The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1883-04-27
How 1900 Clerks and rs Hammers
Employ Their Time.


How 900 Clerks and IsJ Examiners
Employ Their Time.
From the National Republican.
On the Sd Of March last an act, Of interest
TO a certain class Of soldiers, was passed by
the last Congress granting an increase OF
rate from S24 TO $50 per month 10 all those
who were SO disabled in the service OF the
United States as TO render them unable to
. perform manual labor, or lost leg above
the knee or an arm above the elbow; and an
increase from SIS TO $24 to those who In like
manner have lost a hand or foot, or were
otherwise disabled In a degree equivalent
thereto. Although the act was 30 recently
passed II, 400 applications have been filed In
the Pens ,on Office for increase under said act,
and about $500 Of said applications have
been considered and new certificates Issued
thereon. All that Is required Of soldier
who Is entitled TO obtain an increase under
this act 70 TO mail TO the Commissioner OF
Pensions his certificate and transmit II with
= letter, giving under his own signature his
present postoiiice address. No attorney Is
recognized. In some disease cases another
medical examination will be required.
In addition 10 the above there has been is
sued during the month Of March 5000 orig
inal pension certificates and about l,2oO
ordinary increase, reissue, and claims OF
other character. At this rate Of disposing OF
pending claims II would seem that the accu-
mulated business of the Pension office would
be completed within reasonable time; but
the remarkable fact exists that during the
month of March over $500 claims for orig
inal Invalid pensions were filed and over
1900 claims for increase other than under
the act of March Sd, mentioned, and l,400
claims of widows. II is proper TO state that
on the passage Of the act of March Sd there
was considerable Of an increase In the NUN
Der Of original claims filed as well as in
crease 9th sr than under said act. High rates
operate as stimulus In that regard. Ii
must be remembered that q large number of
the claims recently filed will be rejected.
In giving the work of the Office above, no
mention Is made Of the number OF rejected
cases which necessarily occupy a large
amount of the time Of the clerks OF the
Office. The. number Of reflections for the
present fiscal year will doubtless be not far
from 10000. It may be supposed from the
foregoing statement showing such constant
accumulation of work that 1t will be some
years before 1t is disposed Of by the office,
which Is true SO far as tire number of the
cases pending is concerted: but IL must be
remembered that all claims filed since July
], 1880, do hot carry arrears-that is pension,
II allowed, must begin at The date Of Ming
the application, aud that even a great num-
Der OF such claims do not call for the expen-
dlture Of very great sum Of money. by
the close Of this Presidential administration
all cases In which arrears can be allowed
will be practically disposed Of either by ad-
mission or rejection, but the latter may he
reopened AZ. any lime on new and material
evidence, SO that by the time mentioned the
country will be relieved thereafter of such
immense appropriations as have been neces-
sary In the past. Before the LIST OF July next
claimants will be practically In default, in
this, that all calls will have been made on
the War Department for the record OF the
military history Of the applicants, and all
calls made for evidence in cases where such
reports from the war Department are on iiei
and there will be thereafter but little delay
IN the settlement Of any claim In which the
claimant has filed the necessary evidence al
required by the office.
The large force Of the Pension Office IL
being well utilized. The best means possible
have been adopted for the instruction o.
those recently appointed by dividing the
force of the Office into small sections, and
by tho printing Of the decisions Of the De
partment concerning the adjudication o.
claims, also by the publication OF . "treatise'
formulating the unwritten practice, which
heretofore being unwritten was Of necessit.
not we'll settled.
Taking into consideration the magnitude
of the pension business the above showing
certainly should give satisfaction TO th'
country. Concerning the amount oil wori
required of this Office some Idea may be hat
in addition TO the statements made, by giyini
some further figures as to the amount
work performed duriag the month Of March
There were received, TO use round numbers
$4,000 pieces Of evidence; $4,000 reports iron
the adjulant general; 1900 reports from tn
surgeon general; 1850 reports Of surgeon
of medical examinations; 1000 reports Of
cases from special examiners; daily re
ports of same, 0,O00. Each Of the papers re
ceiyed must necessarily be classified and ar
plied TO the proper cases. In addition to th
above there were received 1900 miscellane
ou, letters, 1000 congressional, and 1880
other letters Of inquiry concerning cla'm'
Before making answer TO each OF the tire
last mentioned Inquiries the condition
the claims called up thereby must b
obtained from an examination Of the paper
The whole number Of letters and circular
mailed BY the Office for the month Of Marc
was l33,6Oo; there we're 1890 calls made o
the adjutant general, and 10000 on the SUI
geon general. !.
IL 10 easy TO understand the hecsssi'y ~
such large force of nearly 1000 clerks as
employed In the Pension office In the lgl
OF the figures given. The best means q
pears 10 have been inauguraied by the Con
missioner Of Pensions TO expedite bushes
hut ut the same time . due regard Is had
prevent the improper allowance Of CLAIM
that are not meritorious. At this time aoo'
II, clerks are employed As special examiner
stationed at different parts Of the country {
the purpose OF examining such claims as u
Commissioner is authorized by law to spes
aily examine. No claim Ii thus examine
until the claimant has made out prin
facie case upon en- parte testimony, and th'
only such are examined where there 10
weli-crounded doubt IS TO the genuinene
of the claim, or where the claim appears
!. lac meritcrious upon the evidence hle
which il not Of the character according
,he ru,es Of the Office SUFFICIENT 70 establi'
the claim, aud rejection would not see
4" be proper. Safeguards TO protect y
,,oye,nmcnt arc also inaugurated inside U
ofice In the reorganization OF the torc