FIRE DEPARTMENT.

The various Branches are generally well organized and fully equipped with apparatus for protection against fire, and fire drills are frequently held, but they are not held under conditions probable to exist in case of fire. Usually for fire drills the alarm or a signal is given from headquarters and notice duly sent to all concerned, a favorable time being selected. Unheralded attempts on my part to have an alarm given by the occupants of buildings were usually unsuccessful. In one instance ten and a half minutes were consumed in getting a stream onto a storehouse from a hydrant which was only a few feet distant. To be of value, fire drill should be held under conditions approaching as nearly as possible those which would actually exist in case there were a fire.

During the year the following fires occurred: One at the Western Branch, loss $322; one at the Central Branch, loss $4.364.54; one at the Mountain Branch, loss $3,000. Total loss, $7,686.54.

MEDICAL DEPARTMENT.

In view of the vast and growing importance of the hospital service of the Home, and in view of the lack of uniformity of methods observed in the hospitals of the various Branches, some of which are far from satisfactory, the appointment of a medical director or medical inspector is strongly recommended.

The system of accountability for perishable medical supplies in most of the hospitals is not satisfactory as a guard against leaks or to detect same if they occur.

STATISTICAL.

The following statistics, gleaned from data supplied by the officers of the various Branches in reply to questions submitted by the inspector, pertain to the Home in its entirety, and relate to the period from July 1, 1904, to June 30, 1905, unless otherwise specially stated. The total number of officers and members present and absent on June 30, 1905, was 28,070, of whom 19,608 were Population. present and 8,462 were absent-a net gain of 404 over the preceding year. The gains and losses during the year, by Branches, were:

The average number present and absent during the year was 28,225 (as against 27,686 for the previous year), of whom 21,092 were present and 7,133 were absent.

Total number cared for, 35,261-an increase of 1,502 over the pre

ceding year.

Average per cent of members absent to the whole number present and absent was 25.5, as against 25.1 for the previous year.

Average age of all members to June 30, 1905, was 65.01 years, as against 64.41 for the previous year; of those who served in the civil and prior wars, 67.36 years; of those who served in the Spanish and subsequent wars, 37.57 years.

The deaths were 50.6 per cent of the first admissions for the year, as against 52.1 for the preceding year.

Discipline.

The total number of arrests was 8,764, total number of members offending being 5,445. There were 2,913 trials for drunkenness, and 2,608 for absence without leave. Per cent of members offending to the average number present was 24.70, as compared with 23.39 for the preceding year. The Southern Branch had the highest percentage of offenders, 56.35; and the Pacific Branch had the lowest, 6.07.

Following is a statement of the disposition of the farm products:

Farm.

The amount appropriated for farms for the fiscal year was $106,050. A new form of cashbook for the general fund has been adopted, which materially reduces the clerical work. It is General fund. suggested that as the amount remitted under the appropriation for "Clothing" is to be accounted for the same as any other funds remitted and entered into the disbursing officer's total balance, less confusion would arise if the transactions affecting that appropriation were included in the total receipts, disbursements, and balance.

The receipts and expenditures of the general fund for the year, under the several subheads of appropriation, were as follows:

The cost of improvements was $219,515.30; of repairs, $268,842.42. There were 2,314 open-market purchases, amounting to $68,210.39. On account of the posthumous fund $28,105.41 was received and $15,382.11 disbursed.

An average of 58 officers, 332 noncommissioned officers, 4,017 members, and 567 civilians were employed under the general fund. Their pay for the year aggregated $968,811.38. Their average pay, per diem, was: Officers, $5.13; noncommissioned officers, 63 cents; members, 31 cents; civilians, $1.41. A daily average of 261 members worked without compensation.

Per capita cost.

The per capita cost of maintenance during the fiscal year, exclusive of the cost of construction and of disbursements made by the general treasurer, general in character and pertaining to no particular Branch, was $149.22, as compared with $148.56 for the preceding year, an increase of 66 cents. This leaves the Mountain Branch out of the calculation, where the per capita cost of maintenance was reported as $448.94, construction probably being included. (Considering the Mountain Branch in connection with the others, the average per capita cost for the year was $182.52.)

Since 1898 there has been a gradual increase in the average per capita cost of maintenance, said cost for the successive years being $117.84, $123.97, $130.91, $133.36, $141.57, $144.06, $156.38, $158.22. The profits of the post funds of the several Branches aggregated $80,276.10, exclusive of the Eastern Branch, where it was reported that the post fund had been conducted at a loss of $8,296.38. The greatest profit ($21,387.23) was made at the Southern Branch, the smallest ($166.88) at the Northwestern Branch.

Post funds.

An average of 493 men were daily employed in the post-fund business, and their pay for the year aggregated $101,032.05.

Pensioners.

At the close of the fiscal year there was an aggregate of 26,356 pensioners on the rolls of the various Branches (as against 25,671 for the preceding year), drawing pensions ranging in amount from $6 to $100 per month. They were paid in the aggregate $122.483.05. Nine pensioners had balances of more than $1,000 each to their credit. The pension business of the entire Home was carried on by 23 clerks, whose pay for the year amounted to $10,880.

Barracks.

There are, altogether, at the Branches, 126 barracks. They were originally intended to accommodate an aggregate of 16,882 men, not including the Eastern Branch, which failed to report the capacity of its 11 barracks. The average air space per man, as reported, was 741.5 cubic feet. The aggregate number of bath tubs in barracks was 427, there being an average of about 46 men to the tub. Urinals were reported as sufficient in number everywhere except at the Western Branch.

