The true northerner., 1899-09-06
PENSION OFFICE REPORT.
Col. Evans In His Annual Message
Presents Interesting Facts Con-
cerning His Bureau.
PAYMENTS lAR6ER THAN EVER BEFORE.
Year Were x13s,355, ,O5Z-Number
Of Pensioners Is 00I .51O-The Conn
mission Is Pleased with Condition
OF Affairs.

Washington, Sept. 1.-The annual re-
port of Col. IL. Clay Evans, the commits
sioner of pensions, for the fiscal year
ended June 30, 1899, presents some very
interesting facts in connection with the
condition of the pension roll and the OPP
erations of the bureau. The report
says:
The pension roll is made up of 753,-
451 surviving soldiers and 237415 widows
or dependent relatives, and 653 army nurses.
To them last year was paid s131 6l7 ,s6l, being
S649, 1856 more than ever before.
The average Of each class of pensions is
also higher. The cost of bureaus. attor-
neys fees, etc, brought the total expended
up TO $l3s 555 052 being 81 ga 94s less than the
appropriation.
Payments for the Year.
The payments for pensions for the year
are classified as follows:
General law, ST. 15.703; Spanish war, $2S,-
sos; act of 1890, s64, ,321, AGO. Fees paid to at
torneys were $476969. against $4,000 in
1898. Total number OF claims filed during
the year, 4s.765; allowed, S,OT; restored,
1914; total allowances including increases,
s9,054. Total claims pending June 80, 1899,
iS5, 095; June 80, 1899. Az, ,239
The total disbursements to pensioners
since 1866 were 81, SS9. .9l0,974. During the
same period. SIS, ,490.9S6 went to examining
surgeons. s12.O92 ,l7s to pension agencies and
s52.237.22S for salaries and other expenses
Of the pension bureau.
Number of Pensioners.
The number OF pensioners residing In for
eign countries is 4,306. to whom is paid
s633,309. OF this number 2.139 reside in
Canada. Ais in Ireland, COS in Germany, and
S21 in England There are four surviving
widows and seven surviving daughters OF
the revolutionary war on the rolls. Hiram
Cronk of northwestern New York, is the
only surviving pensioned soldier of the war
of 1872. He is SO years of age. The num-
ber of pensioned widows of the war or
1912 is 1893. On account of the Indian wars
1858 soldiers and 1889 widows are pensioned
For service in the Mexican war there are
enrolled 9,204 soldiers and S.179 widows
June &c. 1899, the total number of pensioners
was 991 ,5l9. being 2.l95 less than on the same
date in 1898
Claims Rejected.
During the year 1O7 ,919 claims of all
classes were rejected in the bureau. a
careful analysis of the causes of rejec-
tion of so many claims is given, showing
that a large percentage of reflections oc-
cur in claims in which additional allowance
of some kind is claimed
Stoppage of Pensions.
Complaints have been made against the
bureau for the stoppage of the pensions of
those who enlisted or accepted commits
sons in the war with Spain. These pen
sons ceased by operation of law, and not
by any order or instructions from the bu-
reau.
Up to this date the number of reenlist-
ments OF pensioners for service in the war
with Spain has been reported as 13 of the
navy, a of the regular army and So Of the
war of the rebellion.
Satisfied with Results.
The commissioner expresses his satisfac-
tiop with the results for the past year. No
new rules of evidence have been introduced
in the adjudication of claims, but the work
has been accomplished under prescribed
rules of many years standing.
In his conclusion the commissioner states
that the pension laws are, generous; that
their Interpretation by the department has