REPORT OF THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS OF THE SOLDIERS' HOME. WASHINGTON, D. C., November 3, 1881. To the Hon. SECRETARY OF WAR: SIR: In obedience to a requirement of the regulations for the Soldiers' Home, I have the honor to submit the following report for the year ending September 30, 1881: The commissioners have visited the Home and audited the accounts of the treasurer regularly, as required by law. No additions have been made to the property by purchase or building during the year, and no expenses have been incurred except such as were necessary for the support of the inmates and the improvement or preservation of the buildings and grounds. The management has been satisfactory and the duties devolving upon the officers have been properly performed. These duties have been during the past year probably more regular and routine in character, because of the absence of any of the special work in building and other new improvements which has demanded attention in previous years, but they have been nevertheless none the less important and responsible. The admissions of inmates have increased in number and the attention and care required have increased in proportion. This is particularly manifest in the matter of maintaining proper discipline. In the last annual report the fact was stated that pensioners who have contributed to the funds of the Home by the payment of twelve and one-half cents a month during their service in the Army now receive their pensions, instead of relinquishing them to the Home while they receive its benefits. In addition to the current payments on this account to pensioners, a great majority have had refunded to them by the United States a sum equal to their accrued pensions for a period of about four years. This money has been the means of bringing much damage to its possessors and much discredit upon the institution in which they have been kept. Many of them have either voluntarily forfeited their rights or have lost them as subjects of discipline, and have become burdens upon communities, in which the "Soldiers' Home" is judged according to the ap parent evidences of neglect they witness in their midst. While inmates receive money in any considerable sums there will be no remedy for this state of things, and the strong measures adopted to restrain those who waste their means for intoxicating liquor will continue to be a hardship to those who are peaceable and well disposed. In procuring the supplies for daily consumption the regulations governing purchases for the Army are observed as far as practicable. An abundance of good food well prepared and a sufficient supply of com fortable clothing are furnished. Each inmate has a single bed and is provided with a locker for his personal property and apparel. The rooms are kept perfectly clean and well ventilated, and the conveniences for all natural wants are as complete as circumstances will permit. All have access to a good library, and the current periodicals are regularly received. One of the inmates is employed to read for those who cannot read for themselves. The sick and infirm are cared for in a well-appointed hospital under the charge of an experienced medical officer. Farming operations have been confined mainly to the production of fruits and vegetables, of which a good supply is raised, though not sufficient in quantity of the latter, and the deficiency is made up by purchase. The officers of the Home who were relieved by the present detail at the close of the last fiscal year completed a most satisfactory tour of duty in their respective positions, and it is with gratification that this record of commendation is made. The officers now on duty are: Col. Samuel D. Sturgis, Seventh Cavalry (brevet major-general), governor. Lieut. Col. John S. Mason, Twentieth Infantry (brevet brigadier-general) deputy governor. Capt. Jonathan D. Stevenson, Eighth Cavalry, secretary and treasurer. Assist. Surg. Calvin DeWitt, attending surgeon. The officers relieved are: Col. Joseph H. Potter, Twenty-fourth Infantry (brevet brigadier-general), as governor. Maj. Milton Cogswell (brevet colonel, retired), as deputy governor. Maj. Joseph H. Whittlesey (retired), as secretary and treasurer. Surgeon David L. Huntington, as attending surgeon. The register of inmates shows that during the year there were: Receiving the benefits of the Home September 30, 1880.. Regular.... Temporary Readmitted Dropped by voluntary withdrawal, for absence without leave, &c.: Regular... 550 153 68 77 848 120 66 10 1 43 3 17 260 588 Included in the 68 men temporarily admitted are 37 who were received as soldiers entitled to become inmates, and who were regularly admitted on receiving their discharges from the Army. I have the honor to be, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant, President of the Board of Commissioners. REPORT ON CONSTRUCTION OF STATE, WAR, AND NAVY DEPARTMENT BUILDING, 1881. OFFICE OF BUILDING FOR STATE, WAR, Washington, D. C., July 1, 1881. SIR: I have the honor to submit the following report of operations. pertaining to the construction of the building for State, War, and Navy Departments, in my charge, for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1881: The east wing of the building having been entirely completed during the last fiscal year, operations were confined exclusively to the north wing. At the close of the year ending June 30, 1880, as shown by the last annual report, the work, which had been proceeding slowly for some weeks for want of funds, was nearly suspended, and the supply of materials practically exhausted. An appropriation of $450,000 for the north wing was made by act of Congress approved June 16, 1880, but owing to the facts that much of the material required, consisting of manufactured iron and cut granite, could not be contracted for until funds were available; that considerable time was necessarily consumed in the preparation of those materials, and that the iron-work was the first needed before the work could go on, operations on the building could not be resumed with any vigor until September 23, 1880. Even then, but few parts of the work could be carried on simultaneously, as it was necessary to complete some floors and interior walls to enable the derricks to be raised into advanced positions for the handling of the stone. After two or three weeks, however, the work moved along with system, and good progress was made up to November 22 with both the stone and brick masonry, including the combined iron-work. At this time freezing weather set in, which suspended the masonry for some days, and, with the exception of one or two weeks of mild weather suitable for laying masonry, was succeeded by one of the severest winters of this latitude, effectually closing, on the 20th of December, all operations upon the building. The object of pushing the masonry work so late in the season was to fit the building for the iron-work of the roof, for which the contractors had prepared much of the material, expecting, according to the terms of their contract, to erect it during the winter. The weather, however, rendered all such out-door work impracticable, and it was necessarily deferred until spring. On February 23, 1881, the last of the stone for the court-yard walls of this wing arrived at the building. On March 28, 1881, the weather having become well settled, opera |