The National tribune., 1886-06-24

blue with foul anchors for navy. Ten Of these
cases are now Id use each with filing capacity
OF los GOO thus making room for l,050,000
cards More than 100000 are new on file, and
III the interest holds rs good for the coming is
months a. IL has for Tire past there D. every
reason 10 believe that the record viii eVentn-
ally be complete.
Wehare thus far described this branch Of the
Pension Office MS Section Of the Special Tx
animation Division, bat after Gen. Black, the
present Commissioner became familiar with
the Office he deemed IL advisable TO make OF
the work separate Division, and his ORDER TO
this effect was promulgated May lc lSe9
Few men have held public olice who have
evidenced the keen sense of Justice in all things
that has characterized the olhciai acts OF Gen.
Black aud one illustration s the retention Oi
Maj Butts as the Acting Chiefoi thc Army and
Navy Survivors Division; aud 20 no one more
worthy cotiid this honor have fallen, ior added
TO the fact that having originated the work en-
titles him to the charge of IL, those who know
him know his entire fitness for the position.
FACTS AND FIGURES.
Tho report OF the Division for the month Of
April wiz prove AT once the magnitude Of tie
work l23l9 names were furnished for use IN
2370 cnses: add TO this the Tact chat the post
Office addresses were furnished for 2,22l names
specially called for by claimants OF their at
tOrnevs and there seems to be something
worthy of note. In addition "a thp record de-
scrbed, lhe Office is also making an effort % get
q fall, complete and separate record 81 Union
cx prisoners ot war. This has been tedious
work, but there are about Bose cards now on
flc aud o.beIs are coming in slowly. Thirty
Thousand, differing somewhat I'D detail, lhaS-
much as they cail for date anG place % capture,
where imprisoned aud a8tc of parole, were
sent 10 different associations -oi Union eN-
prisoners OF war Alai Butts has also com-
menced d record Of Surgeons VI the United
States army. U. s. Volunteers, and Contract
Surgeons Nn0 were in caar-e Of and on duty
in, The Geuglal aud Post Hospitals throughout
the loyal S.alds during The war, aud ior the
purpose pf collecting iAe necessary data sew
cral blanks arc sent TO every surgeon whose
, name may come before the Office. One side OF
this blank calls f0r the name OF hospital
whether General Post Oh Field where located,
number of ward Ia same. The iali name OF the
Surgeon iis rank and service, the dates Ol has
service, together with hs p0si-oiAoe address.
On the reverse side, neatly printed we find the
following:
DErARTau.ET on -HE INTERIOR, ]
l8S-IDN CFEICE,
WhzMIEErOS ID. G.. -- 1Ss-.
sTR This Office nill u.teein 81 favor II YOU Wsil
supply te sa-a called Tor ron she other side oi ilils
klip Tltp ltiiornlaiion Is desired as addition 90
record tllai has beun established in the Pension
OfiiDe 81 A eHrv.Nimg soldiers ata sailors who
served in il4r 4 iiinn army duriisg tEl late war
AZ yon MtTe at ANY tame ou duty wiil. q battery
detachment. nf uHN separate organization, please
give full dada az 10 length Oi liHc duly with
same. Aso be particular as 10 dates q service IA
each hospital.
put the letters d- i in corner Under data.
Very respectfully,
Commissioners.
One Surgeon, to whom 10 Of these blanks
were sent. ilsed them all In and wrote a let
ter "a tie 0aice commanding TIC work and
requesting that eight additional blanks be sent
O. him Gs he had been on duty IN Is different
hospitals lt viii bc readily understood that
this record when completed Will be invalu-
able: as for instance, ii a claimant can give
the name OF hospital, number Of ward in same
and dale Df treatment, hc can from this record
he readily furnished with the name and ad-
dress Of the surgeon in charge oi, on Oh duty
in said ward al that time it is about one
year since Gen Black FIRST gave his personal
attention to this branch OF the Office. During
that time lIl has had many opportunities TO
test It's efficiency, and 10 his nntiring efforts
and eveF-rcany sympathy, this Division owes a
large measure 0f its Success. Realizing carly,
as he did,
TIE VAST BENEFIT
that the record would prove to his old CON-
Tades hc has stinted nothing in providing for
III, and 30 sincere has his interest been that de-
spite his enuicss routine 0f business he IL cutie
as arc many 81 the clerks who are employed
therein and in examining tine report Of the
years work, it would seem that he has every
reason 10 Dc proud Of his pEotege.
During tHc IL lnourhs lf30N names with
p0st-0ilice addresses were furnished for use IN
q eases Df these names 81 l6l werc COM
missDnel officers; 24.2ie nDn-c0mmissBned
officers, aud 16560 prvates lii addition 10
this the p0st-olice addresses were furnished
for 2l.eii names specially called for, and D.
SIC Letters were written and 35 ,265 circulars
sent out
Some one Dos said that "Therc Is nothing SO
sweet a. cHtF, and all the best pleasures la
life follow Id the. wake OF duties done.H IL
this b. trn-i aa4 tho only portion Of this brave
soldiers duties 10 be weighed in the balance
should be those rendered ID his c0Hrades his
share oi pleasures even then must fan out
weigh those 0i the average man.
cArelul scrutiny has proved that bF this
record system the work o. Special Examine
lion IN 4he field has been expedited al least 81
per cent. and Iis value 10 Adj djlaicating Digis-
ipHf is estimated n the same proportion and
through iti medium hundreds N rejected eases
have been rcopsned. In Is The inteution of The
Commissioner Of Pensions " reopen an cases
that have been rejected because claimants have
iailed-ibT0aGh their inability ID trace the
present whereabouts furnish testimony OF
officers and comrades as 10 origin 0f disability
inscryicG aud line 81 duty.
SOME ILLUSTRATIONS.
One OF the following incidents viii serve %
show h0w invaluable this Tac0rd ID 10 worthy
claimants while the other wiIl prove that II "A
OF equal aervics IN detecting frauds. Ia case
that bad been pending ior l5 years the claim
aIt had served IN New York regiment aud in
one Of the batflns before Richmond hc received
wounds that aiterward caused paralysis Of the
loWer limbs. lie was unable 10 learn OF tire
whereabouts 0f any OF his officers on comrades.
whose evidence was necessary 10 the adiudica.
tien o. hls claim lie applied personally 10 tic
Pension Office, aud was AZ once furnished with
Inst 81 names, with p0st-oiiicc addresses 81
members Of his company Because of his nc.
ccssify hs case war made special, Il and as hif
l0riner Captain whose name appeared on said
llst, D. q resident Of New York city, spoaial
Examiner was directed 20 call upun him for his
testimony. he Captain was ast0nishcd AZ
learn that the claimant was Etif living nnd
rciated the following. That hc was wounded
in thc same battle and fcll near the ci, fnspt
who was apparently dead That q robcl officer
Colonel ~ che Louisiana Tigers. "A passirr
lhc claimant, some time after hr had lailen
drfp DID, sabeF and stabbed him several Time.