The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1889-05-23
OUR CORRESPONDENTS.
Replies to Questions on a Variety OF InterestIn
Subjects.

OUR CORf3ESPOND DENTS.
Replies to Questions on a Variety or Interesting
Subjects.
Ito CorrespondenLs.- Write questions on s sep
arate sheet OF paper, give full name and address,
and mark It Correspondents Column" NOatten-
ton VIII he paid to communications that not
accompanied with full name and address of writer.
Our readers requested to inelose a stamp for
reply to their inquiries. Postal cards will be
replied 10 by mail only. Replies by mail viii ordi-
narily be made within week, and II in this col
umn within three wesks.l
X. =. d., Memphis Tnd.-Do the recent laws
passed allowing widows of deceased soldiers pen
sion back to the date of the soldiers death apply TO
widows of soldiers Of the war of 1872? 4HSVsr.
No; the law applies only TO widows OF soldiers Of
the of the rebellion.
e. ". f., WASHINGTON D. CT enlisted Sept so
1861, and was mustered into service Oct. 10 1851,
for three years and after serving three years was
hurt in the foot and had to go the hospital and
was not mustered out until in March, 1863, was
paid only to Oct. 10, 1864 Can 1 not now recover
that five months pay from Government? AHStgeT.
NO. You entitled TO pay only to the date
when your discharge took effect which was from
the date of the expiration of your term of service
T. r., Toronto Cdnada.-I. Is there GAR. Pest
in Canada? II So in what city? / am located in
Toronto, and have not met with a single eomrade.
2 How shall draw my pension when il becomes
que next June? VIII a notary or a justice OF the
peace be recognized by our pension agency IN CHI
eago? ARS,Ucr. l. No there is no GA. Il. Post in
Canada 2. You should notify the Pension Agent
at Chicago of your address, and he will advise you
how to proceed You can get your voucher executed
by notary justice OF the peace but lis official
character will have to be certified 10 by United
States Consul.
W. H. ~, SedaIfG Mo-I Who originated and
founded the Soldiers Homes? 2 Are they State
or National institutions? g. Can a soldier not q
citizen OF p State in which Home exists be ad-
mitted thereto? AaSlUer. l and 2. Congress origi-
mated the NatiOnsi ZONES, and the Legislatures Of
the various States originated the State Homes
There some of both classes. Tic EatiOpal
Homes are six in number. There are over dozen
State Homes. 8. Yes, in the National Homes.
f. A. C., Hunter Ore.L. Am entitled to any extra
pay while was recruiting service from Sep
tember, 1862, to April 1868 as I only received %
cents day? q was discharged at Hilton Head
> O., and was furnished transportation to New
York, but there it was found that my discharge
was not properly signed, and had to pay my own
iare from there 20 Maine. Am l not now entitled
70 Communication therefor? 3. ii soldier was
wounded anu sent home on furlOugh, he
entitled to ration money! AHSlVsr. /. No. 2. You
were entitled to transportation, or money in lieu
thereof, from New York To your home and if Won
can establish the facts stated you should apply to
the Second Auditor of the Treasury for travel pay.
3 Yes, provided his original fuFIough can be pro-
duced, without which nothing can be collected.
IL H. b. Bot0ting Green, Fla enlisted for three
years or during the war. and at the expiration of
IL months service was discharged by reason OF the
close OF the war. How much time can | deduct
from the five years required to live oil a home
stead? AHStCsr. You only deduct the time you
actually served az monlhs) from the required i've
years.
c. II. H., Paioaes City, Beb.-Soldier enlisted in
october, 1851, and served until January 1854 then
veteranized and served until December, 1860 He
received SlU0 Tor his first enlistment and the vet
teran bounty of 500 for his last service. Is he
entitled TO the slOO additional bounty his first
ennid onII h Ansssr No additional bounty
ceiye more than Sl00 on all his enlistments
g. +, Hotyoks. Aass.-In what corps was the 18th
! y. :. 5nI;E 4hSlge' 1t was part OF the Regular
/ Brigade" Fourteenth Corps
| j. r., Crescent Mills, Cai.-What was done with
| the bill introduced by Congressman Herman, of
/ Oregon, including teamsters in the act granting
| pension TO AieEleAn YeteFanS2 AuSgueT The hill
| failed TO become a law.
