Seventeen thousand one hundred and sixty-eight could read and write, and 2,204 could reither read nor write. Of the latter, 22 per cent. were native born and 78 per cent. were foreign born.

PROCEEDINGS OF THE BOARD OF MANAGERS OF THE NATIONAL HOME FOR DISABLED VOLUNTEER SOLDIERS, JULY 9, 1889.

BOSTON, July 9, 1889.

The Board met in regular quarterly session at the Brunswick Hotel, at 11 a. m.

Present: Col. L. A. Harris, first vice president; General John A. Martin, second vice president; General M. T. McMahon, secretary; General John C. Black, General Thomas W. Hyde, General William J. Sewell, Col. John L. Mitchell, General John F. Hartranft.

In the absence of the president of the Board, Col. L. A. Harris, first vice president, presided.

Letters were read from the President of the United States and the Secretary of War explaining that official duties prevented their attending the meeting.

The minutes of the last meeting were submitted and approved.

The acting president submitted estimates for the quarter ending September 30, 1889, which, after careful revision, were agreed upon as follows:

Resolved, That the Board of Managers of the National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers estimate and appropriate out of the moneys which may be provided by law the sum of $710,981.16 as necessary to meet the current expenses of the six branches of the National Home for the quarter ending September 30, 1889, and for construction and repairs, aid to State homes, outdoor relief, and incidental expenses of the National Home; and that the acting treasurer be and he is hereby authorized and empowered to take such means as may be necessary to obtain the sum of $710,981.16 from the Treasury of the United States, and to receipt therefor in the name and behalf of the National Home.

On motion of General Black, it was resolved that the special estimate of $9,000 submitted for extension of the dining hall at the Southern

Branch be referred to General W. J. Sewell, local manager, with power to expend said sum, if, in his judgment, it seems advisable.

On motion of General Sewell, it was resolved that $5,000 be added to the appropriation for subsistence at the Southern Branch for the quarter ending September 30, 1889, to be applied in payment of existing indebtedness contracted in previous quarters on account of subsistence. On motion of General Black it was resolved that the sum of $1,383 be appropriated for a paint shop at the Western Branch, and ordered to be included in the estimates.

On motion it was resolved that the governor of the Northwestern Branch be directed to notify General Jacob Sharpe, late governor of the Home, that the quarters now occupied by him at the Home are required for the use of the commissary of subsistence.

The acting president announced the resignation of R. H. Grube, first assistant surgeon at the Central Branch.

On motion the resignation was accepted and W. H. Negley, present second assistant surgeon, was appointed first assistant surgeon, and the acting president authorized to appoint a second assistant surgeou for that branch, subject to the confirmation of the Board.

The acting president reported that, under authority heretofore given by the Board, he had appointed Capt. W. W. Rowley, commissary of subsistence at the Northwestern Branch.

A vote being taken the action of the acting president was confirmed, and Captain Rowley duly elected commissary of subsistence at that branch.

Application from Surgeon McIlvaine, assistant surgeon of the Northwestern Branch, for increase of salary, was presented to the Board, and referred to the acting president for report at the next meeting.

The application of the surgeon of the Northwestern Branch to be allowed two internes in the hospital at that Branch was referred to the local manager, with power.

Colonel Mitchell offered the following resolution, which was adopted: Resolved, That $1,000 be appropriated from the post fund of the Northwestern Branch for the purchase of steam heating apparatus, organ, etc. for the new chapel: this amount to be expended under the direction of the local manager.

The account of Colonel Mendell, U. S. A., of $400 for services rendered to the Board in connection with the water supply at the Pacific Branch was presented by the acting president and ordered to be paid out of the improvement fund of that Branch.

The acting president brought before the Board the matter of the compensation of Mr. Llufrio, a clerk in the Auditor's office, Washing. ton, who appeared as a witness in the case of the Home against General B. F. Butler.

A communication from the Second Comptroller was read to the Board, and, after full consideration, it was resolved that the secretary of the Board be directed to bring the matter again to the attention of the Second Comptroller, with a view to obtaining, if possible, a modification of his ruling in the premises.

General Sewell presented a contract for the supply of water at the Southern Branch, which was read and ordered on the minutes, as follows:

Whereas William B. Franklin, President of the Board of Directors for the Southern Branch of the National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers, and William J. Sewell, local manager of the same, have been empowered by the Board of Managers of the aforesaid Southern Branch Home, to enter into negotiations with the Hampton Water Company for the supply of the said Home with water (see page

224 of the printed minutes of the proceedings of the said Board of Managers at the November meeting, A. D. 1888);

Now, therefore, this indenture, made this 1st day of July, 1889, between William Thompson, treasurer of the Southern Branch of the National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers, party of the first part, and the Hampton Water Company, as is evidenced by the signatures of C. T. Holtzclaw, president, and H. R. Booker, secretary, of the said company; and also by the seal of the said company being affixed thereto, party of the second part;

Witnesseth, That the said Hampton Water Company, for, and in consideration of the yearly sum of $6,000, doth covenant and agree with the said party of the first part, that it, the said party of the second part, shall and will supply the said Southern Branch Home with water from their system of gang wells, located east of the said Home, connecting with the water-main of the said Home, and delivering in the said Home, under pressure, 200,000 gallons of potable water per day. And for any additional quantity above the said number of gallons, the said company agrees to supply the same, at the rate of 10 cents per 1,000 gallons, payable as the said party of the first part may elect. And the said party of the second part doth hereby further covenant and agree to and with the said first party, that the pressure under which the said water shall be delivered shall be sufficient to supply every part of, and throw a fire stream on the roof of, any building of the said Home which is now, or shall at any time during the continuance of these presents be erected on the grounds of the said Home.

