The National tribune., 1885-12-17
OUR CORRESPONDENTS.
Replies to Questions on q Variety Of Interesting
Subjects.

again write u.s. 0fring their full names (which were
omitted in their ctters). The names of corre-
spondents must be attached to their coTmunica-
tions to insure replies, and this will explain why
number of letters are not replied to.
c. j. F., Fort EdUdrd N. Y.-While serving as
non-eommissioned officer, detailed as Hospital
Steward our Surgeon was killed. Is there any law
that will allow me the pay OF Surgeon while acting
i'll that capacity? 4nsUer. No, unless you were
regularly commissioned by the Governor Of your
State in such rank
j. Il. g., Ean Vert O.-Is there a clause of the
homestead law permitting ex-solGiiers to locate
claim without being personally present; that Is by
power of attorney? AasUer. The declaratory state
ment of the soldier may be filed by an agent for
the soldier, but within six months thereafter the
latter must make his entry in person and COM
mence settlement. and must continually reside
upon the land thereafter for the required period
Il. ". B., Rock Island, IH-A soldier enlisted in
charged prior to the expiration of his time on ac-
count of an injury received in line OF duty re-
enlisted February, lS6i and mustered out at close
of war July, 1865. In the taking of a homestead
claim, would such soldier be allowed credit thereon
for the second enlistment time, which, with an
allowance full of first term, would In this case make
him a three years and ten months credit? AnsUer.
Yes.
d. F. atkinson, Neb-I received pension certif-
cate in 1884, allowing $50 per month las Lieu
tenant for rupture from February, 1869 and In 1884
it was voluntarily raised to SIS per month. Now,
entitled to the difference between $50 and Slo
from February. 1862 to April g. 1884, at which
tine TN e II was raised TO go! Ans,oer. no. Soo was
toned prior to April 8, 1884.
g. T., Weeping Water, Neb b-Ishould like to ask one
question: Whether there is any soldier living
with both legs and arms off anywhere in the coun-
try? ask because one asked in THE NATIONAL
TRIBUNE how much pension such one is allowed.
4nsber. There Is not nor ever has been pensloner
on the roll with both arms and both legs off.
W. o. IL. Laurence, Kan.-l. In a ca-e where an
application was filed in June, 1850, prior to bar OF
arrears First Lieutenant files claim for pension.
Disability. chronic darrhea. Proof shows one-half
a Two %9r What % ratng bi, %ous hi
application by inserting new disability and get q
new rating? g. From " hat date? a. If his proof
is complete for rheumatism, what would be his rat
ing? Ans,oer L. If the Examining Surgeon should
report half disability, the rate for First Lieu
tenant would be s. 80 per month. 2 Yes if he can
prove the claim g. The pension for the new disa-
bility, if it was not alleged until after June, 1880,
would commence from the date when the applics-
ton therefor filed in the Pension Office. 4.
That would depend upon the report OF the Exam
lining Surgeon.
d. p. j., Danielsonvilse, Conn-1 Arrears are not
granted in claim tor increase based on the dis
ability for which already pensioned Under the
law such increase can commence only from the
date of the certificate of the Examining Surgeon,
| which establishes the right to increase. q The
rate of pension for partial loss OF eyesight from
smallpox, well as for all other diseases, depends
upon the report of the Examining Surgeon showing
the degree of disability.
". f., Tit,suiHe Pd.-You can apply for increase
it is the result OF the disability for which you
stoned you can obtain higher rating. In such q
case it is not necessary to establish that the result
ing disease developed in the service.
Mrs. s. H., Michigan Cty.-Vice- President Wilson
died in office. There have been five Vice-Presi-
dents who died i'm office.
| g. w. T. Harfs Nias Ran-To settle dispute
| please state: 1. What is q woodchuck? 2. Can the
| son of a soldier draw the bounty and back pay Of
his father if latter died in the service, leaving
| widow? AnS,ccr. l. 1t is American rodent of
| the species designated as marmot; Of the genus
arctontys monar familiarity known in some local
tiles the ground-hog. 2. Yes, if il has not been
| paid and there are no other children.
i. Y. r., Proridence, e. IA soldier enlisted June
2S 1862 and discharged for disability March 5.
Ia u. bounty DeuSiOnY
Ansrer He is not entitled to any bounty if the dis
| ability for which he was discharged was disease.
Only those who were discharged for rounds having
| served less than two years entitled to bounty.
