The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1886-10-06
Commissioners Blacks Report

w TeuuCeu, II not altogether aOUl
ished, aud the crippled veteran
was warned that the hand organ
indn-Iry or the poor house were
the only alternatives left him in
the event Of that dread consumma.
ton,
Here are some figures for the de.
Tenders Of the Union to study and
compare with the prediction, Of
these fOr.ollice'only patriots. From
the report it appears that on June
30 last, there we've S65, 1888 pension.
ers on the rolls, composed of 265,.
S54 army invalid., SO,l62 army
widows, minor children and dc.
pendent relatives; 1858 navy inva.
lids, 1866 navy widows, minor
children, etc; 1889 survivors Of
the war of 1912, showing a loss
during the year of l,4O6 of this
class. There are 1887 widows Of
soldiers of the war Of 1872, showing
a loss during The year in this class
Of 1915. Twenty four original
claims in this class were filed dur.
ing the year; the names of 3O4 ad.
dilional widows appeared on the
rolls; 40,S57 new pensioners were
added to the roll during the year,
2,02O we're restored to the rolls, o..
0S9 pensioners names were drop.
ped from the rolls on account of
death, ro.marriage, frauds, ETC.,
leaving u net increase in the rolls
Of 20,6S5 names. Tho annual nv.
erOge value Of each pension was
Sl22.23, a gain Of lSS over the
average value of the preceding
year. The aggregate annual value
was $l4, 7OS,O27 A, being an in.
crease in annual value Of S6Gl7..
I04l5l. The amount paid for pen.
sions during the year was S6S, 49,,
S31 Gl; the differencei in the amount
paid and the annual value repre-.
senting the accrued and arrcarage
pensions paid during the year.
Since 1861, sol ,lO2 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,.
al claims aud Of the second class
800 ,435, and of all other classes,
COLTS, making a total of claims
allowed since 1861, 62t,754. It
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, fe'marriage, etc.
Que hundred and sixty.ono thou
sand four hundred and sixteen Ger.
lifcates of all kinds, including TO-.
$50 increase certificates issued to
widows and dependents under act
of March 10, 1886, were issued du.
ring the past year, which, the re
port says, shows gross increase in
the work of the office. This is es.
pecially true Of the special examin.
alton division, which, the commits.
sioner says, has saved the govern.
ment over S3,000,000 An attached
table shows that there arc in the
United States in the poor houses
about 5000 soldiers, Of whom 10 per
cent are pensioners, Sc per cent.
non.pensioners; the oldest soldier
receiving public supper! is 103
years of age; the mean age is 81
years, As per cent. ofall the soldiers
receiving support we're native born,
81 per cent. foreign born, 45 per
cent. were married men, 81 per
cent. unmarried men, 10 per cent
blind or insane. The act increas
ing tho pensions Of widows and de.
pcndents from IS to Sl2 was APP.
proved on the 18th of March, 1886;
on the 4lh of June total payments
had been made to this class with
out expense to the benefoiaries
Some six thousand Of the cases If
increase under tho ampulation act
Of August i, 1856, have had Certi.
ficales issued, aud the remainder
are being disposed Of with great
rupidi!y.
From January |, 1881, until De
Cember /, 1885, 1876 private pen
sion acts have been approved.
Since that date GA such acts have
been approved and certificates is.
sued in nearly every case. The
! commissioner reneWs his Sugges.
! tions as to the recommendations
contained in his report Of the pre-.
Vious year Concerning the Next.
can war pensions he says that tho
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