Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1870-11-01
PENSIONS.
synopsis OF the Commissioner Report.

The Washington correspondent of
the Philadelphia Press gives the fol-
lowing synopsis of the report
(now nearly completed) of DIR. Van
Arnam, Commissioner of Pensions:
The whole number Of invalid army
and navy pensions on the rolls on
June Both, 1870, was 67,52l, and of
widows and orphans and dependent
relatives, III, 065, making a total ag-
gregate of pensions of all classes Of
l98,686. The total amount paid to
pensioners during the last fiscal year
including the expenses Of the reve-
nue agencies, was $25, 780S1181, be-
inn S640, 072.27 less than was paid
for the same purpose during tho fis-
cal year ending June 30th, 1869, not
withstanding the fact that there was
1923 more pensioners on the rolls
during the last year than during the
preceding. This result has been OBJ
tanned by a just and equitable revis-
ION OF the pension rolls, a thorough
investigation of the invalid claims
by medical officers connected with
the bureau, and the cessation of pay
ments to minors who have now at
tanned the age Of sixteen or died
during the year.
The following is a summary Of the
numbers OF the various classes of
pensions, and the amount paid to
each class severalIy: During the
past year there were examined and
allowed $3.50 toward original appli-
cations for invalid pensions of SOL
diers, amounting to $248,74327 and
1852 applications for an increase of
pensions to invalid soldiers, of an
annual aggregate of STA, O213O.-
The total number of original claims
admitted increased was "a, 349, and
the yearly amount of pensions thus
granted was 1924, 370.2I.
There are now upon the pension
rolls II, l86 widows and children of
soldiers who were in the war subse.
quent to to the revolution and prior
to 1861, decrease of twelve upon
the last report. On the Both of June
1870, there were upon the rolls &c.
l87 invalid army pensioners, whose
yearly pensions amounted to ST.
655, 1882, and 109,552 widows, or
phans and dependents of soldiers,
whose yearly pensions were 614,-
224.33, making a total aggregate of
army pensions Of 95,739, at a total
annual aggregate of S21, $50, 412 85.
The whole amount paid during the
last fiscal year to invalid army pen
sioners was s9,003, 913.9S, and to
widows and orphans and dependents
1928, 306 81, making o total of
S27 1873, 02020, which includes tho
expenses of disbursing agencies
There were 149 original applications
for navy pensions, amounting to
sl3,O38 SO; eighty-eight for increas-
ed pensions, of an aggregate of So
923. and sixty original applications
OF widows, orphans aud dependents
OF those who died Of wound received
in the naval service, at annual aggre-
gate of s24, 009, and twenty pensions
of the same class were increased an
nually 81 800. On the 18th Of June
1870, there were 1884 invalid naval
pensioners on the rolls and 1913 or
phans.
At the date of the last annual re-
port there were upon the pension
rolls 887 widows of the revolution
airy war This number had, on the
Both of Juue, 1870, by death and the
act of July %, 1860, been reduced
to 727. On account of the small
number of deaths reported in the
late preceding years occurred among
those aged pensioners, this Office has
made diligent efforts, since the last
report to obtain many facts pertain
ing to the conditions of the bene6ci-
aries of the government. These in
quiries have elected $50 responses
from postmasters, reporting 496 liv-
ing on January l, 1870; So as hav-
ing died during 1869, and 1876 during
previous years. Some postmasters
report no such pensioners as those
named living within their delivery
districts.