The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1886-10-28
OUR CORRESPONDENTS.
Replies to Questions on Variety Of Interesting
Subjects.

@. B., Elroy. Wis-1. Is So per month full pension
for lumbago? 2. What is the highest rate of pen
sion a man can receiver 3. Are not pensioned
according to disability 1istDer. 4. If the disable
ity Is considered to DO three-fourhs of total then
that IS full pension for that degree of disability e
The highest pension paid is S72. 3. Yes. according
to the degree of disability. IL the disability is rated
at more than three-fourths, then more than So
would be paid, not otherwise. The rating for any
disability may be any amount under Sl7, S24 and
60 or more, according to the degree of disability
found to exist by the Examining Surgeon.
H. =. L., Delight Rdn.-If the g. r. pension bill
becomes a law. will the widows of soldiers who
cannot prove that their husbands died Of disease
contracted IN service, be entitled to pension? IN
SlCer. Yes, If the soldier was pensioner.
III. r. H., Gtt6eTfs Nils ". I'll, A soldier ap-
plies for pension Deafness treated there
for during service, but has furnished evidence Of
the facts OF said disability from comrades. What
his chances for 2 What is the rate for
total deafness in right ear and in left?
q How long after examination, all evidence being
filed, before he will hear from il? A. Why was my
question not answered that / sent in some seven
weeks ago2 AnssOeT. /. IL is impossible for Us TO
decide the merits of any claim upon statements
alone. III the evidence of comrades is reliable and
bears directly upon the facts, that is if they have
absolute personal knowledge that you contracted
deafness in the service, and the testimony showing
existence of said disability at discharge and since
Is reliable and definite, IL Is probable that the claim
will be allowed. z. Four to six dollars per month.
3. We cannot say: IL is impossible to answer the
question L. We have no data showing that you
have ever written US before.
J. @. b., Blue Knob, PG.-Will the prisoners bill,
as reported by the Committee on Pensions be
brought up unfinished business or will it have
to be introduced again2 4nsper. The next session
of Congress being continuation of last session. 10
will not be necessary to introduce bills which were
introduced In the last session. All unfinished BUSH
ness goes over TO the next session in December.
J. n. b., Plumbers Landing Ky.-I. A soldier
dies, leaving neither wife, child or mother Is his
father entitled to the privileges of homestead or
2 said father drew pension, but only from date OF
application, 1t carrying with it no arrears. Why is
this? AnSlcer l. Mo- the privileges of the soldiers
land law does not apply to the parents of the SOL
der? 2. IL Your claim was filed after June 90 1880
you are not entitled to arrears of pension, but
only entitled from date OF filing application. This
IL because of the limitation of arrears which ex-
pired June %, lSS0.
WBJ, Psrdy Creek w. Y,-Are pensioners who
are drawing so per month for disability eauiya-
lent to loss Of leg entitled to increase under
act of Aug. 4, lSo6? ARslUer Equivalent disabiIi-
ties are not provided Tor In said act. Unless
the disability for which pensioned is an actual am
putation OF consists of a total disability in a limb,
no increase can be paid under the act mentioned,
j. W. d., COrbit, Kdn.-L What is the time al
lowed a pre-emptor to prove up his claim on Usage
Indian trust lands in Southern Kansas? q When,
to whom and under what circumstances were land
warrants issuedR What County land warrants ?
Are land warrants transferable, and can they be
used paymeat on presumption and committed
hOmesteads? ARSVer. l. The land must be paid
for within year from date of settlement If the
plat of survey on file at the date settlement
was made, otherwise one year from date when plat
was fled 2 Land warrants are issued for service
/ D,
not issued for any service rendered since that
date. County land warrants are probably warrants
issued under State laws for certain Counties on
account OF school, swamp or Overtlowed lands.
Bounty land warrants are assgnable, and can be
used the same cash In payment of precautions
or to commute homestead entries
q. O. H., NeV Cumberland, OIL. What IL the rate
of pension allowed for total loss OF one eye? 2.
Would letters of claimant written while in hospital
describing his ailment, be accepted as evidence Of
his condition at that timer ARSlcer. l. Rate for
loss of one eye Is IS per month for enlisted man
2. Yesi 1t would be very valuable evidence Ia a
claim.
ID. d. r., Dodge Citt, Kan.-I. A soldier completes
homestead claim, but dies before getting patent
| for the land. Can his widow receive the patent
In the divisions of third grade pension what does
/ the rating OF Ills equalf ARSCer. l. The patent
belongs to the heirs of the deceased homesteader.
and the widow has only her dover right of interest
/ in said land. Had he died prior to completing his
/ final proof and she had completed the proof then
the patent would have vested in her alone but not
| in the case cited 2. Twelve-eighteenths means
l2-lS of sis, s2. The same remark will apply 10
all the fractional rates of eghteenths. This is be-
Sis is the highest rate that can be proportions
/ ately divided for inferior degree Of disability
where the disability is rated at more than total
i (See our table of pension rates.l
j. III. O., Preston, OIL. A pensiOner drawing So
per month makes application for increase on a new
disability, which is granted will his pension be in.
creased to $50, or IL 1t separate pension? 2 am
drawing S2i per month, and wish To make applica-
ton for deafness. which was contracted in 1868 by
discharge OF artillery. was not treated for said
| deafness In hospital. Would have To show hos
| pit,l treatment for sRme2 S. To whom should
apply for the proper blanks necessary to prosecute
/ my claim? 4 Can prOseeute my own claim? 5
| III a pensioner is entitled to increase under act OF
| Ang A, lSS6, when will il be paid2 AHSlVer. l. II
| the degree Of disability from all the combined
causes alleged in his claim, including the new dis
ability, Is equivalent to q degree which incapaci.
tates him from performing any manual labor what
ever, he would be entitled To $50 per month"; prOvd.
/ ing such degree Of disability is shown TO the
satisfaction of the Pension Office. Disabilities are
not considered separately but taken together
aggregate. 2 IL will not be absolutely necessary
for you to show hospital treatment providing other
| satisfactory and reliable testimony is furnished
| showing origin and continuous existence of the
| alleged deafness. 3. Blanks other than decIara
tons for pension are not furnished by the Pension
Office. You Will have to procure them from some
| attorney or from some person who deals in such
blanks 4. Yes, If you desire. 5. Ii will be paiC
by the pension agent without any application upon
| the part of the pensiOner.
". j. s.. Bedford Iotca.-Your statement "a com
| muncated shows n state of facts which should bs
remedied by legislation, but under the law a claim
| ant who Is allowed pension by special act o
Congress IL not entitled to any Con
gress many years ago passed the following law
| which IS known section 472O, Revised Statutes
| When the rate, commencement and duration of
| pension allowed by special act fixed by suct
act they shall not be subject To be varied by the
provisions and limitations of the general pension
laws, but when not thus fixed the rate and contin
uanee of the pension shall be subject to variation
In accordance with the general laws, and It's com
mencensnt shall date from the passage of the SpeciG
act" etc. You will observe by this that the Com
missioner of Pensions is pOwerless TO grant relic
In such cases Until Congress shall repeal the Law
pension granted by special act can only date from
the passage of such act.
Send twO-cent twamp for "A Phenomena
Record" to @. i. Hood q Co., Lowell, Mass.