Whether he is entitled to pension depends upon the
facts in the case. If he contracted disability IN
the service and in line of duty and he is and has
been thereby disabled and he proue the facts,
| he is entitled to pension.
/ s., Flemin9Sburg, KY, and several Others who
| write for information regarding the Military
| Academy at West Point are informed that it would
take page AT least to reply to their inquiries. If
they will write to the Adjutant-G General, U. s. A.
this city. they can obtain circular which will give
| them the information desired.
| G.. NC, Du Bois PG.-Bounty of all kinds was paid
| to enlisted men only. No bounty was promised or
paid to officers Their increased pay more than
! compensated them for the bounty that was paid
the enlisted men, When you enlisted the Govern
| ment promised to pay you a certain bounty. and
that conditioned upon your serving your entire
| term as an enlisted man. and had you remained an
enlisted man that bounty would have been paid,
| but you saw tit to accept commission, and you
thereby snnulled your contract and forfeited the
| rights and privileges of an enlisted man, and be-
came entitled to those of an officer, which did not
| include bounty, because bounty was not paid to
officers. You might rs equitably claim the monthly
pay of an enlisted man i'll addition to the pay of
| officer. You have no claim for bounty in law OK
equity.
order to appeal from the decision o. an Examining
! Board? 4nSWer. If the Commissioner of Pensions
| has rejected your claim because the Board of Ex-
anining Surgeons fail to find degree of disability
| existing claimed by you, it is of little use to
! appeal. You can do so, however, by writing q
tSlf tn no
| Hon. Secretary OF the Interior and in due time it
will come before the Board of Appeals for action.
| The better way would be to furnish additional
medical testimony to the Pension Office, showing
| your present physical condition with reference to
the disability claimed and request another exanin-
| alton before some other Board.
| j. c. Elmira N. "a pensioner is now receiving
sII per month for deafness. If the rate for total
deafness should beincreased say, $50, and partial
| deafness proportionatly, would he be obliged to
make application for the increase? Please state what
tootd or should be done for him to obtain it? An
| sper. We cannot state with any certainty what
will be the provisions of an act of Congress yet to
| be framed. We presume, however, if such a bill
| should pass Congress, that all that would be re-
qured would be for the pensioner to send his PEN
| sion certificate to the Commissioner of Pensions
E. L. s. Marietta, Pain 1879 L applied for q
pension, and in 1882 was paid part of the claim.
| MY claim was for disease of lungs and shell wound
of the head for the latterI received 81 per month
| from date of discharge. You will see ut that
| the office allowed me nothing for disease of the
| lungs. What want to know is, II L can establish
disease of lungs will be entitled to pay from time
of my discharge? Ans,csr. Yes, if disease of lungs
| was alleged i'll 1879.
j. s. C. Beiridere " C-l ia soldier served
nearly three years in the army, was hOnorably dis
charged applies for pension, dies before his claim
is allowed, and his widow dies. is his children
| titled to pension? 2 To what Office will have
to inquire get the proceedings in the above case?
| g. If a soldier enlisted August, 1862, dis
| charged June %, 1865. and dies without applying
| for n pension. is his widow and children entitled to
| a pension under the present laws? 4. If soldier
files his claim is placed the pension roll, and
his lawyer fails to send the necessary blanks how
| can he proceed? S. If soldier has q pension
claim pending, is it bar against his claim to sign
| with a comrade soldier make affidavit for
| another soldier Of the same company. AnS1cer. 1.
| The children complete the claim and draw all
| the pension lie would have been entitled to had he
| lived 2 To the Pension Office. 3. Yes, pr0riding
| his death was caused by a disability which Origi-
mated in the service and IN line of duty. 4. He
| should write to the Commissioner OF Pensions. s.
| No.
| H w. Hanover IU.-A soldier of the late war Ia
reported missing he left three younger brothers at
home at time of his enlistment, the oldest being IA
wears of age. The father died recently leaving the
widow (soldiers mOther) about IS 600 in property.
| Is the soldiers mother entitled to pension? An
| Sper. No.
| IT. s., bridgeport Conn., served two years in the
| 2Oth ". Y; honoraby discharged; enlisted again
| in tho 18th N. V; badly wounded; when well
went home on hospital furloughi unable to return
| at expiration of furlouSh; to escape arrest as de-
serter he enlisted in the 5lst n. VI again hon.
| orably discharged. Can he claim pension his
! wound received In the 18th? He had no intention
to- desert the service; il fear of arrest. Ansrcer
| lie will not be granted pension for any disability