The Flagstaff sun-democrat., 1897-02-11
PENSION AGENCIES.
The Number to Be Reduced from
 Eighteen to Nine.
TOPEKA AGENCY TO BE DROPPED. ::
Missouri and Kansas Pensioners Will Be Paid from St. LOuis-Thc Executive Order VIII Go into Effect on
 September 1.

| NAsHlNGION, rcD. o.-IH Hc piCoiuSHo 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 IS to nine. The object of the order is to effect very large saw ing to the government without incon- veniencing the pensioners. The secre- tary demonstrates that, by the reduc- tion of the pension agencies, the cost of disbursement of pensions can be re- duced by at least S15O,OO0 per annum. The change was made possible by an amendment to the law governing the disbursing of pensions, which amend ment was approved March 23, 1896. It required that all pensioners should, after that date, be paid by checks re- mitted by mail Reports from the pen sion agencies in reply to inquiries as to the operation of the law were to the effect that under it the pension CTS are paid much more promptly; that 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 a judicious expenditure of his pension money. Under the previous law many pension CTS collected their quarterly payments in person and, under the influence of bad associations, were often induced to apply these payments unwisely and de- prive their families of the benefits thereof
 This executive order will go into effect September next, its execution having been postponed until that date in order that no pensioner should suffer inconvenience in consequence of delay in receiving his pension, and to give ample time for the removal of the rolls and records from the agencies discontinued. The consolidation was made by uniting existing agencies and the entire jurisdiction thereof in order that no expense should be incurred by the mal,in~ of new rolls. The agencies at Concord, x. IT,, and Augusta, Me, are discontinued. and pay monts hitherto made there are ordered made from the agency at Boston, Mass; the pensioners heretofore paid at Buffalo, x. r.. are to be paid from New York city agency; those at Pitts burgh from the Philadelphia agency; those at Louisville and Knoxville from Washington; those at Detroit from h. dianapolis; those at Milwaukee from Chicago: those at Des Moines and To- peka from St. Louis, where new agen- cy is established.
 A new agency is established at St. Louis because of the better mail facili- ties than at Des Moines or Topeka, and for the further reasons that there is government building at St. Louis which can be occupied without cost to the government; and there is also sub treasury there. A pension agency was removed from St. Louis to Topeka in 1882. There are more pension CTS now in Missouri than in Kan sas or in any state formerly paid by the Topeka or the Des Moines agency. There are in Missouri 5S,S13 pensioners; in Kansas, 42, 433; in Iowa, B, ,79S. The total cost for pensions and the disbursement thereof for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1896, was S142, ,2O6,- $50, made up as follows: Payments to pensioners, S13S,215,176; fees to exam ming surgeons, S672,5 maintaining pension bureau at Washington, $a, a,753,- 76O; cost of maintaining pension agen- cies, $565, ,027. It is on this last item that the new order is intended to save between S150,O00 and S16O,O0O per an- num-