St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-09-23
rHEPENslON BUREAU.
Interesting Statistics Regarding the
Work of the Fiscal Year.

Work of the Fiscal Year.
WASHINGTON, Sept. 22.-COmmiSsiOner
of Pensions Black has filed with the secre-
tary of the interior his report of the opera
tions of the pension bureau. for the year
ending June so, 1886. From the report, 1t
appears that on June so, last, there were
500. 7S3 pensioners on the rolls, composed of
265. S54 army invalidS, so, 1872 army Widows
minor children and dependent relatives;
2,55S navy invalidS, 1877 navy widows.
minor children, etc; l, $50 survivors OF tue
war of 1912. showing loss during the year
of !. 400 of this class, Twenty-four original
claims were filed in this class during the
wear; the names of 304 additional widows
appeared on the rolls; 40, S57 new pension
erS were added to the roll during the year;
1929 were restored to the rolls; %, 0S9
pensioners names were dropped from the
roll on account Of death, remarriage, frauds,
etc. leaving a net increase in the roll of
1855 names. The annual average value
of each pension was S122.23, a gain of
ST. IS over the average value Of the pre-
ceding year. The aggregate annual value
vas S44, 7OS, O27.44, being an increase
in annual value of S6.617. 014.41.
THE AMOUNT PAID
IOr pensions during the year was S63, 797,-
S31.61, the difference in the amount paid
and the annual value representing the ac
crued and arrearage pensions paid during
the year. Since 1861, 591, 102 invalid
claims have been filed, "a, 799 claims of
widows and dependents, rs. S34 for pension
Oh account of service. During the same
period, there have been allowed of the first
class 332, al claims. and of the second class
229, 493, and of all other classes, 60, 17S,
making total of claims allowed since 1861.
COL, S14. 1t will thus be seen that nearly
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., etc. One
hundred and siXty-one thousand, four hum
dred and sixteen certificates of all
kinds. including 79,9 increase
certificates issued to widows and de-
pendents under the act of March
10, 1856, were issued during the past year,
which, the report says, shows vast in
crease in the work of the office. This is
especially true of the special examination
division, which the commission says has
saved the government over $4,000, 600. An
attached table shows that there are in the
United States, in the poor-hOuses, about
5000 soldiers, of whom Il per cent. are
pensioners anu 90 per c6llU. nOIl-p pensioners.
THE OLDEST SOLDIER
receiving public support is 103 years of age.
The mean age is 81 years. FOrty-eight per
cent. of all the soldiers receiving support
were native born and 81 per cent. foreign
born: As per cent were married men and 81
per cent. unmarried men; 10 per cent. were
blind or insane. The act increasing the
pensions of widows and dependents from
fn IF
March, 1886; on the 4th of June total pay
ments had been made to this class without
expense to the beneficiaries. Some 5000
of the cases of increase under the eXemp-
ton act of Ang. 4, 1856, have had certifi-
Gates issued and the remainder are being
disposed of with great rapidity.
From Jan. 1, 1861, until Dec. 81,
1885, 1867 private pension acts have
been approved. Since that date
GA such acts have been approved and GER
tificates issued in nearly every case. Con-
corning the Mexican war pensions the COM
missioner says that the subject of pensions
to soldiers of that war is before congress
and the people. and that he need not add
one word in the way of argument. During
the year over 3, ZOO, 900 letters and packages
were received in the office, and it is be-
lieved that nearly all of that number have
been properly replied to. The amount of
expenditures for stationery, printing and
binding has been diminished by SI3. 6S3 for
the past year. Of the appropriations pro-
vided for the expenses of the office. $685.
962 have been covered back into the treas
ury. The clerical force dnring the year
was diminished by 100. A statement of
the chief clerk is added to the report of the
commissioner. which shows that during the
year of 1SS4-S5, "a, 313 days, annual and
sick leaves were taken by the employees of
the bureau. while for the year 1SS5.S6,
So, 652 days were taken, showing net saw
ing of the time of one man for AZ years, IL
months and daVS