The National tribune., 1885-09-10
OUR CORRESPONDENTS.
Replies to Questions on Variety of Interesting
Subjects.

ITO Correspondents questions on n sep
arate sheet of paper, give full name and address,
and mark 1t Correspondents Column" No atten-
ton Will be paid to communications that not
accompanied with full name and address of writer.
Our readers are requested to nclose stamp for
reply to their inQuiries.l
". l.. H., CliHoHriUc, Wis-Does IL bar a man
from getting pension by having been discharged
q minor? a.? AnSlccr No.
a. f. H., Hclcra, Ed.-I was discharged as super
numcrary Sergeant Major by the consolidation of
the 109th and IlIth Pa March 81. ls65 The dis
charge was given me April y, 1865. Am entitled
to the remaining instailments of bounty, having
only received four iHstallments when discharged?
Ans'rer. No Had you been discharged after April
% 1863 you would have been entitled full bounty
March }, lSs5 increasing the pensions of soldiers
who have lost an arm at the shoulder joint from $50
to $3.50.
C. T., Iona, N il. What agency paws pension
ers residing in Europe-say Belgium Holland?
. Is it necessary to have passport on landing in
either of the aforementioned Kingdoms or will
honorable discharge and pension certificate answer
instead? AnSIrer. /. Washington d. c. Agency.
2 passport Is not absolutely necessary but it may
prove convenient document to have should
emergency arise requiring Identification as an
American citizen.
". W. H., Bayard To,oa-In casea claim is made
for pension on two disabilities resulting from dis
eases, and by mistake, otherwise, rated only
on Can be rc-rated, and will it carry
the the disability for which pension
allowed? AHstger. 1t depends upon the nature of
the remaining disability. 1t may be included i'll the
rating already given or the remaining disability
may have been rejected for q cause that preciudeS
a revival of the claim. If you call up your claim
i'll the Pension Office and ask The condition of the
claim regards the remaining disability, you Will
be fully informed in regard thereto. If claim there
for filed prior to July l. 1850 and it is allowed
you will get back pension for same.
X. H., Davenport Ncb-A. applies for pension and
dies before claim Is allowed. His wife dies also and
leaves three minor children. If fathers claim is
proved up will the children get the back pension
of their father? If so. will any portion go to pay
funeral expenses and Of last sickness? AHS,Ce If
y. q soldier and he filed an invalid claim, and
,ft
lowed, the minor children can apply through
guardian, if still under age complete the claim and
draw all the pension he would have been entitled
to. If his death was due to disability contracted in
service and line Of duty they also apply for
pension for themselves If pension is allowed the
minor children they can pay the funeral expenses,
ETC. if they desire. That is matter in which the
Government would take no action in case of the
kind mentioned.
and am drawing pension of $50 per mont for total
disability, and require regular aid and attendance
Am not entitled 10 So per month under that act
approved June l6 1880, and how will make applica
ton for the increase; and would not be entitled
the difference between the $50 and S72 from the
time have drawn 500? AnSlCer. Not unless your dis
ability total blindness of both eyes loss of both
hands both feet, unless you were on the pen
sioG-roll at $50 June Is, 1850. If your disability IS
other than the specific disabilities above mentioned
and you were allowed so after June l6, lSS0, that Is
all the pension you can get under the law, no mat
! ter how badly disabled you may be.
| C. o. S.. Cortland, Ned.-Am L on file with my
claim in time to get arrears of pension? The num-
Der of my claim is S6S,l79 Aaguer. Yes, for tine
| disabilities alleged in the original declaration.
4. Il. r., Clay, N. Us or has there been an act
| passed increasing widows pension? a widow
! draws s. per month. Her husband, while living,
| drew Sl6 Is she entitled to an increase? If so,
| how should she proceed to get it? Answer. No TO
| all of the above.
r. c. s., Langsgiue, O-1 Please state the average
value of National currency from 1851 to 1885,
! gold being the standard. 2. What is the proper
way to be restored to the pcn5on-rOll after being
| dropped-the Board of Examining Surgeons hav-
ing reported the disability ceased since Jan. 9,
! 1884? AnS,cer. l. Greenbacks were worth in 1852,
IS cents; 1868, IS cents; 1861, 46 cents 1865, 50
cents 1866 67 cents 1867 " cents; 1863 I'll cents
1859 II cents 1870 S6 cents; ISL Sc cents; 1872 50
cents 1873 50 cents 1874 50 cents; 1873 81 cents;
| 1876 so cents; 1877, % cents; 1873, 9S cents.
