The evening times., 1899-01-14
HEAVY INCREASE IN
PENSION CLAIMS
Numerous Petitions Arising
Out of the Late War.
Clerks in the Bureau Kept Busy
Handling the Applications.
MaiariaI Poisoning the Principal
Trouble Alleged by Discharged
Soldiers.

The work of the war with Spain
division of the United States Pension Office
is assuming large proportions, and it will
soon be necessary for Commissioner Evans
to add to the force of clerks detailed for
duty with that bureau. Up to date prac-
tically 5000 claims have been filed as the
result of the Spanish war and the total is
being swelled every day. Application pa
pers are coming in at the rate OF 100 per
day, and 1t is expected that as soon as
the War Department makes additional dis
charges of volunteer troops the claims will
pile up higher yet
AS fast as the applications are received
they are numbered, placed in the red, white
and blue jackets that have been designed
to distinguish these cases from those relat-
ing to the civil war, and referred TO the
division that has been organized TO take
charge of this branch OF pension work
surprisingly large number of claim
ants allege the same complaint in their
applications for pension. Malarial poison
ing is given as the disability by probably
four-fifths of the soldiers, and a good pOr
tion of the other fifth name some COM
phcation growing out Cf an attack Of ma
larial fever.
Rheumatism frequently forms the basis
for claim for pension while affection
of the heart and other physical defects
resulting from severe feVers are also as
signed But the great bulk OF claimants
demand pensions for injuries sustained b.
their systems from maiaria poisoning
contracted in the army camps. They pre-
sent signed statements from physicians
declaring that for months after b-iEg dis
charged from the military service they
have been unable to perform any kind of
manual labor because CT their weakened
condition. They also aIlege that thsir
health has been permanently affected by
their service in the army and ask that
they be placed on the pension rolls as
compensation for this affiiCtlon. As yet
very few of these claims have been sub
jected to examination by the special
agents and it is difficult to say ho@ many
OF them will be allowed. The Pension
Ofice officials, however, are Of the opinion
that only very small number OF the
claimants who allege maiarial poisoning
as their desirability, will ever get on the
pension rolls 1t will be a couple OF
months or more, said one of these men
today before We can order the claimants
before an examining board. BY that time
the chances are that most OF these SOL
diers will have entirely recovered from
the effects Of malaria contracted in camp,
and, of course, will not be entitled to a
pension"
pensions as a result OF the Spanish war,
and each claim that has thus far been
settled has been made special because
OF unusual circumstances connected with
il. Jesse Gates. a private in the regu-
lar army, was the first To go On the rolls.
The widows OF the two Capron heroes
Capt Allyn, ST.. and Capt. Allyn, jr.-have
been pensioned at the rate of $50 month,
The widow OF Capt Gridley OF the CruiS-
no 1r of m ivsai
Dewey's feet to die at Manila. is also
On the Spanish war pension roll. drawing
$50 4 month. Probably half a dozen other
claims have been allowed. The Pension
Office has just taken up the serious con-
SideraUiou of all claims in the war with
Spain division, and from now on they VIII
be disposed OF in the order in which they
were received. The War Department is
rapidly getting its company and regimen
tai records in such shape that it can sup
ply promptly information in regard TO the
services OF a soldier involved in a claim
for pension.
The question OF the probable size Of this
pension roll will come up when the House
gets to discussing the Hull bill. Congress
man Clark of Iowa was at the Pension
Office yesterday. getting some statistics
from Commissioner Evans in regard TO lie
number of claims filed under the last war
and also an estimate of the total dIsburse-
ment that Will be made in few years on
this account. He says that he intends TO
make some remarks on the floor Of the
House in this connection when the Hull
bill is up for debate. Il understand. > he
said that il is the intention 10 enroll in
our army certain number OF Cubans.
Porto Ricans and Filipinos Special pen
sions are granted to persons who are in
jured while in the military service. and I
want to know whether or not our citi-
zens will be willing to pay taxes 10 sup
port these Cubans, Porto Ricans and Fill
pinos."