83 REPORT OF THE CUSTODIAN. OFFICE OF THE CUSTODIAN, INDEPENDENCE HALL, PHILADELPHIA, August 10, 1901. F. M. Sterrett, Adjutant-General, G. A. R., St. Louis, Mo.: Comrade: In presenting this, the Sixth Annual Report of my work, I have the honor to state that, acting under the direction of the Commander-in-Chief and the QuartermasterGeneral, I have continued to send out all supplies and blank forms, a detailed account of which will appear in the report of the Quartermaster-General. All supplies are now received at this office, and shipped from here prepaid; ample storage room in this fire-proof building being granted by the Department of Pennsylvania. The records of the Grand Army are being kept up to date; full files of Department Journals being secured each year as soon as issued, and carefully preserved. These journals have now accumulated for several years, and should be bound. Past Commander-in-Chief Robert B. Beath had a number of the early journals bound, which are now in my posssession, and I recommend that those now at hand be bound in uniform style at an expense of not over $100. I have furnished public libraries with copies of our journals, and have frequently helped out departments from the duplicates of Department Journals of which I have quite a large number on hand. Yet a new book-case is needed, but I think the present one will, by crowding, last another year. To my comrades all over the country, with whom I have been brought in pleasant business relations, I extend greetings, and I thank you for your kindness and courtesy during the past year. Fraternally yours, J. HENRY HOLCOMB, REPORT OF QUARTERMASTER-GENERAL. OFFICE OF QUARTERMASTER-GENERAL, GRAND ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC, F. M. Sterrett, Adjutant-General, Grand Army Republic. I have the honor to submit herewith my report of the business and condition of this office, for the term ending August 10, 1901. I desire to call particular attention to the general fund, in order that the encampment may not be misled by the fact that an increase in the cash balance is shown since the last report of $4,572.91. Of this amount $3,609.20 must be left out of consideration in making our calculations for the coming year, viz.: $2,000, donated by W. R. C. $1,609.20, premium on bonds exchanged with the U. S. Treasury. The balance of the increase, $963.71, has been made possible by strict economy, principally from the fact that the Commander-in-Chief has curtailed his traveling expenses to the minimum amount (being less than one-fourth of the usual allowance). With reference to the exchange of our 4 *per cent bonds of 1907 for 2s of 1930, the officer of the Secretary of the Treasury was before the Executive Committee, at its meeting on December 17, 1900, and all realized that in the near future we should have to seek a new investment by reason of the maturity of the bonds then held; the committee were not prepared to name any other form of investment than government bonds, and by resolution the exchange was authorized. The wisdom of this action is manifest, as we could to-day (August 10th), sell the 2s and buy 4s, and be the gainer to the amount of $529.20. Of the bills paid there is seven * "Officer" in this line should read "offer." "Is" in this line should read "are." *amounting to $1,035.10, which was contracted by the former administration. The free blanks issued to the departments, during the year, have cost us $640.86. I have received but one contribution to the Southern Memorial Fund, and that +was from post 39, Department Pennsylvania, consisting of one gross of small flags, for which they have our sincere thanks. In closing, I desire to express my thanks to the Custodian, Comrade Holcomb, whose promptness and accuracy in attending to the many details of his office is beyond criticism. He is decidedly the right comrade in the right place. To the Commander-in-Chief, yourself and the Executive Committee, I need only say, that the associations formed with you, each and all, will remain among the most pleasant of the many formed during my thirty-three years connection with the Grand Army of the Republic. Respectfully submitted in F. C. & L., CHARLES BURROWS, Quartermaster-General. "Which was " in this line should read "which were." "post" in this line should be "Post." |