And the said party of the first part, in his capacity of treasurer of the said Home, for and in consideration of the above-named covenants, made by the said party of the second part, doth covenant and agree that he will well and truly pay to the said Hampton Water Company the yearly snm aforesaid, viz, the sum of $6,000, for the period to be determined by the circumstances and agreements hereinafter set forth, that is to say:

Should Congress make the necessary appropriations for the support of the branch of the Home at Hampton, Va.. from year to year, this contract shall be renewed for one year, from the 1st day of July, 1890, and yearly for four years thereafter, so that the whole term for which the terms of this agreement shall last will be five years, from the 1st day of July, 1889. Should Congress fail to appropriate money for the support of the Branch of the said Home, situated at Hampton, Va., at any time, then, and in that case neither the National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers, nor any person connected with it, nor the above-named first party to these presents, shall be liable for any payment under this agreement for such time not appropriated for. Nor shall this contract be binding as against the National Home for a longer time than one year beginning on July 1 of that year.

The said rental of $6,000 per annum shall be payable quarterly, and shall begin when the governor of the said Home shall certify in writing that the plant is in satisfactory operation, and the covenants of this agreement in so far, as may be, complied with.

Should the full supply herein contracted to be furnished fail at any time a proportionate reduction from the yearly rental shall be made for each and every failure, said deduction to be made from the quarterly payment next due after the said failure of the said second party; but if the supply contracted to be furnished fail for a longer time than thirty days, all rights of the said Hampton Water Company under this contract shall cease, and they shall be entitled to claim no compensation whatever under this contract.

And it is hereby further expressly agreed that omission on the part of the said Home to enforce the terms of the foregoing paragraphs shall give the Hampton Water Company no right to claim cancellation of the contract, or any concession not herein set forth.

Witness the hands and seals of the parties the day and year first above written.

WILLIAM THOMPSON, [L. S.]

Treasurer of the Southern Branch, National Home D. V. S.
C. TAYLOR HOLTZCLAW, [L. S.]
President of Hampton Water Company.
H. R. BOOKER,
[L. S.]

Secretary of Hampton Water Company.

Witnesses: CHAS. HANDY, as to Treasurer's signature.
R. M. BOOKER, as to President's signature.
E. S. JONES, as to Secretary's signature.

Approved :

P. T. WOODFIN,

Governor Southern Eranch, National Home for D. V. S.

Colonel Harris, from the committee appointed to audit the accounts of the Southern Branch, presented the following report, which was received and ordered on the minutes:

HAMPTON, VA., June 20, 1889.

We have this day examined the accounts of the post fund at Southern Branch, National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers, for the period commencing July 1, 1887, and ending March 31, 1889, and find them correct and supported by proper vouchers.

The balance of cash on hand July 1, 1887, was
And on March 31, 1889, was.

Showing a loss of

$19,304.47

9,856.91

9,447.56

L.A. HARRIS.

M. T. MCMAHON.

HAMPTON, VA., June 20, 1889.

We have this day examined the accounts of Maj. William Thompson, treasurer, Southern Branch, National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers, for the period commencing July 1, 1887, and ending March 31, 1889, and find them correct, and sup ported by proper vouchers.

We find that the treasurer has received, during this period, including balance of cash on hand July 1, 1887

And has expended ....

Leaving a balance of cash on hand of.....

$518,014.36
504, 012.53
14,001,83

L. A. HARRIS.
M. T. MCMAHON.

The secretary presented a communication from Messrs. Van Doraten and Green, attorneys for the assignee of H. C. Darbey, for money claimed to be due said Darbey on contract with the Home at the Western Branch. The communication was read, and on motion was referred to the local manager of said Branch for such disposition as in his judgment the case may require.

On motion of Colonel Harris it was resolved that the Branch of the Home about to be constructed at Marion, Grant County, Ind., be known as the "Marion Branch" of the National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers.

Ou motion of Colonel Harris, the Board authorized the dedication of a strip of land on the north side of the tract acquired for the Marion Branch of the Home, for a public avenue.

General Martin offered the following resolution, which was adopted:

Resolved, That, as soon as possible after the adjournment of any meeting of the Board of Managers at which allowances for quarterly expenditures are made, the president be instructed to communicate to the governor of each Branch a statement of the allowances so made, and for what purpose.

General McMahon presented the following resolution, which was adopted:

Resolved, That a new commissary building be constructed at the Central Branch, at a cost not to exceed $32,250, and that upon the completion of said building the commissary building now in use be converted into a restaurant, and the cost thereof paid from the store fund and applied to the construction account of the new building herein authorized.

The Board thereupon took a recess and proceeded to the Eastern Branch, at Togus, Me.