Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-02-09
PENSION AGENCY
At Augusta to. Be Discontinued After
Sept. |, 1897.
4 Loss to Aususta-MaIns Payments win Be-
Made From Boston.

Line washington QlSpatcneS In Mon.
day mornings Journal announcing
that an order has been signed reduc.
ing the number of government pension
agencies from is to 9. and stating tina,
the Augusta office was one OF those t.
be discontinued Sept. /. 1897. caused
much talk on the street, yesterday
All feel that the removal of the agency
from Augusta will be misfortune t
the city.
Pension Agent Black was found ir
His office by a Journal representative
and was ready to talk. II know moth.
ing OF the matter except what read
IN this mornings Journal" he said
but the dispatch is evidently authori-
tive. and I have nosreason to doubt its
truth. / have not had any idea such
a plan of consolidation was contem-
Elated. The agencies were estab.
lished by act of Congress, and sup.
posed they could only be abolished OF
moved by the same means, but it is
evident l was mistaken and that the
interior department has complete con-
trolof them.
The dispatch says the proposed
consolidation will save the government
over 100000 annually, but I do not
see how this is possible. If this
agency is discontinued and the pay
ments for Maine, after next Septem-
Der. are made from the Boston agency,
it will certainly cause an increase in
the clerical force of the Boston agency
nearly. If not quite equal to that now
employed here. The clerical force Of
this agency is remarkably efficient.
and. under civil service rules, with the
hours of work as they are at Wash
ington, no smaller force here or in Bos-
ton can possibly look after the Maine
pension payments. Here all the cor
respOndence and great amount of
purely clerical work falls on the agent
himself. A consolidation will not de-
crease the government expense.
There may be saving in the salary
o. the pension agent, but little more
than that it seems to me. The change
will also result in greater inconven-
fence and delay for the pensioners in
getting their money, a step backward
in the policy of the government which
has always been toward promptness
in pension payments.
Il do not think the discontinuance of
this agency will be of any serious
to Augusta, for just as
much money will come here and in
this vicinity in checks from the Bos
ton agency as is now paid out from
this one. This agency pays out over
SO 600, 900 annually. Formerly part of
the money was paid to the pensioners
in person, and pension day was a great
occasion for the city merchants and
others, but of late by a new law. all
the checks have been sent through the
mail. The position of the ten clerks
in the office are of course. endan-
gered by the adjustment of the
agency. They are all under civil SER
vice rules and it is likely part of
them will go to Boston. Thus the
change will be a serious loss to the
city. if a dozen clerks are thrown out
of employment or taken from the city.
I'm short. l do not See how the con-
solidation will be benefit to the de-
partment or the pensioners. Their,
can be no great saving. and there will
be greater delay. without greatly at
fecting this city's interests. finan-
cially."