The National tribune., 1899-03-16
PENSION POINTERS.
Inquiries Answered ard Sug.
gestions Made.

fAn communications for this column should
fV.ccomlaniCd by the true name and correct
address of tho inquirer. The reply, however
will he marked ms may be desired. Noattcnton
Will lc given To anony ymous inquiries III no re-
ply Is printed within three weeks. write again
J. L. r., Shickshinny, Pa.-The law
relative Ia the furnishing Of headSt0nes
for soldiers graves has not been repealed.
Ii is the act of Feb. 3, 1879, and provides
That the Secretary of War is hereby
authorized Ia erect headstones over the
graves of soldiers who served in the Regu
lar ,r Volunteer Army Of the United
States during the war for the Union. and
who have been buried in private, village,
or CITY cemeteries, in the same manner
as provided by the law of March 3, 1873,
for those inferred IN NdtlOl;ll military
cemeteries.
T. c., National Military Home, Ohio
No new law has been enacted governing
the payment OF the pensions of Invalid
pensioners. inmates of the National Home,
or of those who abandon their wives and
children 4 bill this subject has
passed both branches of Congress, but
not alike in both and has not yet been
agreed upon. 1t will probably fail TO be
come Law.
Ill. c. H.. Greenleaf, Kan.-The act of
Jan. u, 1893, providing one and two
months extra pay for certain Spanish war
volunteers has reference only to regi-
sments mustered out after the date of the
: act Ii is to take the place of the one and
: two months furlough allowed regiments
mustered cut before that date.
J. r.. Barnesville, Oiio.-Iour original
attorney in your claim under the general
law, on account Of disability not covered
by your general law certificate, is prob
ably not response l. for the great delay in
the settlement of the claim. The letter
you received from the Pension Bureau
{ shows that the case is priEIa facie com
4 a.
least, and thus that the delay has been
entirs L. in the Pension Bureau. The fact
that over eight years tlarSed from the
time of filing of your claim for increase on
pensioned disability, before said claim
was taken up and settled, appears also 10
be due Ia di lay in the Pension Bureau,
as shown by the official letter you have.
Claimants ar often greatly in error in
attributing q " in the SettlImcnt of
their ClaimS Ia their attorneys, especially
If il be ,ldims before the PtnSi pn Bureau.
{. ". g., Mil:an, Ill.-If thrcc years
have .lllsed since your last medical
examinati N under your claim for in
crease, probably you will have to report
for examination again as ordered, before
your claim can be settled. You can drop
the claim If you wiSh, by paying no fur
ther attention to il.
J. A. c. Sedalia Mo.-YCur claim for
increase under the general law on ac-
count of disability not covered by your
general law certificate viii probably be
rejected. as il seems from your statement
that there is no official record of the new
disability or medical evidence of its exist
ence in the service or Immediately after
discharge. If pension should be granted
on this disability il would commence from
the date formal claim was made thereon
by filing of application in the Pension
Bureau.
w. F. H., Fresno, Cal. The rate Of
widows pension under the act OF June q.
1890, is IS per month. The rate under the
general law. in case of the widow of an
enlisted man, is s12 per month, if the
parties were married before March 19,
1885, or before or during the soldiers
service. In each case there is an ad-
ditional allowance of 81 per month for
each child OF the soldier under l6.
T. M. r., East Providence, r. IA
ihree-years volunteer enlisted in 1861 and
discharged before two years service for |
wound or injury incurred in the service |
and line of duty would be entitled to S100
bounty under the act OF March ;, 1855.
>. ). S.-The pension act of June q,
1890, refers only to service during the
period Of the war of the rebellion: that is,
generally, between March 4, 1861, and
July !, 1885 In every instance. to obtain
q pension. formal application must be
made TO the Commissioner of Pensions.
If requested, the Commissioner will for
ward the necessary blank form. Most
claimants seem to prefer to employ an
attorney experienced in such matters
If there is no record or medical evidence
OF your disability in the service, and no
medical evidence of it Immediately after
your discharge, you may have trouble in
furnishing testimony deemed sufficient
by the Pension Bureau. Ii is easier 10
get pension rating under the general
Law than under the act of 1880.
ID. NJ. F., Rye, n. H.-No bounty was
allowed for enlistments in the navy III
April, 1862. SailGrs of the late war can