fees collected outside of incorporated towns in Alaska since March 3, 1901, are as follows: July 31, 1901, clerk of court, third division.. Total. One-half of this set apart for education in Alaska.. $699.16 1,956.00 18, 167.00 20, 822. 16 10, 411. 08 From this statement it will be seen that the report from the third division covers receipts for nearly five months from March 3, the same being at the rate of $139.81 a month; that of the second division nearly six months, the same being at the rate of $326 a month; that of the first division over seven months, the receipts being at the rate of $2,422.30 a month; making a total of $2,888.10 a month. One-half of this set aside for school purposes would be $1,444.05 per calendar month, or $17,328 per year, to meet the liabilities of $28,000 as above stated. (See Exhibit A.) It is necessary to call attention, however, to the fact that there is no explicit statement in the communication from the honorable the Secretary of the Treasury of the periods of time actually covered by the returns from the clerks of the court. I have assumed in the above -estimate that the periods of time covered terminate in each case with the dates given by the Secretary, but it is possible that this is a mistake and that the returns for the third and second divisions include only the receipts for the fiscal quarter ending June 30, and that the returns for the first division include the quarter ending June 30 and also the quarter ending September 30. This uncertainty with regard to the rate makes the estimate a mere conjecture. There is another uncertainty which also invalidates the estimate. According to unofficial information before me I see that the quarter ending June 30 furnished 30 per cent of the entire revenue for the year, that the quarter ending September 30 furnishes 31 per cent, while the receipts for the quarter ending December 31 furnish 22 per cent and for the quarter ending March 31 furnish only 17 per cent. This would seem to show that 61 per cent of the returns are received in the summer and 30 per cent only in the winter. Revising the estimates so as to count the returns from the second and third divisions as returns for the first quarter, and the returns for the first division as for two quarters, the total would be $46,954.64, of which sum one-half for schools would aggregate $23,477. Deducting from this one-sixth for the decreased income in the six months ending March 31, the balance, $19,564, represents the receipts from licenses upon the second basis above described. The liabilities against the Alaska school fund from the present time until June 30, present year, are: Additional supplies, approximately. Unpaid salaries amounting to... $17,192.67 Rental of rooms at Douglas and Fort Wrangell for the remaining months. 181.00 500.00 200.00 270.00 18, 343. 67 Amount for traveling expenses for the United States agent of education on tour of inspection in Alaska to July 1, present year.... Making a total of................. Deducting the balance due on the $10,411.08 reported in the Treasury on December 27, namely, the sum of $1,096.87, from the liabilities for the remainder of the present fiscal year, it will be seen that there is needed the sum of $17,246.80 to cover said liabilities. HD-57-1-Vol 94- -19 Deducting amount already received, December 27, by the Treasury Department for education in Alaska, namely, the sum of $10,411.08, from the total amount of receipts to be expected according to the most favorable estimate, namely, $19,564, leaves a balance of $9,152.92 out of which to meet the liabilities of $17,246.80 for the remainder of the present fiscal year. On the basis of this estimate it appears that there will be a deficit of $8,093.88. I respectfully call attention to the fact that these estimates of income are based on a fiscal year ending March 3, 1902, one year after the law went into effect. If the receipts from the clerks of the three divisions were to be paid on the day following the close of the quarter, the entire sum for one year would be in the Treasury by the 1st of April and an additional quarter's payment would be in the Treasury by July 1; but, as a matter of fact, distance and possibilities of transportation, together with official delays incident to making the returns, cause an interval of three months between the close of the quarter and the payments into the Treasury for the first district and a delay of six to nine months in getting returns for the two quarters from the second and third districts. This fact makes it probable that the actual deficit in the Treasury to pay the liabilities for the present school year will reach the sum of $14,000. I have the honor to be, Very respectfully, your obedient servant, SIR: Through the kindness of the Attorney-General I have this day received from him a copy of your letter to him of October 23, 1901, in which you request that the clerks of the several district courts in the district of Alaska be directed to furnish your Department with a list of the towns incorporated in their respective districts, together with a description of the corporate limits of each. In compliance with this request I have the honor to state that there is but one incorporated town in the third division of the district of Alaska, of which I am the clerk, namely, town of Eagle. The following is a description of the corporate limits of said town: Beginning at a point where the center line of C street and the Yukon River intersect; thence running in a southwesterly direction along the center line of said