| Since then greenbacks have been at par. The
foregoing figures are the average values for the
entire year, taking the highest and lowest values
i'll each month as basis. The lowest value reached
| by greenbacks during the in July. 1864,
! when gold reached S2.S5, which made a grecnback
worth 50 cents. Specie payment was resumed Jan.
l, 1879 2. Apply for restoration with the affidavS
| OF two or more good physicians, showing the
claimants present physical condition with reference
to the disability for which pensioned and forward
! to Pension Office, requesting another order for
| examination.
special act of Congress be bar to arrears of PEN
sion? 2. Can follow my old application, filed i'll
! 1873 and get pension from discharge to date of
| special act? AnsCer. 1. pension by special act
| would commence only from the passage of the act;
| but that would not bar you from arrears III your
original claim II you ever succeed III getting 1t
allowed. 2. Yes.
H. w. s., Ne,O Castle Ind. At what date did
the law mass to allow ST. so to soldiers whose limbs
| were amputated Mt the hip shoulder joint? 2.
Would soldier having lost his arm close TO the
shoulder and his pension changed from $50 to So 80
under the late decision of Commissioner would he
receive his increase back to the time the above law
| passed? AnS,cer. l. For loss of leg at hip
joint, March 8, 1879; for loss OF arm at shoulder
joint, March 8, 1883. 2 Yes; If the arm Is anlpu-
tated at near the shoulder joint that the dI5a
! bility is practically the same.
Il. p, Clayton, IU.-A soldier applied for pension
| Or bet BE
| he died, and his widow put in claim for pension
| and procured it. She did not attempt the compile
ton OF her husbIud's claim, but applied widow.
| Can she complete his claim and procure back
! pay from date of her husbands discharge pro-
cure back pay without taking up his claim, or pro-
cure more than a. per month? ALStcer. she can
complete the soldiers claim, and If it Is allowed
she can draw all the pension he would have been
entitled to receive from date OF his discharge to
date of his death She cannot receive any other
back pay, secure more than IS as the widow OF Il
/ soldier.
~ F. c., PittsJug, Ean.-1 Brovet Maj Gen.
David A Russell, U. = Vols, was Major of the sth
| u. =. Inf and later Colonel OF the Ith Mass;
| promoted Brig.-Gen L. S. Vols Nov 20 lS62. lie
was n gallant General and was killed ut the battle
| OF Winchester. Va, Sept. 10, 1851. > Land war
rants have not been issued for service during the
late of the rebellion nor for any service since
the Mexican war. The soldiers of the late war
were paid their bounty III money instead OF bounty
land and it is not probable that land warrants
service in the war Of i56l65 will ever be issued at
! least, not during your lifetime.
D. d., Clear UateF, Ean.-l. Was there special
/
month all pensions rating ut Si5 per month? . Ii
So how will obtain the additional s. as l would
be fully entitled to the benefits of the act, having
| received but SIS per month until about November,
| ISSi when was increased to $50? ARSIrGr l. No;
the SIS rate was increased 10 SIS June t. 1872. ..
| Your claim for Il re-rstns would not probably be
| entertained.
! j. H. H., BIdirsri,te, Pa.-Can man who has just
had his pension increased from SO to so get So,
| under the act approved June Is, ISSO? IL 50. how
must he present his claim to get 81? Will he make
new application for it? VIII he draw the difference
! between $50 and S72 froE the time the 500
| granted? 4Hs,cer. You cannot draw 81 unless you
| are totally blind, or have lost both hands or both
feet The act of June Is, 1850 provided So for all
that the roll al that date at SO but 1t made
! no provision for those whose claims should be al
lowed after that date, except in OF the specific
disabilities above mentioned; hence, $50 is all that
you can draw unless you are ulSaOieu sS aoOTe de-
| Scribcd.
j. w., Pine Ridge, Ddk.-Please inform me what
| becomes of a pension claim after it leaves the
| Adutant- Generals Office" Who passes upon il
next and so on, until the end? dnSiCsT. pension
claim docs not go to the Atiutant General 1t does
not leave the Pension Office, where il Is originally
| fled The entire action In pension claim Is taken
| by the officials OF the Pension Office During the
progress of the claim the War Department is called
upon for reports to the army service of the claim
ant his hospital treatment and to verify the service
! etc. of his army witnesses; but that Department
has nothing to do with the adjudication of the
! claim.
| Subscriber C;IStlefon, IA soldier is drawing q
pension OF S2i per month for heart and lung disease
and slight deafness in both ears, according 10 Sur
! geOn'S report, but Is totally deaf in and
more than slight in tine other. lie has to
drums to help him to hear. i would like TO know