National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1886-09-23
COMMISSIONER OF PENSIONS
Transmits His Annual Report to the
Secretary of the Interior.


Secretary of the Interior.
Commissioner OF Pensions Black has filed
with the Secretary Of the Interior his report
Of the operations Of the pension bureau for
the fiscal year ended June 80, 1885. From
the report 1t appears that on June 30 last
there were 1856, 1888 pensioners on the rolls,
composed of 265,s54 army invalIds; s0,1G2
army widows, minor children, and depend
ent relatives; 1858 navy invalids; 1873
navy widows, minor children, &C.; 1889
survivors Of the war Of 1919; showing loss
during the year of ,406 OF this class. There
were 1887 widows Of soldiers Of the war OF
1879, showing loss during the year In this
class Of 3,Sl5. Twenty-four original claims
were filed In this class during the year; the
names Of 800 additional widows appeared
on the rolls; 40,357 new pensioners were
added TO the rolls during the year; 1929
were restored TO the rolls; 22,0S9 pension
ers' names were dropped from the rolls on
account OF death, remarriage, frauds, &C.,
leaving net increase in the roll OF 20,6S5
names. The annual average value OF each
pension was $122.23; a gain Of $l1.S3 over
the average value OF the preceding year.
The aggregate annual value was S44 ,70S,-
027.44, being an increase In annual value OF
S6,61I0 81. The amount paid for pen
sions during the year was 1858, 797, S3l 81; the
difference In the amount paid and the an
nual value representing the accrued and ar
rearage pensions paid during the year.
Since 1861 59l,102 invalid claims have
been fled-34S, 100 claims Of widows aud
dependents and 7S,S34 for pension on ac-
count OF service. During the same period
there have been allowed or the first class
49,, 141 claims, and OF the second class
229, 435, and Of all other classes go, IFS,
making total Of claims allowed since
1861 621 ,754.
The work Of the special examination dl.
vision in particular has been greatly accel-
Grated.
Two hundred and seventy-elght criminal
prosecutions have been certified to the De-
partment Of Justice; 1877 convictions have
been bad during the year, and 2S4, cases
were awaiting action In the federal courts
on the goth OF June. The prosecutions were
for ofTenses against all clauses of the crlmi-
nal law relating to iefraudlng of pension
ers, false impersonatlons OF dead pension
ers, embezzlements In offices, and the con-
duct of one or two OF the agencies. The
saving to the government by the opera.
tions OF this division, says the commissioner,
is more than 81, 100000. Mistakes have been
made In this division by the dropping Of
pensioners in some cases, but they are being
promptly corrected.
There are 1871 different rates of pension
paid. An attached table shows that In the
United States there are 2,6i7 counties, and
that pensions are being paid In all but 1lS
Of them. There are S,095 pensions granted
on account Of amputations; to 1925 for
wounds not producing amputations; TO
1866 for injuries, and to 163,T2S for dis
eases. Another table shows that there are
In the United States In the poorhouses,
about 1900 soldiers, of whom 10 per cent.
are pensioners; SO per cent. non.pensioners;
| the oldest soldier receiving public support
Is 1903 years Of age; the mean age is 81 years;
| 4S per cent. Of all the soldiers receiving sup.
port were native born; 81 per cent. were for
eign born; As per cent. were married men;
81 per cent. unmarried men; 10 per cent.
were blind or insane. The act increasing
the pensions Of widows and dependents
from IS to $l2 was approved on the
10th Of March, 1886, and on the 4th Of June
total payments had been made to this class
without any expense to the benefciaries.
Some 6,000 OF the cases Of increase under
the amputation act Of August 4, 1886, have
had certificates issued, and the remainder
are being disposed Of with great rapidly.