The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-02-09
ropEKA.s PENSION AGENCY
Abolished and It's Business Transferred to
st. Louis.

Washington. Feb. S.--The president
has signed. on the recommendation OF
Secretary of the Interior Francis. an i'm
portant order reducing the number or
pension agencies in the United States
from eighteen to nine. The object of the
order is to effect a very large saving TO
the government without mountaineering
the pensioners The secretary demon
strates, that by this reduction of the
pension agencies, the cost of disburse-
ment of pensions can be reduced by at
least $50, 900 per annum.
The change was made possible by an
amendment TO the law governing the
disbursement of pensions, which amend
ment was approved March %, 1896 1t
required that all pensioners should, af-
ter that date, be paid by checks RENTED
by mail. Reports from the pension agen-
cies in reply 70 inquiries as TO the opera
ton of the law were to the effect thai
under it the pensioners are paid much
more promptly that possibility of error
is minimized, and that, upon the whole,
ii is much more satisfactory to the pen
sioners than the former law. The agents
also advise that the pensioners receive
their pensions when RENTED by mail a.
their homes, where, being surrounded by
more likely to make a judicious DISPOSE
ton of his pension money. Under the
previous law many pensioners collected
their quarterly payments in person and,
under the influence of bad associations,
were often induced TO apply these pay
ments Unwisely and deprive their fami-
lies of the benefits thereof.
This executive order will go into effect
September l next, its execution having
been postponed to 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 jurisdic-
ton 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 there are order
ed made from the agency at Boston.
Mass: the pensioners heretofore paid a.
Buffalo, y. Y. are to be paid from the
New York city agency; those al Pitts
burg from the Philadelphia agency; those
q Louisville and Knoxville from Wash
ington: those al Detroit from Indianapc-
lis; those at Milwaukee from Chicago:
those Of Des Moines and Topeka from
81. Louis where general agency is es-
tablished.
new agency is established az St.
Louis because of the better mail facili-
ties there than az Des Moines or Topeka.
and for further reasons that there is
government building at ST. Louis which
can be occupied without cost TO the gov
eminent: and there is also a sub-treasury
there y pension agency was removed
from ST. Louis TO Topeka in 1882 There
are more pensioners now in Missouri
than in Kansas or in any state formerly
paid by the Topeka or the Des Moines
agency. There are in Missouri 5S.sl2
pensioners; in Kansas A.. 43S; in Iowa So
79S.
The following IS the preamble Of the ex
ecutive order.
Whereas BY act Of congress app-ov-
ed March %. 1895, the law governing the
payment OF pensions was amended so as
10 require all pensioners TO he paid oy
checks RENTED by mail, instead OF per-
hitting those 10 collect personally who
elected 50 70 do: and
Whereas. The msthod Of paving by
remittance has greatly lessened the labor
OF pension agencies, through which pen
sion appropriations are disbursei. and
Facilitated the payment OF pensions. as
evidenced by the reports from agents:
and
whereas. The remittance OF pensions
by mail has proved eminently satisfae-
tory 20 pensioners. who. by this method
receive their quarterly allowances more
promptly, with unvarying regularity and
with less likelihood Of error: and.
Whereas. The successful operation OF
the amended law has now been thorough
ly demonstrated: aud.
Whereas. Under rs provisions and in
consequence thereof the number % PEN
sion agencies can be materially reduced
without sny Inconvenience whatever 10
the pensioners. and a great saving 10 he
government be effected thereby: there
fore. from and after the first day OF Sep
temher. 1897. IL * ordered. etc
This is followed by The body OF me or
der. which defines the jurisdiction %
e4on agency The secretary of the inter
io- IS CHARGED with The execution OF the