The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1897-02-11
MORE JOBS ARR GONE.
Pension Agencies to Be Discon-
tinued In Nine Cities.
PITTsBURG OFFICE AMONG THEM.
IL VIII lie q Saving TO the Government
of Between sISo,ooo and 100000 a
Year--New Order TO Go Into Eject
September 1.

WASHINGTON, Feb. S.-The president
has signed, on the recommendation of
Secretary of the Interior Francis, an
important order reducing the number
of pension agencies in the United
States from lS to 0. The object of the
order is to effect q very large saving %
the government without inconviencing
the pensioners. The secretary demon
strated that by this reduction of the
pension agencies the disbursiug of pen.
sions can be reduced at least $3.50, 200
per annum. The change was made pos
Bible by an amendment to the law gov
erning the disbursing of pensions,
which amendment was approved March
23, 1896.
1t required that all pensioners should,
after that date, be paid by checks re-
mitted by mail. Reports from the
pensions agencies in reply to inquiries
as to the operation of the new law were
to the effect that under it the pension
ers are paid much more promptly, that
the possibility of error is minimized
and that upon the whole it is much
more satisfactory to the pensioners than
the former law. The agents also advise
that the pensioners receive their PEN
sions when remitted by mail at their
homes, where, being surrounded by
family influences, the pensioner is much
more likely to make judicious DISPOSE
tion of his pension money.
Under the previous law many PEN
sioners collected their quarterly pay
ments in person and under the in
huence of bad associations were often
induced to apply those payments un-
wisely and deprive their families of the
benefits thereof.
This executive order will 90 into
effect Sept. next, its execution having
been postponed until that date in order
that no pensioner should suffer incon.
venience in consequence of delay in re-
ceiving his pension and to give ample
time for the removal of the rolls and
records from the agencies discontinued.
The consolidation was made by unit
ing existing agencies and the entire
jurisdiction thereof in order that no
expense should be incurred by the max
ing of new rolls. The agency at Pitts.
burg is consolidated with the one at
Philadelphia and the one at Buffalo
with the one in New York. Other
changes are also made. A new agency
is started at st. Louis.
The following are the nine agencies
and the number of pensioners paid
thereat under the new order:
Boston, 94,357.
New York, 50, 1888.
Philadelphia, 1906, 1856.
Washington, 140, ,265.
Columbus, 04,492.
indianapolis, 116,066.
Chicago, 1875, 1913.
st. Louis, roo.
San Francisco, 23,098.
Total, 970.678
All pensioners of the United States
residing in foreign countries, and now
3,78l, will continue to be
paid from the Washington agency and
the navy pensioners will be paid as
heretofore from Boston, Chicago, New
York city, Philadelphia, San Francisco
and Washington.
The estimated saving to the govern
ment is as follows:
Clerk hire, $l05,675.
Salaries, nine agents, 81, 900 per an
mum, $36, ,000
Contingent expenses of agencies dis.
Sl0,1S2.
Rent for agencies discontinued, $3.50.
Total, $l6l ,407.
The total cost for persions and the
thereof for the fiscal year
ended June 30, 1896, was $l42, ,206, $50,
made up as follows:
Payments to pensioners, 1916, ,178,
Fees to examining surgeons, $672, 2,587. |
Maintaining pension bureau at Wash
ngton, 50, ,753, ,760.
Cost of maintaining pension agencies,
$3.50, 5,027.
1t is on this last item that the new
order is intended to save between |
B150, 900 and $160. 900 per annum.