Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-09-24
THE PENSION OFFICE.
Commissioner Raam submits His Annual
Report tn Secretary Noble.
INTERESTING FACTS SHOWING TIE SuNprR or
PENSIONS GRANTED, THOSE NOW Under TRAIN
OF COMPLETION UNDER BOTH THE OLD AND
xkw lAws-RrcoMMENDArIoS MADE

4 NV iAWs-RECoMMENnkTIONs MADE
| The annual report OF Commissioner Raum Of
the pension bureau. submitted TO the Score
tafy OF tie Interior today. shows that on Jane
'o 1871, there was GO, leo pensioners borne
upon the rolls of the bureau, being iSs. 2I6
more than were carried on the rolls at the close
OF the Last hscd year. They arc classified as
follows:
Widows and daughters of revolutionary SOL
oierr, 70; army invalid pensioners as sg-:
army widows, minor children &c, los 5s7;
| navy Invalid pensioners. 5.44g; navy widows,
minor children, &c, 2, Sos; survivors Of the
war OF lsl2. "a; widows of soldiers OF tho war
| OF 1912, $50; survivors OF the Mexican war
1858; widows Of soldiers of the Mexican war
o.9'e Following are the number of pen
hions OF the several classes granted under the
act Of June "a, 1880; Army invalid pensioners.
s,'lS6' army widows, minor children, &c.
~ -os' navy invalid pensioners. $3.50: navy
widows, minor children, &c. l4S6. During
the last fiscal year first payments were made
! upon lSl,ltO original claims, requiring
sSl.SSl.33s for their payment. This is an
increase IN the number of original payments
/ over the year 1889 of u. 5S2.
Inc aggregate cost, however, was Il, 0s7, 800
less.
FIRST PAYMENTS OF EVERY DESCRIPTION.
There were 2.52l first payments OF every
description, requiring S3S 5J2. PA. being
| sO9.oS2 less than was required for the $50. 81.
nrst payments made during the last fiscal wear.
The average value of first payments made dur
Ing the year was Se39. 80 and the average valre
OF nrsi payments on claims allowed under the
act cf jane -, 1880. WIS s7l.2s. The average
value OF hrst Payments for the preceding wear
was SiSaH. being reduction in the average
hrst payment o. S2463s
The agg. gate annual value of the &c. l60
pensions on DIE rod June 81, 1891. was
sS9, 2i7, zoe. and the average annual value OF
each pension WAS Sl3l.99. and the average an
nuai value OF each pension under the act of
June .. $50, was Sl2l.5l.
AT the close OF the fiscal year there were 3S.-
o'i pensioners on the roll who remained un-
pad Tor the want OF time and who were emit
tied to receive c4,ss3.2i2. which will be paid
out OF the appropriation for the current fiscal
year and there remained at the close OF the
nscai year IN the hands OF the several pension
| agents the sum Of IS, 1l3 $50 81. which has
since been covered into the treasury.
This amount added to $500, 1892
OF the pension appropriation not
drawn from the treasury aggregates S9330,-
9s6.06 OF the appropriation which was not ex-
pended. There Will be deficiency in the APP
preparation for the payment. OF fees and ex-
lehhes OF examining surgeons OF about 600, 900.
TOTAL AMOUNT DIsBURsEp.
Inc total amout disbursed on account of pen
hions, expenses, &c, during the fiscal year was
llS,54s $50 Il. as compared with sl06 4s3 $50 ~
disbursed during the preceding fiscal year. So
that II appears that lSS. PIG pensions were added
to the rolls during the fiscal year just closed.
at an increased cost TO the nation
OF Sl2,055,O69 as compared with the expendi-
lures for the previous fiscal year. and said ex-
pendlture includes II. 351.347 paid upon vouch-
ers remaining unpaid at the close of the year
Pensions were granted during each Of the
last four years as follows. lSSs. ll3,l13; 1889,
li5.29s; 1880, l5l,6 1891. 250. Sos
In the conduct of the business for the pas.
year in addition to the adjudication Of COM
pleted cases it has been prime object says
the commissioner, to put as many cases as
possible in train for completion. With this
end in view G03.6il orders were made
for medical examinations and 47i.6s0
medical certificates OF examinations
have actually been received, 3i5. sS7
reports from the War Department have been
received. giving the military and medical his
tory in as many claims The commissioner in
vites attention to certain annexed tables
which show the length of service aud
| ages of S3.i0s pensioners to whom
certificates were granted from February
tables show that of the IL. ADJ soldiers 10 whom
| certificates were issued under the general law
/ 81 We're to persons who served a period of
SIX months and under, while ii ,03l served for a
period Of seven months and over, and that the
| soldiers Of particular length of service
was 9U5 to those who served thirty-four
months and S7s to those who served thirty
| six months. The remarkable fact is disclosed
| that fifty certificates were issued to men who
served from l6l to 476 months. 1t also appears
that Of the II, 004 persons to whom pensions were
granted under the act of June q, 1880, I. 1853
were issued to soldiers who served six
months and under. 26099 20 persons who
served a year or under and A.. sos to persons
1 hos ~
the largest number of certificates issued to any
class was 1853 to men who served thirty-six
months. The age OF the greatest number of
pensioners under both the old and new law was
forty-seven years.
MAJORITY OF PENSIONS TO VETERANS.
submit. the commissioner, that this
data shows tia. the pensions now being granted
under the old as well as the new law are not
to persons whose terms were short and who saw
but little service during the war. The great
majority of the certificates now being
issued, he says. are TO the vet
Grams of the great struggle for the Union.
and many of these men would have gone TO
thel- graves IN want but for the just. humane
and timely enactment of the law of June
"a, 1880. During the last year 20. SIS PEN
sioners were dropped from the rolls
for various causes, and of this number 13 229
were dropped by reason of death. In 1890 the
loss to the pension rolls by the decease of
WIDOWS ana dependent mothefs ana fathers
was at the rate of % per Thousand; in 1880, 80
per thousand, and in 1891, 35 per thousand.
1t Is estimated that of the soldiers who served
the country during the late war I.00i. 65S were
killed in battle or died during and since the
war. On June 80 last l24, $50 OF these deceased
soldiers were represented on the pension rolls
by their widows or other dependents.
UNION SOLDIERS NOW LIVING.
There are about l,20s.107 soldiers of the
Union now living, and of the survivors $50. l5s
are now on the pension rolls. There are.
therefore. 6ss. $40 survivors who are not pen
stoned and s79 90s diseased soldiers not repre-
scented on the pension rolls.
There were l54, 81 congressional calls for the
condition OF cases made during the past fiscal
year, being an average of more than 500 per
day.
INCREASE OF SALARIES RECOMMENDED.
The commissioner calls the Secretary's atten-
ton to the fact that the salaries of the chiefs of
division in the pension bureau are very much
less than in other bureaus of the executive de-
partments and recommends that the salaries
of ak Of the chiefs be increased to ~. 500 and
the law clerk, lie increased TO 81, 80. He also
and four be each increased TO $50. This how
ever, does not contemplate an increase in the
force, but a readjustment Of the salaries.
REIMBURSEMENT OF PENSION RATINGS.
The commissioner renews his recommenda-
tions Of last year as to the readjustment of the
a.