The Washington times., 1894-12-13
COL. AINsWoRTHs REPORT.
lie Says the Efficiency Board Made Al
Selections for Discharges.

lie Says the Efficiency Board Made All
Selections for Discharges.
In his annual report 10 the Sc 'rrtary of
Wal, submittrd We tercRy, Col. {. F. Aims
worth. chief of the record an pens on on e,
shows current work up TO date, AMI the re
predu ton Of the military records relating 10
the personnel OF the volunteer arm.es Well
advan~el.
He thinks from the years operations that
the volume o. work c. injected with the srIv-
ice of the volunteer forces IS not lik-ly 10 @
diminished for several years considering that
much o! 1t related TO the various IaI!aa aud
other wars.
The labor OF the Office was considerably
augmented by the act OF July y. 1892, giving
a p5nsonabie stains 10 the Indian wars sur
vi.urs ami their dependents. aud has lean
still furtter augmented by the transfer TO it
Of tie Confederate archives, the general r.
turns o. the Army and other :. .lhl wo-6.
The transfer oE the records o. the American
revolution 10 the bureau is now in progress.
Referring 10 the reorganization of the c.eri-
cal force ly the Src-c ary OF War. Col. Aims
worth says il was a matter of rgrrt that the
surplus force was dropped from the Tolls.
without the usual Lave of absence with Iav.
Int it was thought humane TO keep tHs crSs
as long as there was legal authori y for their
payment. aud Congress has now rel.ed.e
any apparent hardship Icy adding TO their
compensation payment of their SalarieS Tor
the number of days OF leave of aJse ce not
used 10y them up to the date OF their d-S-
charge.
He saws that the selections for discharge
were passed strictly upon the efficiency records
o, the clerks Il liberal allowance being made
in the rat nss on account OF honorable mill
iary or nasal service. or long AMI faithful sery-
ice in The department The duty of making
selections for discharges WAS condded to the
efficiency board. composed of eight of the
principal clerks OF the office, ma iority of
whom are themselves old soldiers. and Col.
Ainsworth SAYS, may fairly lie presumed TO be
in sympathy with their fellow clerks and
comrades. According to Col. AinswOrth,
18th sre is probably no bG:cau OF this govern
ment in which greater proportionate num-
ber Of ex-soldiers is employed than i'll this;
but as result OF the method OF selection
adopted. only thirty-three of the 40 CLERKS
discharged in order to reduce the clerical
force to the limit alowel By law were OF this
class"
Col. Ainsworth says, in regard to the col
/ lapse OF the old Ford's Theater building. that,
! with ths exception of relieving the Injured
! from the operations OF the law restricting the
amount of sick leave that may be granted
with paw no provision has yet been made by
! Congress for the sufferers by the disaster OF
| last year, but the question of compensation
| is now in the hands of a Joint commission OF
/ the two Houses. and il is hoped that as a re-
suit OF their deliberations full justice will be
! done these deserving people,"
He notes that the building has been fully
restored, under the authority OF Congress. in
1 accordance with a plan recommended by q
board OF engineer officers. for the purpose OF
making the building entirely safe and put
| ting it in good sanitary condition. With its
improved lighting apparatus it is vel
adapted TO clerical purposes.