H. f. T., Pilot Mound, Ainn-Neither a claimant,
his attorney, nor any acting in his behalf can
obtain transcript from the hospital records which
are In possession of the Government; nor does the
Government require claimant 10 procure evil
aenee rom the hospital records, either regimental
or other hospital. We presume you refer TO the
testimony OF Regimental Surgeon. If he cannot
be found, the claimant should execute an affidavit
stating his inability to furnish the testimony of his
! Reglmenlai Surgeon. The Surgeon General viii,
| In every case. furnish the Commissioner of Pen
| sIons with Transcript from the records of his
once, showing whether the claimant treated
! IN any hospital, and for what disease
! T. " u, Vest Milan, N HIT Is extremely
uouDtiul WLelher you can obtain reratiug Ia your
pension claim. such cases are rarely considered
all the evidence file having been considered
when your rating was originally fixed. You are
at liberty to apply for increase at any time but
| such Increase can date only from the date of he
/ medicai examination which establishes your right
1 TO increase.
/ g. H. g., Sulphur Springs, OWN a soldier be
entitled to $50 per MONTH under the recent ruling
oil the Commissioner OF Pensions, whose certificate
reads as follows: This pension being granted for
gunshot wound of LEFT hand and rheumatism with
resulting disease of heart equivalent to the loss OF
hand or foot, In such degree as 10 totally inca
pacItate nm from performing manual labor in
seer From the reading of your certificate we as
| sumo that you are entitled to $50 per month, be-
cause that IS the rating given for total inability to
perform any manual labor You would not come
| under tho recent ruling of the Commissioner oil
Pensions, because your disability in a limb does
! not entitle you to S24 of itself Your principal
disability to be rheunatiSsp and
| disease OF heart; but under the act of March s
1883, total Inability to perform manual labor en-
| titles a pensloner to $50 per month.
Mrs. E. j. s., Union City, 7eaa.-Which viii be
sent on application TO the QuaTiermaster-G General
| the heaostones for soldiers graves the money
| TO purchase them with ct home? Where and how
| shall address the Quarternlaster-C ieneral7 an
/ st0eT. The headssones only are furnished; COM
mutation is paid. Address simply The Quarter.
| master-General, U. s. A, Washington, ID. c.
s. c. IT, AeCOBlb. OIL. enlisted June g. 1863 for
three years, and received SIS bounty being mus
teredl IN and at discharge received SO In 1866
| ceiYed Sl00 additional bounty. Twas discharged
July % 1862 by of the close of the war. Am
| l entitled to any more bounty under the law? 3
In this column of recent date see it asked: " How
will some of the comrades proceed to get the raise
from S24 To $50 per month under the ruling of Com
| missioner Tanner" What was the ruling? Does
IT include all now drawing S24 per month? ARSVer
l. You are not entitled TO any further bounty hay
/ ing received all due you under the law. 2 No
only those who disabled in a limb rendering
the disability equivalent to the loss Of hand Oh
foot.
| f. p. p. c., Columbus, O.-What is the definition
of the word "rerating" applied to pensions!
AnSlcer. A rerating is increased rate given for
prior period during which It Is shown TO the salts
| faction of the Pension Office that too small pen
| sion has been granted; that is, when the rate oi
| pension was not commensurate with the degree c
| disability then existing. The Pension Bureau
| however, will seldom, if ever, reopen a case and
allow an increase of former rate. or rerate the
claim. 1t Is only done ia cases where manifest in
justice has been done by the Pension Bureau IL
| allowing too small a rate of pension.
A. Il. T., Ledcsnt0orth, ssidn-I enlisted prior &c
July %, 1861 (July III, and received 500 bounty
| Am entitled under the act OF July 20 1888. TO an
additional Sl002 AalssgsT. No The act benefits
only those who received no bounty for such enlist
| ment.
Y. H. w., Boston, Hdss.-I am pensioned for gun
shot wound of left ankle shortening the leg which
has necessitated wearing shoe with cork insole
| Am l entitled to any appliance or eOmmutatioE
| therefor from the Government? AnSt0er. 1t !:
probable that if you present your ease TO the Sur
| geon-General, U. 8. a. this city, allowance il
lieu of appliance will be provided.
| B. II. s., Wichita, Kdn.-Ay pension claim
(origina invalidl was filed after July l, 1850 anJ
| when allowed l received no arrears. Can now
file claim for arTearsG AlsSlCer. No application
for such be entertained until the pres
ent laws shall have been changed, and it is proba
bic neither formal application the services o
an attorney will al any time be necessary to secure
| such arrears may become due under new laws