The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1886-10-27
An Increase Of $6,6l7,-
600 in the Amount Of
Pensions Paid 0utI
One More Republican
Campaign "Bugaboo"
Gone Mherethe Wood
bine Twineth!
Gen'I. Blacks Report +!

Commissioner Black, September
22nd, 1886, filed with the Secretary
Of the Interior his report of the op
erations of the Pension Bureau for
the fiscal year ended June 80, 1886,
and it will be a sad blow TO the
leaders Of the Republican machine.
One Of the favorite and most reIia.
BILE campaign arguments Of the
6. o. p. has been its undying love
for the boys in blue, and the terri.
bic things that would happen to
them when the "rebel brigadiers"
captured the administration. Pen.
siuns were to be reduced, if not al
together abolished, and the Grip.
pied veteran was warned that the
hand organ industry or the poor
house were the only alternatives
left for him in the event Of that
dread cOnsummatinn.
Here are some figures for the de.
Tenders of the Union to study and
compare with the predictions Of
these for oflice.only patriots. From
the repor! it appears that on June
SOlast, there were S65,7ss pension,
ers on the rolls, composed Of 265,.
S54 army invalids, SO,162 army
widows, milnt children and de
pendent relatives; 1858 navy inya.
lids, 1865 navy widows, minor
children, etc; 1889 survivors of
the war Of 1872, showing a loss
during the year of LAOS OF this
class. There are 1887 widows Of
soldiers Of the war Of 1912, showing
a loss during the year in this class
Of 3,Sl5. Twenty four original
claims in this class we're filed dur.
ing the year; the names Of S04 ad.
ditioual widows appeared on the
rolls; 40,8j7 new pensioners were
added to the roll during the year,
2,O29 we're restored to the rolls, o..
0S9 pensioners names were drop.
ped from the rolls on account of
death, re marriage, frauds, ETC.,
leaving a net increase in the rolls
of 20,6S5 names. The annual av.
erage value Of each pension was
s122.23, a gain Of s1l.SS over the
average value OF the preceding
year. The aggregate annual value
was s44, 4,70S,O27.44, being an in.
crease in annual value Of s6,6l7,.
04l,5l. The amount paid for pen.
sions during the year was s63, ,797,,
S8l.6l; the difference in the amount
paid and the annual value repre-.
senting the accrued and arrearage
pensions paid during the year.
Since 1861, SOL, ,1O2 invalid claims
have been filed; 34S,799 claims Of
widows and dependents; 1884 for
pension on account of service.
During the same period there have
been allowed Of the first class 332,.
141 claims and of the second class
320, ,435, and of all other classes,
6O,17S, making a total Of claims
allowed since 1861, 62l,754. 1t
will thus be seen that nearly one.
half Of all the pensioners whose
names have been placed upon the
rolls have died, or their pensions
have ceased by reason Of arrival at
age, re marriage, etc.
One hundred and sixLy.one thou.
sand four hundred and sixteen Ger.
titicates Of all kinds, including TO-.
$50 increase certificates issued 10
widows and dependents under act
of March 10, 1886, were issued dur.
ing Tie past year, which, the re.
port sayE, shows a gross increase In
the work Of the office. This is es.
pecially true Of the special cxamin.
alton division, which, the commits
sioner says, has saved the govern.
ment over 100000. An attached
table shows that there are are in
the United States in the poor
houses about9,OOO soldiers, Of whom
10 por cent. are pensioners, SO per
cent, uou'peusionats; tho oldest sol.
dior receiving public support is lOS
years of age; the mean age is 81