The Arkansaw traveler., 1884-08-16
curio.i,iss of tn. Pension oshe..
Cleveland LeaAes

ulRnt
 curiosssies of the Pension ofsce.
 Cleveland Leader.i
 One of the most curious relics nov in the Pension ofiioe is the 6le relating to the pension granted to Blaine's great grand mother. the wife Of Colooel Ephraim Elaine, of rsvolusionary fams. lt is kep, in cheap blue paper usapper. and |, Rives Mrs- Sarah l.. biaine penssou ol S6oo year from the ssh of March, ISSS.
 It will be news to many that Abraham Lincoln, Frank nesce, Geaeral Grant, William T. Sherman and lefr Davis have received anything from the govesumen, in the way of pensions, but their papers are all filed away in the division allotted te the Mexican vAs. They ase done up in hsown paper covers and filed away with about a hundred thousand oshers lining the walls of an immense office hall They are curious papers too, and ia view of the history of the times sinee their ap- plication they read with interest now. Grants pension is land warrant of l6o ac.es gwen to him in is5 for his services as second lieutenant and regimeutal quar,ermas,er in the Mexican war. Ais letter making the application is char, acteristic of the man. lt is dated q, Detroit, Mich, November 6, 1850, il abominably written in Grants own hand and put in the fewess words possible being signed l.. :. Grant, 6sst lieutenant and K. .. M. Fourth infantry.
 Captain Wm. '. Sherman's claim comes from Ss. Louis, dated about ths same time. ls asks for two quarter sec. tions of land, one tor his Florida services and the other for his record in Mex,eo The claim is presented by Tom Ewing lr, his brother in-law. Abe Lincoin's claim was presented in 1855 for his ser vices in the Black Hawk var, where | cites he entered for an indefinite perio< and served for forty days. 1, is in Lin eoln's handwriting, aud was granted if 1855.
 Al this same time Robert k. Lee. thes employed at the United States Miiisar, academy, al West Point, sent papers hers for which he received ido acres of lant for his services as colonel in the Mexicar war. Here, arc, too, the papers of Gen eral Scott, asking for bounty land for hii services n the var Of iSs2. They ars signed by Scott and were granted to hin while he was general of the army here Shortly atef this come the papers b, which yef Davis and Frank Fierce wer, allowed their land claims for services Ii the Mexican war. l.. Waldo was tn. commissioner Of pensions at this time while Jeff Davis vas secretary of state and Frank Pierce president. Heroes ap plication is made out in Waido's hand writing, as is also that of Jeff Davis, ane they both abound in fulsome praise c ,hese two officers. Both are indorsed b, Waldo as special cases. and . note in clossd with each that thsy may be Iei with him to be sent to the pensioners aas not to be mailed in the ordinary way. There are nov on the peosion roll siehty-svo widoss of rsvelutioaas, tsoldisrh and iorsy-eight ol tAess ooa' from the southern states. Nins fron Tsnnessae, eight from Ceorgia, eIsvel from Virginia, four from We0 virginia and twelve from North Casoitns. fhsr is oGly eas rsvolu0onasy widow iron Missisaippi, one in Aassachusee1s, tkfe in South Carolina, four in Ohio an, New York, five in Maine and New Hamp shire, seven in Vermont and eighs Ii nenssylvaniA
 Amoog the pensioners are the wivss c three presidents. Mrs. Polk, vho is liy ing in Tennessee, Mrk John Tyler, vho living at Richmond, Va, and Nm. lame 4. Garfield. Each of thsse sscaive s, ,oo . year according to special act oi con gress. Mn. Abraham Lincoln got fror 1870 to Iss, a pension of S ,ooo. in iSs t vas increased to 5000, which t con tinued until her death. The dasghtes ( another president, ZachaSy Taylor, als receives . pension at this time. amounts to $50 . month, and is given fc the services of General Taylor in th 1 As~s~.u ~ny