The National tribune., 1885-12-03
OUR CORRESPONDENTS.
Replies to Questions ON Variety Of Interesting
Subjects.

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arate sheet of paper, give full name and address,
anu nisTH ~ Coffespondehte Coiunnn- Noatteh-
ton will be paid to comm unications that not
accompanied with full name and address OF writer.
Our readers are requested to inclose stamp for
reply to their Inquiries. Postal cards viii be
replied to by mail only. Replies by mail will ordi
nary be made within q week, and Ii In this col
umn within three weeksl
! W J. b., AfcPherson Kan-There has been some
dispute between my father and another old soldier
as to the regiment commanded by Col. Marrow, who
| afterwards commanded the old Iron Brigade. and
was wounded in the Wilderness. Pa says he COM
manded the oath hIich and only had command of
| wadsworth. Answer Your father is correct Col.
Henry A. Aorro'e (not Narrow was Colonel Of the
oath Mich, and held such position to the close of
the war. He was brevetted Brgadier- General and
General and Is now Colonel of the 2lst U. s.
| L. g., Tube Works, O-Is a person who enlisted
May 2 1864. for three years during the war, and
was discharged for disability May "a 1867 entitled
| to additional bounty? Anstoer. The soldier would
not have been entitled The act mentioned expired
bySmtation over five years ago.
n. s. j., Murray, Idaho.-Please give the name
and address of one more dealers in secondhand
French or other foreign books. Also, you caa,
give me information as to the best method OF
| gathering balsam, and also its present market
| value? Ans,Cer. Try James Angiim & Co., 1924
street. this city, for books You do not specify the
kind of balsam There many balsams, Con-
suit good druggist in your vicinity for the infor
J. II. NJ, Sidney Neb.-1. Suppose man enlisted
during the war rs substitute and received an hon.
over. Is that service considered honorable? Is he
entitled to membership in the q. AR? Is he enti
tied TO benefits from the Government, as pension7
2. Or does the man lose all claims on the Govern
ment and the GAR? Answer. l. Yes. 2. No. He
is entitled TO all the benefits to which any other
honorabiy discharged soldier Is entitled.
r. b. A., Hammond. Ind.-Does soldier making
application for penson at present date I'm case it is
allowed; get back pay to 1851 or only from a date
filed since June 30, 1885, commence, when allowed,
from the date when the claim is filed in the Pension
once only. They cannot under the law commence
prior to such date
g. W. r., Arton Iosca-I received pension for
var1cose veins and was allowed ~ per month Is
there not fixed rate for said disability, the same
as for rupture? and if so, how much? ANsWer. No.
| The rating for the disability mentioned depends
upon the report of the Examining Surgeon, which
establishes the degree of disability.
J. g., Cddis. O-When claim has been rejected
by the Commissioner of Pensions, the claimant or
his attorney has the right to take appeal to the
Secretary of the Interior. When the appeal is
reached In ITS regular order, the matter is referred
to the Commissioner OF Pensions for a report. If
the decision of rejection is adhered to, the Secre
ary IS so informed, and all the papers in the
are transmitted to him, and they come before the
Appeal Board for action. The Commissioner of
Pensions is notified OF the result of such action and
he mott ifies the claimant. The Board of Appeals is
several months behind in its work.
g. +. w., Greenvshe, ~ JAS above. You can
write to the Secretary of the Interior and call up
an appeal made six moaths ago. An appeal is al
ways acted upon in some way. IL sometimes oc-
curs that when called upon by the Secretary for
report in the case tho Commissioner reconsiders
reJectiOn ana reopenS the case. lie may admit
It, or call for further testimony, or adhere to the
rejection. Your appeal has not probably been
| reached in the regular order.
y. ". H., Se,iecH, Kon.-How long after the Spe-
cial Examiner finishes his examination Of the
claimants witnesses until the claim is settledP
Ans.esr: Usually. very promptly. If tho claim is
b. G. w.. Mantle, Csnn-I applied for an increase.
