The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1889-10-24
ANNUAL REPORT OF PENSIONS.
vASNER's REPORT FoR THE YEAR JUST CLOSED
CONTAINS VALUABLE STATISTICS.

vAsSER's REPORT ron THE YEAR JUST CLOSED
CONTAINS VALUABLE STATISTICS.
The annual report. FOR the fiscal year 1885, 0
Of the commissioner of pensions has been
submitted TO the secretary of the interior.
The following summary of the report will
show the more important details ofthe work
of the bureau of pensions. There were at
the close of the year fS9, 720 pensioners.
There were added to the rolls during the
year the names of 5l,92l pensioners, and
the names of l,75i, whose pensions have
been previously droppel were restored to the
rolls, making an aggregate Of 53,675 pension
ers added during the year. Then 16,5O1 pen
sioners were dropped from the rolls for vari-
Gus causes, leaving net increase to the rolls
of 81, 1GS names.
The average annual value of each pension
er at the close of the year is shown TO have
been sl3i Is. The aggregate annual value
OF pensions is s6i, ,2i5 252 80. The amount
paid for pensions during the year was sSS,.
27j, ll3 %. The total amount disbursed by
the agents for all purposes was $50 l3i, ,o6S A.
amount paid as fees to attorney 81 l,l63,-
573 a..
In the aggregate l,2is.1iG pension claims
have been tilei since 1851, and that in the
same period 7s9, 12l have been allowed. The
amount disbursed on account Of pensions
since 1861 has been sl,051, 2ls,il3 IL. The
issue of certificates during the year shows a
grand total of 1898. OF this number jl,-
92l were original certificates he report
shows that at the close of the year there
were pending aud unallowed 1900 claims
of all classes.
Commissioner Tanner recommends the
establishment Of additional agencies, and
recommends that Cong be asked to ex-
tend the benefit of all pension laws, rs to
rates to all pensioners whose pensions have
been granted by special acts passed subs
quent to said date. aud that the benefit oi
pension be granted To the widows of soldiers
who died from causes originating in service
prior to March ., 1861, during the time OF
peace. The report calls attention TO certain
irregularities in rates of pensions. The com.
mission asks attention to the fact that the
act of August !, lSSl, which terminates the
pension of a widow on account of her inn
morality makes no provision for continuing
the pension to the minor children of the sol
dicr when the widows pension is tcrmi.
mated. He asks that congress be requested
TO correct this palpab!e injustice
A large part of the report is taken up with
the presentation offurther recommendations
along the line of increasing the rates.
The commissioner favors granting pen.
sions TO all soldiers who are disabled. lie
says: "As the war period recedes from us,
and age and its attendant iniirmities atilict
the veteran, who served his country faith
fully and well "A quarter of century ago,
it is very serious question whether the
government does him justice in limiting
the application of the pension laws
to those disabilities only which were
contracted in the service and in the line Of
duty. earnestly recommend that pension
he granted 70 every honorably discharged
soldier and sailor who is now, or may here
after become disabled, without regard TO
whether such disability is chargeable to the
service of the United States or has been con-
tractcd since discharged therefrom," The
Commissioner also favors pension for
army nurses, and makes an earnest appeal
in their behalf,
The commissioner recommends tnat when-
ever an invalid pensioner dies the usual pen
sion be granted to his widow; or if he leaves
no widow, then to his minor children, without
regard to whether or not his death was due
To any cause incident to the service and line
of duty. lie asks attention also to what he
believes to be a manifestly insufficient sum,
81 per month, granted by the act OF July %,
1866 to widows for the care and support Of
such of the minor children of their deceased
husband as are under sixteen years of age.
FOUND THE WILL.