The evening tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 189?-190?, 1897-02-08
REDUCING EXPENSES.


Number Of Pension Agencies i..ducsd From
Eighteen to Nine.
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 18 to 9. The object of the order
Is to effect a very large saving to the
government without inconveniencing the
pensioners. The secretary demonstrates
that by this reduction OF the pension
agencies the cost of disbursing pensions
can be reduced by at least $150OO0 per
annum. The change was made possible
by an amendment to the law governing
the disbursing Of pensions, which amend
ment was approved March %, 1896. 1t
required that all pensioners should, after
that date, be paid by checks remitted by
mail. Reports from pension agencies in
reply to Inquiries as to the operation of
the new law were to the effect that
the pensioners are paid much more
promptly; that the possibility Of error
is minimized and that upon the whole
1t is much more satisfactory to the pen
sioners than the former law. The
agents also advise that the pensioners
receive their pensions. when remitted by
mail, at their homes, where, being sur
rounded by family influences, the pen
sionsr Is much more likely to make
judicious disposition of his pension
money. Under the previous law many
pensioners collected their quarterly pay
ments in person and under the influence
of bad associations were often induced
to apply those payments unwisely and
deprived families Of benefits thereof.
This executive order will go into
effect Sept. I, next, its execution hav-
ing been postponed until that date in
order that no pensioner should suffer
inconvenience, owing to 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 uniting
existing agencies and the entire juris-
diction thereof in order that no expense
should be incurred by the making Of
new rolls. The agencies at Concord, N.
H., and Augusta Me-, are discontinued
and payments hitherto made from there
are ordered made from Boston.
All pensioners of the United States
residing in foreign countries and now
numbering 37Sl. will continue to be paid
from the Washington agency. and the
navy pensioners will be paid as hereto
fore from Boston. Chicago New York,
Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Wash
ington.
The following are the nine agencies
and the number Of pensioners paid there
at under the new order: Boston, 94,-
357 New York. $685.; Philadelphia, 1o6,-
735; Washington, 140, ,265; Columbus, lo4.-
<92; Indianapolis. 11S,o6s; Chicago. 1885,
123: st. Louis, 161.7o9; San Francisco,
c3,09S Total, $s70.67S
The estimated saving to the govern
ment is as follows: Clerk hire, $105,.
SIS: salaries. nine agents. $4,000 per anum.
$50, 900; contingent expenses Of agencies
discontinued. s1o.lS2; rent for agencies
discontinued, $3.50. Total, $161, 407.
The total cost for pensions and the
disbursements thereof for the fiscal year
ended June 30, 1896. was $142. .206, $50.
Bitten by Mad Dog.
New York, Feb. a-Miss Mollis Law.
less, IL years old. and her aunt, Mrs.
Martin Kennedy, 35 years OF age. both
OF waltham, Mass, have been admitted
as patients to Pasteur institute. This
first Is suffering from wounds Of all the
fingers Of the left hand, and the latter
from wounds on both hands. They were
bitten by dog at their home on Jan. 26
The animal was the property OF Mrs
Edward s. Little of Waltham. who Is
the wife OF n Boston editor. The dog be.
came mad suddenly. and. after biting
Mrs. Little IN the left arm, bit the other
Two women. and then disappeared.
Two days later the dog ran into a house
In Auburndale. five miles from waltham
anu when members OF the family occu.
| pying the house tried to drive him out
ne Tell dead. Later IL was found that
the dog had bitten about 10 people on the
road between Waltham and Auburndaie
| one ot the victims. James T. Slamin. n
laborer of Waltham has been in Pasteur
institute since Jan. 81. IL was admitted
at the institute that Mrs. Little. the own.
er OF the dog. had been under treatment
there since Feb. l. Her being there wa,
kept a secret. at her own request -.