have been examined by Board and they decided
all the evidence asked for. How much longer viii
! nave to wait? AnssoeT We have no means OF
knowing, as we know nothing Of the facts in the
case You should write to the Commissioner Of
| Pensions,
l. H. j., Ba1eys Harbor, WYs-l When, where,
| and by whom was the first mail route established7
2. If your mothers sister was no. your aunt what
relation would she be to you? AnssUer. 1. A letter
post was established in Hanse Towns in the 18th
century. Mails for the besafit of the general pub
lie date their origin from s,e year 15i6 when Roger,
Count of ThuEn and Taxis, introduced riding posts
early as Lie to f272 letters were forwarded by mes
sengers in royal livery. In lilo general post
office was established in London for the whole
British Dorninions The first post-office In Amer
lea Is traceable to Gov LOveiace, in 1872 at place
between New York and Boston. 2. She would be
Pike T., Hill City, Kan.-After an ex-soldier has
taken homestead, timber claim, and a citizens
filing Tor pre- -enpttonl, can he then take soldiers
Ans,oer. He cannot. In fling asoders declaratory
statement he has to swear that he has never be-
If he has filed cizon, that exhausts his home
stead right both as citizen and a soldier. A
soldiers filing is made under the general home
stead laws and his army service providing it does
not exceed four years. Is deducted from the five
years residence required of citizens who did not
serve IN the army, navy, or marine corps during
the rebellion.
p r.. Leeington. Ky-Is there separate Home
for Regular soldiers? If SO, where? Ansaer. Yes.
Washington, ID. e.
J. W. H. Denton Terns.-L In what States and
Territories is there public land that be filed on
by All honorabl y discharged soldier? 2 After liv
ing on the land and improving it for the time
quired by law, deducting time served In the army,
does the soldier get final papers from the Govern
ment that will enable him 10 dispose of it and give
good titlef 8. Can the widow Of an honor
aby-diseharsed soldier twho has died since his dis
charge claim IN 1So acres 6y a moying thereon and
tories give timber claims and on what conditions?
Arswer. l. Alabama, Arkansas. California, Colo
Minnesota, Mississippi. Missouri Nebraska. Ne
vada Oregon, Wisconsin, Arizona, Dakota, Idaho,
Montana New Mexico Utah, Washington. Wyo-
ming. 2. Yes. 3. Yes. 4. Any of the Western
States and Territories above named. The timber
culture act provides title to quarter section of
land where the settler has planted protected and
kept in healthy growing condition for eight years
40 acres of timber on said land. Land taken under
said act must be prairie land entirely devoid of
timber, natural growth or otherwise
s. e. C.-After you have complied with the law
and made final proof you can leave your homestead
claim you desire, and it does not affect your
title. The patent issues from six to eighteen
, months after making final proof, and during that
time the Governments requires no occupation or
G.. G. b., 14h Pa. Cau-You neglected to give
your post-oliice address, therefore cannot ad-
wise you. II you viii write again, stating all
the facts, We will endeavor TO reply as desired.
j. b. C., Stvdnt0n Pa.-Gens. Grant and Sherman
both held the rank of General, u. s. A. When Con-
gress placed Gen. Grant on the retired list as Gen
eral 1t gave him the same rank as Sherman now
holds, viz, General, U. s. A, retired.
g. g., III Peso, W.-When and where has "a man
to report for examination to obtain position, either
In his own State or under the General Government,
under the Civil Service law? AnsWer. Whenever
and wherever he is desi gnated to appear by the
Civil Service Commission All candidates will be
duly notified of the times and places of the exami-
nations, which held at different times and
places.
j. B., Sarrucca Pa.-When q widow or depend
ent mother sister remarries she foreits her pen
sion, and she cannot again be restored to the pen
sion roll under circumstances by reason of the
service or death OF the soldier for which pension
was originally granted.
g. g., Westfeld, N. IA soldier drawing q pen
sion applies for increase. II it Is allowed does the
said soldier receive pay back to the filing of his
claim for increase, or only from the time il is al
lowed by the Pension Office. Ans,oer. From neither
date. If claim is based on the same disability for
which pensioned, the increase will commence from
the date of Examining Surgeons certificate.
L. ~ r., Delphi Ind.-A soldier enlists Nov. z,
1861 in Co. g, 18th Regiment, and serves until
March l3, 1868, and is discharged for disability. He
ensts again Aug. Z. 1868, and is mustered out