Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1897-11-09
THE PENSION BUREAU.
Interesting Extracts from Commits.
kfnner EYnns' ReMNrf

Washington, Nov, 6.--The first annual
report of Commissioner of Pensions H.
Clay Evans to the secretary of the in
terror, was made public Friday. A
summary follows:
There were added to the rolls during the
year the names of 80, 101 new pensioners and
there were restored to the rolls s97l PEN
sioners who had been previously dropped,
total of a,072. During the same period
the losses to the rolls were 81 1850 by DEATH
1,0T4 by remarriage of widows and mothers
l.s4s by legal Limitation (minors). 2,6s3 for
failure to claim pension for three years and
1850 for other causes. an aggregate Of
4i,122
The whole number of pensioners on the
rolls June 80, 1897, was a76,0l4. The net gain
over the previous year was $685. 1t will
thus be seen that the pension roll has not
yet begun to show any diminution, though
1t has been anticipated by predecessors in
office that such would be the fact. Seven
widows of revolutionary soldiers and nine
daughters of revolutionary soldiers are
still on the rolls.
During the year 81. Asa pension certificates
were issued Of which number SO, l0l were
original allowances and the balance were
reissues. Increases, restorations etc. Dur
Ing the same period 1924 claims of various
classes were disallowed. This number,
however, does not include claims which
were made for higher rates of pensions.
The amount disbursed for pensions by
the pension agents during the year was
$139. 799, 242.l2 and the amount disbursed by
treasury settlement was $l50475.23. a total
of $lS9, s49, 77.3 5. This exceeds the amount
disbursed during the fiscal year 1896 by
the sum of 81 ,5S4 4SO.1S. If H,671 certificates,
which were held in this bureau until July
!, 1897, had been mailed to the pension
agents during the fiscal year, they would
have required first payments amounting to
81, 1871 1884, besides the additional annual
value, which would also have been a charge
upon the appropriation. This amount,
added to that actually disbursed, makes an
aggregate of sl41,99O,9S6. The appropria-
ton for the payment of pensions for the
fiscal year 1887 was only sl40000,O00. The
| average annual value of each pension at
the close of the year was $133.17. The av-
erage annual value of each pension under
| the general law was s16204; each under the
act OF June "a. 1880. was sl09.25. The aggre-
gate annual value of all pensions at the
| close of the year was s129, 795 42S.
Referring to the consolidation of agencies.
Commissioner Evans recommends that the
| executive order of July IA last suspending
| the operation of the order of February &.
1897. the latter of which provided for the
| consolidation to be continued indefinitely,
and adds: II am still of the opinion that
| the reduction and consolidation OF the
pension agencies at this time is not only
| unnecessary but ineXpedient; that the dis
ruption of business in the agencies the
business for the interior department and
| the general inconvenience of the service
would more than Offset the anticipated say
| Ing to the government" Attention is
| called to a significant saving in rentals Of
agencies. a policy still being continued
| In conclusion the report recommends the
publication of a complete list of pensioners
| and the passage of a law to the end that
no pension be granted to the widow of
any soldier that shall marry hereafter.