The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1879-12-04
Report Of the Pension Office.
WASHINGTON, November 2

WASHINGTON, November q.
]. A. Bentley, Commissioner of Pensions,
rotary of the Interior. 1t shows that On the
3Oth Of June last there were 242, 755 persons
in the United States receiving pensions
is now larger than at any previous
time. The present list is composed of
1s5, $50 army invalid pensioners, sl,1.4 army
1,s44 navy invaids, 1,772 navy widows, etc, H..
Cyl surviving soldiers of the war of 1879, and
2l,194 widows of deceased soldiers of that war.
During rim the year new names were added
been dropped from the rolls, mainly from fail
urc for three years to claim their pensions,
were restored, and 13,4N were, for various
The aggregate amount of one years pension
to all pensioners on the rolls is $s5,49 ID,
but the actual annual payment exceeds that
from the fact that nearly all the ncwly-admit-
ted army and navy cases have several years
accrued pension due at the time of admission,
which is paid at the first payment.
During the year the first payment to new
pensioners amounted to $5,765,75S, of which
$4,375, lat was paid to army and navy invalid
widows of the war Of 1872. The first payment
of pensioners of the war of 1872 will rapidly
fall off, while a material increase may be ex-
Of the
upon the commencement of pensions by the
acts of Jan. Is and March 3, 1879.
The above-named acts were passed after the
estimates for the pensions for the fiscal year
ending June 30, 1880, were submitted, and were
not, therefore, taken into account when the
appropriation was made, and there will be
the current year, as nearly as can now be esti-
mated, as follows: $5OOO,OO0 army pensions
and $4,000 navy pensions, which should be
the June quarter may be promptly paid.
There were on the 3Oth Of June 1856 6l5 unse..
tied claims 5Sr hcm be added aboS
10000 old claims which were revived by the
Arrears act of January Is, 1879, or called up
from the Tsiected files since that date for fur
claims filed since the close OF the year in ex-
cess of the number settled added to the num-
Der shown by the record. will aggregate fully
Since the passage of the Arrears act new
invalid, widows, minor children and depend
ent relatives claims have been filed at an UNI
more than double the rate of the receipts
at any previous period except in 1868,
and the widows class exceeds any year since
1871.
:. 1t is estimated that at the close of the year
there will be not less than $4,000 unsettled
An examination into the papers in the
cases of $40 pensioners whose names have
been dropped from the rolls within the last
pensions have been obtained by fraud, shows
the following: 70 invalfds established their
cases by producing 1851 afiidavits and
certificates, of which LIB were false.
oficers, 10 by comrades, and and sss
by other persons. Two hundred and
eeventy-one pensions Of widows, minor chill
dren and dependent relatives were estab-
lished and allowed upon 2Sl6 certificates and
affidavits, Of which 1,S5O were false. Ninety
five of the latter were made by officers, % by
comrades and ,8S7 by other persons.
1t Is also ascertained that at least 96 for.
geries were committed in the 500 cases. There
bad been paid to these pensioners before the
discovery OF their frauds 9Sl7,22S.