Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1888-12-03
ACCOUNTS RENDERED.
REPORTS OF TRB VARIOUS CABINET 0PPI-
GERS FOR THB FISCAL YEAR.
The Postal SsrVics More Thoroughly and Efficiently
Performed Than Ever Bshrs-Ths Depart
msEt Sslf-Sustainipg-fhs Interior
and War Departments.

WASHINGTON, December 2.-The Secre-
tary of the Interior presents full and
elaborate report of public lands. He says
that during the last fiscal year g, ,15S, $50
acres ofilegsl grants have been recalled
and restored to the public domain. He
further recommends that 5000, ,538 be
restored, for 81, 323, ,996 acres Of this there
are already railway forfeiture bills before
Cougres'. In addition to this, adjust
ment of railway land grants has resulted
in the restoration of 21s, 500 acres.
The report speaking Of the Indisn
population says the census of 1889
shows that there sre 245,O95 of
these inhabitants Of the United
Slater. The entire extent of territory
now in q state Of reservation
for Indian purposes, including all portions
of the Indian Territory, whether in fact
occupied or uuoccupied by Indians, is
112, ,4l3, ,440 sores; being equivalent to an
average of 456 acres for each Indian, COM
puted cn the last repoItsd number OF the
total population, including those esti-
mated outside the reservations. Of this
area, about 81 ,O20, 129 acres are within
the scope of the general allotment law of
1887, and afford an average for the pOpu-
Iation residing on such lands, amounting
to l73, ,SS5, of about 465 acres to each. 1t
will be seea that, by the execution OF the
general allotment law and breaking up of
the reservations, a wide area Of the public
domain will he opened TO settlement.
Ga the subject Of pensions, the report
SAYS: Original pensioners to the number
of I'd, ,252 were added to the pension rolls
during the last fiscal year, and increases
were granted in 45,Tl6 cases. The names
of Is, 73O pensioners were dropped from the
roll for various causes, 50 that at the end OF
the year the total number remaining Of all
classes was 452, 557, of which 323 02O were
Army invalid pensioners, 9O,S32 Army
widows, children, and dependent relatives;
3,9l5 Navy invallds, 2,O83 Navy widows,
childrea, and dependent relatives; 500 sur
yiyors of the war of 1912. and l0,187
widows of tbO9e who served iu that war;
10, 600 Mexican soldiers, and 8, lO4 widows
of Mexican soldiers.
At the present time one hundred and
two different rates of pension prevail,
ranging from 81 psr month to Sll6 66 per
month: but the aversge annual value of
each pension at tte close of the year is
shown TO be 1925. 80; and the aggregate
annual ya'ue of all Ie usions S56. 7O7, 900. ",
an increase for the ye'r of s.. S52 579.7O
The amount paid for pensions during the
year was SIS. 775, SCI %, an increase over
the previous year of s., ,308, go p; the
difference between the actual psymcots
and the annual value having bseu ccca-
stoned by fr5t payments involving ar
rears. Thus there were paid 10
.Gl, 2S5 pensioners, receiving first pay.
ments during year, the sum of
S22, ,299, COS 46, and there remained IN The
hands of pension agents 6. 574 cases of this
kind unpaid on the 3Osh of June, upon
which were due s., 465 722 SO. The cost
attending the disbursement OF this money,
embracing the pay of the officers and en-
ployes of the Bureau, its agents, surgeons,
special examiners, and others, was 81, 262,-
52t67 making the total expenditure for
all purposes by the Bureau during the
year, So, ,O38, ,386 50; being 2l4 per cent.
of the total gross income Of the United
States for that time, and nearly 81 per
cent of the total expenditures OF the Gov
ernmeut for the fiscal year. This entire
business was transacted without dstalca'
ton or fiuancisl irregularity involving the
Government, and there wa1 some aecelera-
tioa OF the rapidity of payment.