties heretofore imposed by the board are refused-no sufficient reasons appearing for a reversal or modification of the action heretofore taken: John B. Devenesse, late Company I, Thirty-fourth New York Volunteers, and of Eastern Branch. Charles Wilson, late Company F, Sixteenth Massachusetts Volunteers, and of Ceneral Branch. Emile Fraipont, late Company A, Thirty-ninth New York Volunteers, and of Southern Branch. APPLICATIONS FOR EFFECTS OF DECEASED INMATES. The applications for the effects of deceased inmates in the following cases are approved, and the treasurers directed and authorized to pay over the same, taking proper vouchers therefor: Mrs. Mary Kostman, of Minneapolis, Minn., for effects of her deceased husband, Karl Kostman, late of Northwestern Branch. Mrs. Ellen Turnell, of Dayton, Ohio, for effects of her late husband, Samuel Turnell, Seventeenth Ohio Battery. Mrs R. R. Dingman, of Niantic, Ill., for effects of her deceased brother, George G. Gabriel, late of Central Branch. Isabella Humphrey, of Pittsburgh, Pa., for effects of her late husband, Samuel Humphrey, Company H, Ninety-seventh Pennsylvania Volun teers. James Moon, Samuel Moon, and King Moon, of Morrow County, Ohio, for effects of their father, Joseph Moon, late of Central Branch. Mrs. Maria Phillips, for effects of deceased husband, James M. Phillips, late Fifty-third Indiana Volunteers, and of Central Branch. George Messer, an inmate of Central Branch, for repayment of money deposited with Lieut. E. J. Beers, late lieutenant in command of Provost Guard of Central Branch, from effects of said decedent. Herrman A. Ramsey, of Knox County, Ohio, for effects of Harman S. Blue, late of Central Branch, to repay expenses of last illness and funeral. Margaret J. Heeg, of Saint Louis, Mo., for effects of her brother, William T. Greer, late of Central Branch. Mrs. Ann Noonan, of Buffalo, N. Y., for effects of her son, John Noonan, late of Central Branch, she being 72 years of age, and having been dependent on her son for support. The application of Charles Mueller, of Philadelphia, Pa., for effects of Joseph Klefus, late of Central Branch, is refused, but authority is given the governor to pay over the same to the widow or minor child of said Joseph Klefs, if satisfied that either is living and was dependent upon him for support. The application of John D. Miller, of Saint Louis, Mo., for expenses in burial of Jacob Meyers, late of Central Branch, is so far approved as to authorize the treasurer to pay the sum of $30 in full payment therefor, but no more. The application of Mrs. Caroline Stoutenberg, of Fulton County, New York, for effects of her brother, Elijah Peake, late of Central Branch, is referred to Governor Brown with authority to pay the same, upon satisfactory proof of the truth of statements by her made. The applications of the following are refused: John Foreman, of Philadelphia, Pa., for effects of his deceased brother, Samuel Foreman, late of Central Branch. Mrs. Kate Howland, of Quebec, Canada, for effects of her brother, James Dillon, late Company H, One hundred and twenty-fourth Ohio Volunteers, and inmate of Central Branch. Mrs. K. M. Sullivan, of Milwaukee, Wis., for payment of a claim alleged to be due from Michael O'Connor, from effects of said decedent, who was an inmate of Northwestern Branch. Mrs. Mary Neilson, a boarding-house keeper in Milwaukee, for payof a claim from effects of Eoban Stahlschmidt, late of Northwestern Branch. James G. Kenelly, of Brooklyn, N. Y., for repayment of a loan claimed to have been made by him to James Dennison, then an inmate of Central Branch, and who deceased two years ago, leaving effects of little value, which were converted to money and turned into the Home treasury. The board then proceeded to consider applications for readmission. READMISSIONS TO CENTRAL BRANCH. The following soldiers, heretofore discharged, were, for sufficient reasons, readmitted unconditionally: Gustav Mason, late Company C, Twenty-third Ohio Volunteers. John Scott, late Company E, Twenty-ninth United States Colored Troops. James Laracy, late Company G, Sixty-ninth Pennsylvania Volunteers. Levi Pritchard, late Company G, Thirty-ninth Indiana Volunteers. Henry Miller, late Company K, Seventy-third Pennsylvania Volunteers. Michael J. Brady, late Company D, Tenth New Jersey Volunteers. teers. Jacob Ashelman, late Company I, Fifteenth Pennsylvania Volunteers. William Salle, late Eleventh Ohio Battery. William W. Young, late Company B, Fifty-first Illinois Volunteers. John Smith, late Company K, One hundred and ninety-first Pennsylvania Volunteers. David H. Taylor, late Company E, Forty-second Ohio Volunteers. Samuel M. Colvin, late Company I, Eighty-ninth Ohio Volunteers. Francis Drew, late Company C, One hundred and first Pennsylvania Volunteers. Morris W. Kane, late Company C, Second Missouri Light Artillery. Stephen Willey, late Company I, Sixty-second New York Volunteers. Washington F. Watkins, late Company A, Fifth Michigan Volunteers. Thomas J. Gist, late Company K, Second Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery. And the following, on condition they pay their own transportation back to the Home: Charles O. Eastman, late Company D, Tenth New York Cavalry. Peter Jordan, late Company E, Second Connecticut Heavy Artillery. John Wham, late Company L, Sixth Indiana Cavalry. Edward Heinzel, late Company B, Thirty-third New York Cavalry. Cornelius Drost, late Company C, Ninth New Jersey Volunteers. Anderson Day, late Company H, Thirty-first United States Colored Troops. Jefferson Bowers, late Company K, Eighty-fifth Illinois Volunteers. Michael Hurley, late Company C, One hundred and first Illinois Vol unteers. And the following, on condition that he do such work or duty as the governor shall direct, for the period of two months, without pay: August Gevecke, late Company B, Ninth New York State Militia. And the following, on condition that they do such work or duty as the governor shall direct, for the period of three months, without pay: John McFadden, late Company D, Twenty-third Pennsylvania Volunteers. William Henry, late Company H, Eighth Connecticut Volunteers. And the following, on condition that he labor without pay while in the Home: Francis Schloegel, late Company H, Twelfth New York Cavalry. And the following, on condition that they assign absolutely, to the National Home, one-half of their entire pension for the period of three months: |