The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1850-05-31
CLAIMS FOR LOST HORSES AND
OTHER PROPERTY.

ollice, at Washington, as to render some
general reply necessary 10 satisfy appli--
canis.
The regu'ar business Of The office is the
settlement OF accounts vi dIsbuTSing officers
OF the Army, and claims arising under the
several wars in which the country has been
engaged. viz:
Accounts of Quartermasters;
Accounts Ct Commissaries;
Accounts Of Engineers;
Accounts of Pension Agents,
Revolutionary Claims;
| Claims under the war of 1912;
The several Indian wars, and the Mexi-
can war;
Claims under srecial acts Of Congress.
On the first OF November last, there were
nearly 5000 accounts of dlsbursing officers
on file. independent OF the claims arising
under the Mexican and other wars.
The miscellaneous Claims, arising under
acts and reso ulions of Congress, have
greatly accumuIated since tie act of the
"a of June. 1913. This act provides for
reiundlng to States, corporations, and indi-
vduals. .ihe expenses incurredin organizing,
subsisting. and transporting hoops before
| being mustered into serricc, and has pro
duced more than 1000 claims. and the list
is increasing daily. Upon each of these a
special report has TO be made to the Secre>
taty Of War.
Claims for the pay OF teamsters employ.
| ed during the wnr are also numerous.
But claims under the several acts for the
payment OF horses and other properly los,
in the military service OF the United States,
are the most numerous and pressing. Un-
der these acts, there have arisen three
thousand sir hundred clainlantS-wIih
claims for one, Two. three. four, five, or
more. distinct losses-and these. averaged
at three each, would make nearly clcrcn
lh0usand'
So that the whole number of claims and
accounts in The Bureau cannot be short Of
fifteen thousand!
TIE las, ac, on the subject of lost horses
is more restricted in many respects Than
the former laws; and whilst the labor OF
examination is IN no degree lessened in
respect 10 claims, an award cannot be made
upon one IN tmenfy, either owing TO the
want o! provision by law, or The defective.
ness of the testimony. The law provides
but for erlraordinary cases the volunteer
being allowed forty cents a day for the
ordinary use and risk of his horse; yet
claims are Sc, up for every species of loss,
as well from disease as from the casualties
OF war.
To dispose oI this immense accumulation
| of business, no addition bad been made to.
the cleNca force Of the office since Ausust,
lS4S. until the first of February last. when
nine temporary clerks were asslgned.-'
There ara now but .foriy flee clerks in the
bureau to dispose Of, fre times the amoun,
OF business existing before The commence.
ment Of the Mexican war.
All accounts and claims properly come
up for consideration in the order in which
they are registered, and any departure
from this rule creates confusion and dssal-
IsIacIlon. II will, therefore. readily be per-
ceived that claims OF recent date, except IN
the cases CT widows and orphans. cannot
justly be allowed TO take precedence Of
others OF longer standing.
Most of the quartermasiers' accounts are
very heavy-embraclng the whole period
OF The Mexican war. One of them alone
involves money and property to the amount
of more than tmeice millions Of dollars. and
is connected with the account OF almost
every officer on duly IN the Valley Of
Mexico.
Each claim for los, horse requires an
examination of the affidavit Of the claimant
and OF the officer under whose command
he served, aud requires afterwards com.
parson OF facts with those embraced on the |
muster and pay rolls belonging TO other
bureaus, to see what remarks appear on
these in reference 10 the alleged loss,
Each one of the fifteen thousand cases
referred TO has TO undergo close and
critical examination by the clerks, upon
voluminous vouchers-and 10 be revised
by the head Of tie office.
What court in the Union has the ADJ
ticalion of such an immense mass OF cases!
What court in the world could clear a
docket Of such extent IN ten years!
The remedy Is with Congress. When
an act '. passed which creates thousands
of claims upon the Government, It IS re-.
specrfullv suggested that provision should
be made for sufficient clerical lorce To
despatch the business in the shortest poss,-
bic period This is due 10 claimants and
TO the Government, as well as TO the ofii-
GERS upon whom the labor of adjudication
is thrown.
From the foregoing brief review. i will
he seen that delay IN The settlement Of
claims is unavoidable, and that II is phys'
cally impossible to do more than is already
done By the laborious aud energetic clerks
Of the Third Audiror's office.
II is the habit of the Auditor 10 answer
letters on the subject Of claims 10 as great
an extent as possible; but 10 appiy the
w hole force of the Bureau to letter writing
alone. Tor the mere purpose OF acknowledg-
ing the receipt of claims. would be sense.
less waste OF Time, and only serve 10 retard
settlements. Four clerks are now oon>
stantly employed in copying the corespon-
lence which indispensably grows out oi
The ordinary despatch OF business. and one
in registering claims; and the force Of the
office is thus distributed:
One chief clerk, who directs the general
business Of the office. and gives Information
,n subjects requiring research and investl-
,arion; one registering clerk; one requlsitoI
'lerk; f,ro book keepers: four copyisIs
iine on guariermasier's accounts seren on
he accounts Of pension agents; four on
claims; three on engineers
accounts; sir on horse claims-in all 40.
The foregoing explanations are maee for
The Information Of claimants, and 10 relieve