C street for a distance of 200 rods; thence southeasterly 320 rods on a line at right angles to said C street; thence in a northeasterly direction parallel to and with said C street to the left bank of the Yukon River; thence along the left meander line of said river in a northeasterly direction to place of beginning, containing approximately 400 acres. The town of Eagle was incorporated February 9, 1901. The organization is in active existence, a common council, mayor, and school board being elected, and I have already, under the orders of the judge of this division, paid to the treasurer of the school board one-half of the license moneys collected in said town since March 3, 1901, sufficient to maintain a school term of nine months, which was commenced September 2, 1901. I shall be pleased to advise you promptly of any proceedings hereafter commenced in this division for the incorporation of other towns. From conversations with leading spirits in the other communities from which such a movement could arise, viz, Circle City and Rampart City, I am of the opinion that a majority of the residents of these two places are at present opposed to incorporation. While upon this subject I should like to be advised as to the desire of your Department upon one phase of it. In the instructions to clerks of district courts in Alaska, promulgated by the Attorney-General May 1, 1901, clerks are required to keep four accounts, as follows: (a) License fees received for business carried on in incorporated towns; (b) license fees received for business carried on outside incorporated towns; (c) funds other than license fees available for court expenses; (d) funds not available for court expenses. The Attorney-General, in the same instructions, paragraph 7, says: "It is suggested that, as far as practicable, a single fund be selected from which to make the payments ordered by the court." In accordance with this suggestion the judge of this division since March 3, 1901, has directed all incidental expenses of the court to be paid out of fund “b," viz, license fees received for business carried on outside incorporated towns, that being the largest fund and the only "single fund" which was at all likely to pay the expenses. Practically all the money that will come into this fund during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1902, has been deposited with me, although most of the licenses have not yet been ordered, by reason of the absence of the judge at Nome, where he is holding a special term during the absence of Judge Noyes, wherefore these deposits can not be treated as public funds under paragraph 11 of said instructions. I have no doubt, however, that all the licenses applied for, and for which deposits have been made, will be granted. But upon careful calculation of fixed and other incidental expenses, I find that 50 per cent of the money that will be available as fees collected for licenses for places outside incorporated towns will not be sufficient to pay all these expenses. If, however, I use for this purpose the 50 per cent of the fund "a" and all of fund "C" I shall have sufficient. But this will be using more than a "single fund" for such purposes, contrary to the wishes of the Attorney-General. The act of March 3, 1901, provides that 50 per cent of all license moneys paid for business carried on outside incorporated towns "and covered into the Treasury of the United States," shall be expended for school purposes. Would you construe the part in quotations so as to permit us to pay all expenses out of fund “b," and cover what remains into the Treasury, of which 50 per cent would be available for school purposes? Until I hear from you I shall hold all funds, so as to meet either course. Respectfully, A. R. HEILIG, Clerk United States District Court for the District of Alaska, Third Division. The SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR, Washington, D. C. 57TH CONGRESS, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. J DOCUMENT 1st Session. No. 435. CURRENT EXPENSES, GOVERNMENT HOSPITAL FOR THE INSANE. LETTER FROM THE SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY, TRANSMITTING A COPY OF A COMMUNICATION FROM THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR SUBMITTING AN ESTIMATE OF APPROPRIATION FOR HOSPITAL FOR THE INSANE. March 4, 1902.—Referred to the Committee on Appropriations and ordered to be printed. TREASURY DEPARTMENT, OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY, SIR: I have the honor to transmit herewith, for the consideration of Congress, copy of a communication from the Secretary of the Interior, of the 7th ultimo, submitting an estimate of deficiency in the appropriation for "Current expenses, Government Hospital for the Insane," for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1902, $35,000. Respectfully, The SPEAKER, House of Representatives. L. M. SHAW, Secretary. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, SIR: I have the honor to transmit herewith a deficiency estimate for $35,000 for current expenses of the Government Hospital for the Insane for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1902. The necessity for this deficiency is fully set forth in the accompanying estimate as recommended by the superintendent and approved by the executive board of the hospital. The estimate is approved by me and is respectfully forwarded through your Department for the appropriate action of Congress. Respectfully, The SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY. E. A. HITCHCOCK, Secretary. |