The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-02-08
REDUCTION IN PENSION AGENCIES
Made on the Ground of Reducing EN-
nenne of Disbursements.

Washington, February THE president
has signed. on the recommendation of
Secretary of the Interior Francis, an i'm
portant order reducing the number of pen
sion agencies In the United States from
eighteen to nine The object Of the order
is to effect very large saving 10 the gov
eminent without inconveniencing the pen
sonors. The secretary demonstrates that
by this reduction of the pension agencies,
the cost OF disbursing pensions can be re
duced by at least $4,000 per annum.
The change was made possible by an
amendment to the law governing the dis
bursting of pensions, which amendment
was approved March %, 1886 1T required
that all pensioners after that date be paid
by check RENTED by mail. Reports IRON
| the pension agents in reply TO inquiries as
to the operation of the new law We're to
the efIcct that under 1t pensioners are paid
| much more promptly that the possibility
OF error is mnimzed, and that upon the
whole 1t is much more satisfactory 20
the pensioners than the former law. The
| agents also advise that the pensioners re-
| ceive their pensions when RENTED by mail
at their homes, where. being surrounded
| by family influence. the pensloner is much
more likely to make a judicious disposition
| OF his pension money. Under the preYloua
| law many pensioners collected their quar-
terly payments in person and under the
influence of bad associations were often in
/ duced to apply these payments unwisely
and deprive their families of the benefits
| thereof.
| This executive order will 20 into effect
| September next, its execution having been
| POSTPONED until that date in order that
| no pensioner should suffer inconvenience
| i,, ~
pension and to give ample time for me
removal of the rolls and records from the
| agencies discontinued
The consolidation was made by uniting
existing agencies and the entire jurisdic-
| ticn thereof IN order that no expenses
should be incurred by the making OF the
| iew rolls The agencies at Concord, y. H..
and Augusta. Maine, are discontinued ana
payments hitherto made there are ordered
made from Boston. The pensioners hereto
| fore at Buffalo, y. V, arc to be PAID IRON
| New York City, those at Pittsburg from
the Philadelphia agency, those AZ Louis
VILE and Knoxville from washington
these at Detroit, from Indianapolis mos,
at Milwaukee from Chicago; those at Def
Moines ard Topeka from 81. LOUIS "hoT'
a new agency is established.
A new agency Is established ct ST Lowe
because OF the better mail facilities there
thar at Des Moines or Topeka, and Tor th'
| further reason that there is government
building at st. Louis that can he oceupiel
without cost TO the government and there
Is also a sub-treasury there. pension
agency was removed from st. Louis 'e
Tcnoka In 1862,
There are moro pensioners now III MIS-
souri, than In Kansas or in any stn''
formerly paid bv the Topeka or the ~
Moines agency. There are in Missouri od,
$50 pensioners; II Kansas ~ ,aSS' IN low
37.79s. The secretary OF the Interior !
CHARGED with the execution OF me orac
and directed to cause the agencies 70 o.
eroupe1 In the manno' provided by ,n'
act OF March ). 1891 which requires ina
each nonsioner shall be paid quarterly an
distributes the payments at the dineren
agencies in such n manner ms to be mos
convenien; to the treasury department
Washington and sub-trensuries.
The following arc the nine agencies an
the rumher ~ pensioners paid thereat uh
, de- the pew order.
Boston %. Ri New York as.s33: Phl'a
delphia loo. 7a5; Washington iio.2es' a 20,
lumbus 1oi. 492 indianapolis 1906; chi