Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1878-11-15
Report of the Commissioner of Pensions

Mr.. Bentley, the Commissioner of Pensions.
has completed his report for the year ending
June 80, 1873. The following are the most
important features:
The number of new claims of all classes filed
during the year was 675O9. OF these 1882 were
original invalid claims, being more than double
the number of the same class filed in either of
the four years from 1871 to 1874. AS many as
ls,Z4O were for service in the war of 1872. One in
SIX only were the claims of survivors, the bal
ance being those of widows. Claims to the num-
ber OF 49, 764 were settled at average cost for
salaries OF 9lO.l5 per case. The average cost in
lSl1 was $l2Sl. and in 1876, Sl711.
The saving through the increased efficiency of
the office, including the reduction in the salary
appropriation. of S33,550 in 1877 over 1876, was
TlS3O and in 1878 over 1876. including the re-
dnctlon of the salary fund of S35, 800, was $780,
lI2. The number of cases settled in 1877 was 22 4
cent. greater than in 1876
At the beginning of the year the number of
pension agencies was reduced from tifty-eight to
eighteen, saving in salaries for the year Sl42000
making an aggregate saving IN the bureau for
the year OF 94S2,l72. Since the consolidation the
pensions have been paid more promptly than be
fore. The pay service has advanced to a high de-
gree of efficiency. The Commissioners is of the
opinion that the reduction in the rate of the
agents compensation made in the Appropriation
bill for the current year cannot be maintained
without injury to the service, and some further
allowances should be made for their expenses.
On. the SOth of June. 1873, there were 223 ,99s
pensioners on the rolls, a reduction of 2645 dur
ing the year. 1t is expected that the number
will increase considerably during the current
year on account of the 1872 pensions.
The amount paid for pensions during the year
was &2B,530, 1920. OF this amount 5240, ,90l SO
was retained from the pensioners and paid TO
claim agents for their fees.
The special investigation of fraud under Sec
4,744 Revised Statutes, cost 1882 $50 and re-
sultedin saving of S4O2096.95, besides the dis
covery that many clai m agents and other persons
were guilty of violation of the Pension law. A
considerable number of these persons have been
convicted and punished by the courts and
many Others by suspension or permanent prOhi-
bition from practice in the Department of the
Interior.
Considerable space is devoted in the report to
the claim agency system. and to an explanation
of the act of Congress of June 29 1873 reducing
the claim agents fee from r25 10 80, and chang
ing the plan of collection SO to have agents
collect their own fees instead of having them
collected by the Government through the pen
sion agencies. The Commissioner approves of
the act, and is opinion that it will greatly bene.
ut both honest claimants and the Government.
The Commissioner reviews his recommenda-
tlOn Of last year and the year before for an en-
tre change in the system of settling claims by
dividing the country into districts and sending
into each district a surgeon and skilled clerk
TO examine the claimants, and TO collect the
testimony in support of the claims. He alsc
renews several other minor recommendation OF
bis lastrepOrt, and makes the new recOmmen.
dAtiOn that the biennial examinations be dis.
pensed with, He thinks they are no Longer
necessary.