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Show 30 COMMISSIONER OF IX'DULN APFblBS. men transferred from other services of the Government where they had shown marked ability. While the Civil Service Commission has cooperated heartily with the o5w, it has been unable to furnish a sufficient number of eligibles for the lower grades of positions, such as cooks, matrons, carpenters, and blacksmiths. In course of time this condition will be remedied, as Indians in greater numbers are entering these minor positions, in which they render very good service. Indians are also rising through the grades, several of them having reached the position of superin-tendents of reservations. They are doing excellent work. CONSTRUCTION AND REPAIRS. As the annual deterioration of the buildings used in the field ranges from 1 per cent in the mpst durable materials to 20 per cent on the most perishable building materials in unfavorable climates, the item of repairs alone is large. The approximate value of school and agency plants is $8,500,000. At the same time there is constant need for new construction. The funds available for new buildings and repairs approximated $700,000. Wherever ~ o r wk a s within reasonable distance of building and trade centers, efforts were made to interest local contractors. At every place where this has been tried local builders underbid others from 10 to 25 per cent. The office is often confronted, however, with the necessity of erecting buildings at remote places where only contractors with large capital can operate. Because of the magnitude of our building operations, and the size of many structures, temporary superintendents of construction are employed; wherever a regular employee is suficiently competent . in knowledge of building materials, house equipment, systems of water, sewer, and lighting, and in the computation of quantities, he is appointed; otherwise suitable superintendents are secured through the Civil Service Commission. Permanency in this force of em-ployees would heighten its e5ciency. On the Colorado River Reservation in Arizona, cottage dormitories have been constructed as an experiment. Each building is 70 feet long by 40 feet wide, with ordinary porches at the front and sleeping porches at the rear, and are one story in height, with 12-foot ceilings. Each dormitory is complete and independent in itself, containing kitchen, dining room, sitting room, rooms for employees, and bath-rooms, and will accommodate 20 children. The design and construo-tion of these dormitories make them adaptable to all climates. Plants for day schools which were built were provided with rooms for in-dustrial work and with lavatory and bathing facilities. The increased opportunities for industrial training and for cleanliness well justify the additional cust of this equipment. For new dormitories and for |
