The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1851-02-25

"oOucu huIiucB, oeCoHilLlS udlly InoIe ana more
wooden.
The Pension Omce.
In no other department of the Government
has SO sudden an augmentation of business been
realized as in this. A half year ago twenty
five clerks were adequate to the performance
of its business, but at the present moment sixty
five are laboring with far more than ordinary
consistency and vgor, and yet the business de-
handing their attention appears to increase
daily.
We made call few days since to examine
the routine of duties, and were never more
amazed than at witnessing the evidence of the
facts we have stated. We will endeayor to
conduct our readers through the apartments in
the order in which we traversed them.
In rooms Sc and 81 are Mr.. HEATH, the
Commissioner Of Pensions, and Mr.. Evans, his
chief clerk. By these gentlemen the whole
business is supervised, all visitors are received
and attended to, and all letters are received.
The number Of visitors can hardly be estima-
ted; but when it is known that vast quantity
of business is despatched in conferences with
members of Congress, claimants and claim
agents, it will be understood that the levee Of
the Commissioner is by no means the least
popular Of those held in this city.
The number of letters received daily we do
not know, but their bulk equals well heaped
bushel. Mr.. CLARKE opens them, and selects
such as relate to bounty land claims under the
law Of September, 1850. All others he passes
to Mr.. EVANS, by whom they are referred to
the appropriate desks. F'
In room So Mr. PAINE reads all letters re-
ceiyed from members Of Congress, and enters
in register notes of the particulars contained
in them, with induces to the files, SC. Mr..
CHAPMAN, in the same room, keeps like re-
gister Of all other letters from the hands Of
Mr.. Evans.
In rooms 1913 and l25 are Messrs. SWEAR
INGEN, ADAMS, RoBB, MADEIRA, MARKLE, and
BRYAN, to whom are sent, by Mr.. CLARKE, all
letters relating to bounty lands under the law
Of September, 1850. BY these gentlemen they
are opened, and circular is sent to the writer
of each, informing him that his letter has been
received, and promising him that it shall re-
ceive further attention in proper time.
In rooms ! 10 and 12l are Messrs. LIPPIrT,
MARSH, SEM, WILLS, WEEMs, FLETCHER.
HUNGERFoRD, and BROOKE, to whom the let
tiers last described are next sent. Here the
claims are registered numerically, one thousand
in book.
They are next conveyed to room 81, where
Messrs. HARRY, SHADE, DIsKMAN, FIrnAM.
and CoLsToN envelope each claim, endorse
upon it its number, the name of the claimant,
the company and regiment to which he belong
ed, the service alleged to have been rendered,
and the name and post office of the claimant, or
agent applying.
They are then conveyed to room l0l, where
Messrs. TAYLOR, jr., MErcALrE, and THRocK-
MORTON prepare them to be sent to the Third
Auditor, with his rolls.
They are then conveyed to rooms 49,, "a,
and l0l, where are Messrs. KIRBY, STEWART,
TArscorT, DUNCAN, SWEENEY, MAeILL, and
GoDnARD. These gentlemen examine them
and pass them to
Rooms 90 and 50, where Messrs COLLINS,
JEwErT, HALL, CRUpPER, WILLIAMS, VAN
NosTRANT, and BORDEN, the certificate clerks,
make out the warrants
In rooms 90 and 95 are Messrs. BRoApnus,
BRowN, CHASE, MARSH, jr., and TYLER, who
keep record of all letters proceeding from the
Pension Office, numbering about three hun
dred day.
In room lO4 are Messrs. BELL and II. j.
TAYLOR, corresponding clerks, who respond to
all letters of inquiry ms
In room 80 is Mr.. MALcoMB, the register
ing clerk for claims, under the act Of Februa-
ry, lS47. He has also charge Of the suspend
cd bounty laad files, and furnishes certificates
to the Second Auditor for all arrears of pay.
{ In room 103 Mr.. LAUcK has charge Of the
regimental registers Of claims under the act Of
February, lS47, and bounty land claims under
the act of September, 1850, in which are given
the name, number on register, rank, company.
and regiment, of each claimant. He also has
charge Of files of the acts relating to pensions,
&c. Mf4yfss ~ tti.j 1
In room l04 Mr.. BtRcH examines all claims
by the rolls s 'sr
In room 30 Messrs. GoRDos and ADDISON
have charge Of the revolutionary bounty land
claims, and claims Of those who served five
years or throughout the war Of 1872
In room 90 are performed by Messrs. TIP