The capacity of some of the Branches is overtaxed in caring for the members. Especially is this true of the Western Branch, where approximately 500 men are quartered in basements, while in other Branches, notably Danville and the Mountain Branch, there is ample Immediate steps should be taken to correct this.

room.

Steam plants.

The steam plants of the various Branches were maintained during the year at an average cost of $75,091.55.

Five of the Branches make their own ice. The cost of manufacturing, per ton, was as follows: Mountain Branch, 60 Ice plants. cents; Central Branch, 80 cents; Western Branch, $1; Southern Branch, $1.20; Pacific Branch, $2.75. The Danville Branch buys its ice at $4 per ton. The Eastern Branch puts up its own supply at a cost of 12 cents per ton. The Northwestern gets its supply without cost from its own ponds by giving the contractor what is left. Considerations of economy would suggest the advisability of an ice plant at the Danville Branch.

Commissary department.

The average cost of the ration was about 16.65 cents. The highest was at the Mountain Branch, 21.35 cents; the lowest at the Danville Branch, 15.15 cents. The average cost of the hospital ration was about 18.49 cents. The highest, at the Mountain Branch, was 22.46 cents; the lowest, at the Central Branch, 16.5 cents.

Home Regulations (paragraphs 291-297) provide that officers, members of the Home and civilian employees permanently employed and residing at the Branch, may purchase for cash certain articles. Under the present interpretation of these regulations, officers of the Branch are required to make advances to cover purchases of commissary stores. Paragraph 1266, Army Regulations, provides that "sales to officers paid for within the calendar month in which made will be regarded as cash sales." The advisability of a similar, interpretation of the Home regulation is suggested.

Food.

Food was sufficient in quantity, of excellent quality, and generally well cooked and well served. Exceptions are noted below and in the reports on individual Branches. At many of the Branches the quality of the tea and coffee served was inferior, due principally to the fact that they were made a long time before being served. In the hospital at one Branch, tea to be served hot for supper was made in the morning.

Attention is again invited to the total want of uniformity in the results obtained in the bakeries of the various Branches; a want of uniformity which exists not only between the results obtained at different Branches for the same period, but which extends to the results obtained at the same Branch for similar successive periods, operating under identical conditions.

The property returns for the Pacific Branch for May, June, and July, 1905, show the following issues of the principal articles used by the bakery and fabrications reported. The average membership is also reported:

Showing that in May, with a daily average of 367 less present than in February, 5,009 pounds more of bread, etc., were fabricated, involving in the larger fabrication in excess of that for the former about 473 pounds of material. As compared with June, it appears that with a daily average in May of 47 members more, 10,500 pounds of bread, etc., less were fabricated at an expenditure of 700 pounds more of material.

The disparity between the average membership, the amount of fabrication and the articles issued for the fabrication month by month, suggests the incorrectness of the returns or waste of material. The following information relative to results obtained at the cadet mess, West Point, quoted from a letter dated July 15, 1905, from Capt. Thomas Franklin, Subsistence Department, treasurer of the United States Military Academy, in reply to certain questions submitted from this office, is of interest and if diligently studied should be instructive:

First. Quantity of flour, yeast, salt, and other ingredients required to make 100 pounds of white bread.

I can reply to this better by giving you my formula and what I get on an average out of a barrel of flour. Using Pillsbury's Best or Washburn-Crosby Gold Medal flour, I get as follows: Flour, 196 pounds; water, 130 pounds; yeast, Fleischmann's compressed, 2 pounds; salt, 4 pounds; malt extract, 2 pounds; total solids, 334 pounds.

This will average in bread baked 310 pounds, or a gain of 58 per cent. You understand, of course, that if a weaker flour is used less water can be used with it, and consequently less weight of bread obtained; but I find in practice it is always advantageous to buy the strongest flour possible, at a higher price, and get more bread out of it; in other words, the manufacture remaining the

same.

Second. Same of Graham bread.

My formula is: Flour, whole wheat, 196 pounds; water, 120 pounds; yeast, Fleischmann's, 2 pounds; salt, 4 pounds; malt extract, 2 pounds; molasses, New Orleans, 5 pounds; total, 329 pounds. Weight of bread after baking, 300 pounds; percentage of gain, 53.

This flour does not take as much water as the best patent white flour, such as Pillsbury's or Gold Medal, for the reason that in any given quantity there is not as much gluten. The bran of the wheat makes up a good part of the bulk of the whole-wheat or Graham flour and does not absorb water with the same readiness as gluten.

Third. Same of biscuit or buns.

Tea biscuit.-Flour, 55 pounds; milk, 27 pounds; lard, 6 pounds; baking powder, 2 pounds; salt, 1 pound; total, 91 pounds. Weight when baked, 86 pounds.

Buns. Whole wheat, 38 pounds; water, 24 pounds; yeast, 8 ounces; sugar, 2 pounds; molasses, 2 pounds; malt extract, 8 ounces; salt, 4 ounces; butter, 2 pounds; total, 69 pounds 4 ounces. Weight when baked, 64 pounds.

French bread.-Flour, 48 pounds; water, 23 pounds; salt, 8 ounces; malt extract, 8 ounces; yeast, 8 ounces; total, 72 pounds 8 ounces. Weight when baked, 68 pounds.

Molasses cake.-Molasses, 20 pounds; milk, 20 pounds; flour, 32 pounds; eggs, 4 pounds; lard, 6 pounds; soda, 1 pound; cinnamon, ginger, allspice, and nutmeg, 1 pound; total, 84 pounds. Weight when baked, 84 pounds