Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1888-09-14
PENSIONS FOR VETERANS.
Commissioner Black Submits
His Annual Report.
Over Sixty Thousand New Names
Added to the Rolls.

The annual report of Pension Commissioner
Black, which has just been issued, shows
that during the fiscal year ended June 81,
1888, there were added to the pension rolls
50, 252 new names the largest annual increase
in the history of the bureau, making total
Of 452 557 pensioners on the rolls at the close
Of the year, classified as follows: 326, $50 IN
valids, 92 92S widows, minor children and de-
pendent relatives, 81 Revolutionary widows,
500 survivors of the War of 1912, 1O,1o1
widows of those who served IN that war,
l6, O60 surv ivors of the war with Mexico and
51U4 widows of those who served In that war.
The names of POPS previously dropped were
restored to the rolls, making aggregate OF
Sc, $50 pensioners added during the year:
During the same period ID, 80 were dropped
from the rolls on account of death and various
other causes, leaving net increase TO the
rolls of 90. $50 names.
Since 1861, l ,166, 926 pension claims have
been filed and '737, 200 claims of all classes
have been allowed since that date. The
amount paid for pensions since 1e61 has been
1868, OS6, 444. Increase of pensions was
granted in 45, 716 cases. The average annual
value of pension at the close of the year was
S125. 80, a decrease of 81. so. The decrease in
average annual value is due to the fact that
large number Of Mexican war pensioners at
the rate of IS per month"; which is below the
average rate, was added to the rolls during
the year, and furthermore that the death
rate among high grade pensioners was
greater than among pensioners of low rate
The average annual aggregate of pensions Is
Sj6, 7O7, 220, an increase of So, 49,, 579.
The amount of pensions paid during the
year was SIS, 775, Sol, an increase OF o,oOS
$50. The total amount dlsbursed by pension
agents for all purposes was $50, Obs, lao. he
cost attending such disbursements was In the
aggregate SO, PCS, 524 it being a fraction less
than 4 per cent. of the total expenditure of
the bureau. The total amount expended for
all purposes was So, OBS, EST. 80, being II u
per cent of the total estimated gross income
of tho IInitpH States GOVprnmant for the
period. The total expenditures of the Govern
ment for the fiscal year 1888 were $267, 924, :
sol, so that the amount expended for and on
account of pensions was nearly 81 per cent. of
the entire outlay of the Government
The average duration of the lives of pen
sioners is siXty-seven years. The average
length of time served in the army by those
who are receiving pensions on account OF the
later war is more than two years.
There were filed during the year Al, $40 APP
plications for original pensions-11, $50 wild
ows, 27S3 minors, 2446 dependent mothers,
and 1888 dependent Understanding total
of %, 704.
Tie highest number of claims on account
of the late war was received from Ohio: In
diana followed next; then New York and
Pennsylvania and from Montana, Utah and
South Carolina none was received.
Up to June so last &c, 5S1 claims were filed
under the Mexican Pension Act, 10, 7SS being
survivors and 6I93 widows. All completed
cases of this classic, 529 survivors and 5195
widow cases-have been allowed. The reJec-
lions were 1921 survivors and G01 widows
claims, mainly because the applicants had
not arrived at the required age of sixty two
years. Forty,three of these applications
were consolidated with claims already filed
under other laws. OF these Mexican claims
but 1892 were unsettled on June 30, the evil
dence filed being insufficient.
Over eighty-tive per cent. of all pension
ers are paid by pension agents within ten
days after the quarterly payment is due.
One hundred thousand cases OF increase OF
pension under recent legislation have been
settled without expense or delay to the pen
sioners.
A table is furnished showing the total num-
Der of special pension acts which have be-
come laws since 1861, as follows: 1861 to
1865, al Iincoln); 1865 to 1869, AL John
SOM; 1869 to 1877, 400 Grant; 1877 to 1881,
3O3 Hayes; 1881 to 1885, $50 Garfield and
Arthur; total, 20Ol, 1886 to 1888 1869 (Cleve-
land). Grand total, 1870
In the fiscal years from July 1, 1882, to
June 80, 1885. there were issued 191, 221 GER
tificates Of all classes, and during the three
following fiscal years $50, 537, making an in
erase for the last three wears of 16S, 1916 GER
tifcates.