The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1890-10-23
THE PENSION BUREAU.
Annual Report of commissioner Raum.

The annual report of Commissioner Green
b. Raum, of tho Pension Bureau, shows that
there were at the end Of the last fiscal year
537, 9i4 pensioners borne upon the rolls and
classified as follows: Army invalid pensioners,
392, 800; army widows, minor children and de-
pendent relatives, 104, 456; navy invalid PEN
siOners, 5,274 navy widows minor children
and dependent relatives, 2,460; survivors of
the war Of 1912, 413; widows of soldiers of tho
war OF 1912, 500; survivors of the Mexican
war, IL, 1853; widows of soldiers of the Mexican
war, 6,76l; total. 1894. There were 66, 637
original claims allowed during the year, being
14716 more original claims than were allowed
during the fiscal year 1889, and 6,3s5 more than
were allowed during the fiscal year 1888.
The amount of the first payments in these
66,637 original cases amounted to $50, 47S 04l,
being $11 ,036, 492 more than tho first payments
on the original claims allowed during the fiscal
year 1885, and $40, 179 225 more than the first
payments on the original claims allowed dur.
ing the fiscal year 1888 There were 20,63S
pensioners unpaid at the close Of the fiscal year
who were entitled to receive 81, 357, 347 which
has since been paid from the appropriation for
pensions for the fiscal year 1891.
Commissioner Raum, among other details,
shows the following facts in his report:
"As a result of changes in the business
methods Of the office, more work has been
accomplished in given time than was ever
took charge of the office, the work of djudi-
eating claims and issuing certificates had, dur
ing the period from July /, 1885, fallen far
behind the same period for tho previous fiscal
| year; while from October 30 1889, to June 80,
| $780, there was an increase i'll the adjudication
of claims aud the issuing of certificates greatly
| in excess of the same period of the preceding
| fiscal year This great amount of work was
accomplished by distributing the clerks who
composed the Board of Review among other
| Divisions and calling in 40 Special Examiners
! from the field, thus adding 50 persons to the
| force engaged in the adjudication of claims.
urged upon the Examiners great diligence in
| the performance of their duties, and in June
| last | detailed 1l6 persons as an additional
| force for this work, making in all 1873 on duty
in the field. am glad to be able to report az
a result of these efforts that the number Of
! cases now in the hands of the Special Exami
| nation Division has been reduced from Il, 22i
| to ., S24 of these only about 5000 are in the
| hands Of Special Examiners.
"There have been received in the Pension
| Office 460,2S2 claims to Sept 80, 1890, under
| the disability pension act of June %, 1890. II
| will be readily understood that the care Of such
| an enormous number of claims received in 81
| short time necessarily taxed the resources Of
| the office to its fullest extent. The work o.
| the mail division ran up to moro than - ,00C
| pieces Of mail day to be opened, classified and
properly disposed OF. AT TINS writing tOct
! the division is handling 10000 claims day
If upon tho assembling of Congress in Deem
Der it is found that the present force is INSULT
cent for the adjudication of these new claims
| as rapidly as they are completed, | will moi
| hesitate to ask that you recommend TO Con
gress an increase of tho official force Of the
| bureau.
1T Is believed that there are probably 100 00C
claims in this Office which can be properly al
lowed under the provisions of the regulation!
approved Sept. l6 1890"