The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1889-02-21
Extra.putr Pay. Mileage. Etc.
TREASURY DEPARTMENT,
&C.,
A-~~-aD a. ~ A0R 2 VT 4 III
WASHINGTON, d. c., Jan. I9, 1889


NAsEINGToE, d. c., Jan. Is, 1889.
In recently-published letter Mr. J. M Dal.
Eell, claim agent. of Caldwell o.. and in his
subsequent utterances through the press, be
asserts that he has discovered some new laws
in relation to the allowance Of mileage Is cents
q mile to soldiers while on furlough. etc. and
also ration pay TO the same in similar cases. or
where soldiers were prisoners Of war, and,
lastly. cxtra-duty pay between October, 1862
and April, 1863. These statements are so in
accurate, and have misled SO many soldiers
and claimants that ii viii be to their adyan-
tage TO read the following explanations and
save themselves and this Department unneces-
sary trouble and expense in conducting useless
correspondence.
l. There Is no law providing for the pay
ment Of mileage" at cents mile, or other
wise, TO any soldiers while on furlough. OF
while IN the service; neither has such pay
ever been allowed or paid BIZ the accounting
officers iH any case. The act applicable to the
payment Of transportation, pay and subsistence
Of volunteer soldiers Of the late war. when they
were discharged and sent home was passed
July D 1861 lover q years ago). and it has
been 10 operation ever since its passage. and It
is still II force. But it must be apparent to
every ono that nearly all soldiers who
were entitled to such pay have already re-
ceiTed u, or an equivalent for It. A very
large majority OF the soldiers were act
nsliE furnished transportation By the Govern
meut when they were sent home to be mus
tered out lin such cases the soldier has
no claim whatever for any further allowance
on TINS aceount)i and SO now it is only in ex-
cepuona cases that soldier NAV have a rea-
sonable claim for transportation to his
place OF enlistment when discharged and sent
home, and even then he must furnish af5rma-
lively satisfactory evidence that he applied TO
the Government Tor his TRANSPORTATION Init
was refused OF could not obtain II or avail him
self Of it, and he must fully set forth the facts
showing why he was obliged to pay his own
fare home
2. In regard to extra-duty pay granted 70
enlisted men who were detailed to nerforn
special and extra work as blacksmiths. carmen
tiers, skilled mechanics teamsters, etc. nearly
all those men so enlisted were either paid such
pay while in the service or on FINAL payment
when discharged. Furthermore, section IS. act
Of March 3, 1863, forbids the payment Of extra
duty pay 70 volunteers for services after said
Date SO that practically il can now only be al.
lowed ] q exceptional cases.
.. The act granting rations TO soldiers who
were prisoners OF war was passed July 25, 1866
and that granting the same nav to their heirs
knot more remote than brothers and sisters
was passed March 2, 1867, and these acts arc
still IN force, but nearly all those entitled Il
THIS pay have long since been paid It; and 81
IN regard 20 the allowance OF ration or subsist.
ence pay to soldiers while on furloueh.
twill thus be seen that the statements mad,
by Mr. DalZell in these matters are inaccurat,
and misleading. They win only excite falls,
hopes and expectations in claimants and cans,
them and the Government useless trouble anC
expense. VIZ. A. DAY,
Second Auditor.