The Portland daily press., 1870-10-19

The report of DR.. Van Aernam, Commits
sioner of Pensions, is nearly completed, and
will furnish much valuable and interesting in
formation. The report will show the following
facts in relation to the operation of the pension
system. Tho whole number of invalid army
and navy pensions on the rolls on June 30,
1870, was 1921, and of widows and orphans
and dependent relatives, 114075, making to-
tai aggregate of pensions of all classes of 1o8,-
696. The total amount paid to pensioners dur
ing the last fiscal year, including the expenses
the revenue agencies, was s27 $780, 81 81, be-
ing $642, 072 ~ less than was paid for the same
purpose during the fiscal year ending June 80,
1860, notwithstanding the fact that there were
1o,74 more pensioners on the rolls during the
last year than during the preceding. This ire
suit has been obtained by a just and equitable
revision of the pension rolls, thorough inves.
tigation of the invalid claims by medical Off
GERS connected with the bureau, and the cessa-
ton of payments to minors who have attained
the age OF sixteen years6r died during the
year.
The following is summary of the numbers
of the various classes of pensions and the
amount paid to each class severally: During
the past year there were examined and allow
ed $3.50 original applications for invalid
pensions of9i soldiers, amounting to $685.
1888 25 and 1882 applications for an increase Of
pensions to invalid soldiers, of an annual ag-
gregate Of S174,O21 80. The total number Of
original claims admitted and increased was
M,349, and kthe yearly amount of pensions thus
granted was $2,214, 800 q.
There are now on the pension rolls 12,OS6
widows and children of soldiers who were in
the war subsequent to the Revolution and pri-
or to 1861, decrease of twelve upon the last
report. On the Both of June, 1870, there were
upon the rolls sc, 1877 invalid army pensioners,
whose yearly pensions amounted to 81, 655 749
81, and 109,550 widows, orphans and depend
ents of soldiers whose yearly pensions were
$14,24, GA SO; making a total aggregate of
army pensions of 95,739, at a total annual ag-
gregate of $21 $3.50 Alb IS.
The whole amount paid during the last fiscal
year to invalid army pensioners was $9003,-
913, SO, and to widows and orphans and depen-
dent, Sis, 1928, 306,97, making total of $27 1872,
020, 20, which includes the expenses of disburs-
ing agencies. There were 149 original appli-
cations for navy pensions, amounting to 3d.
038,S8; lightweight for increased pensions, of
an aggregate of $3 ,923, and sixty original APP
plications of widows, orphans, and dependents
of those who died of wounds received in the
naval service, at an annual aggregate of $24,-
600, and twenty pensions of the same class
were increased annually 81, $50. On the 18th
of June, 1870, there were 1,334 invalid naval
pensioners on the rolls and ,613 orphans.
g At the datesof the last annual report there
were upon the pension rolls 1856 widows of the
Revolutionary war. This number had, on the
30th June, 1870, by death and the act of July
%, 1860, been reduced to TT. On account of
the small number Of deaths reported in late
preceding years occurring among these aged
pensioners, this Office has made diligent efforts
since last report to obtain many facts pertain
ing to the condition of the benefeiaries of the
government These inquiries have elected $50
responses from postmasters, reporting 495 liv-
ing on January 1, 1870; SO as having died dur
ing 1869, and 136 deaths during previous years.
Some postmasters report no such'pensioners as
trictS.