Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1901-08-22
THE PENSION ROLL INCREASING.

PENSION Commissioners ii. Clay Evans
has prepared statement of the prinoi.
pal features Of last years pension work,
for the information OF the coming Ma
tional Encampment Of the Granu
Army of the Republic.
Tbs statement shows that on Jnnu.
airy Both, 1901, there were 997, 1856 rem.
sioners on the rolls. gain of d, 206
during the year. The roll for the last
fiscal year Is the largest in the history
OF the bureau. During the year "A, 225
claims were allowed, and 8, SGT restored /;
while Az. $50 names were dropped on 40
count OF death, remarriage and other
causes. Two War of the Revolution
pensioners died during the year. In
the last four years the net gain to thu
pension rolls was 4,02l.
The number OF pensions granted to
widows in the past year under the act
OF June 9th, 1890, was 10, $40, or nearly
4,50O in excess OF those granted the
previous year, the result Of the act Of
June 9th, 1893. -
The pensioners on account of the
war with Spain number 3, $50 invalids
and 2,049 widows. The appropriation
for the payment Of pensions during the
nsuai year 1901 was Sl4i, coo, 600. of
which amount the bureau expended for
pensions S13S, 53l, 4S3. 81, leaving a bal
anee on June 10th, 1901, of So, 46S,-
SIG. 16.
Tho total amount paid to pensioners
as hrst payments upon the allowance
of their claims during 1901 was 80, 934,
1884, or s106, 23s. AZ more than the
first payments during the year 1900.
This amount represents the 'arrears',
OF pension due on the original allow
ance Of the claim, and, as an illustra-
tion, 10 676 claims allowed during the
year the first payments amounted to
q, 0lO, 6e9. 20, or an average of nearly
sl.500 In each case. On July LIST, 1901,
there were In the hands OF rension
ngente 10,109 certificates involving
first payments amounting to sS7S, ITO. 26.
THESE certificates were issued so near
the close OF the fiscal year that the GEN.
sion agents were unable TO obtain
vouchers from the pensioners in time
to bring the payment within the fiscal
year, and their payment will, there
fore, be charged to the appropriation
for the current year.
The fees paid to attorneys during the
year amounted 10 1851, 245. %, being
an increase of S73, S8a. 90 over the
previous year. This increase was coca.
stoned by the allowance OF Spanish
War claims. in nearly all OF which the
attorneys had filed Zee agreements for n
S25 fee, and these amounts wer. in
every case deducted from the first nav
ments made on the certificate.
The large number nf orders for medI
cal examinations issued during the year
10 occasioned by the demands for in
crease OF pension. At least 100, of
the medical examinations held were
unproductise of favorable results 10
claimants, but as no limit can be i'm.
posed upon the filing Of these applioa.
tions no limit can be established TO the
ordsrs for medical examinations.
Tho amount paid to pensioners under
the general law during the yenr was
S67. S67, 233. 81, q decrease OF sI,7g0.
252. " from the amount paid last year.
The steady decrease in the number of
general law pensioners causes GORE
spending decrease In the amount of
payments, and IL is stated OF the bureau
that during the fiscal year OF 1909 the
payments under tho general law prob
ably will be exceeded by those to pen
sioners ndor the act of June 9th. 1850.
Tho Spanish War pensioners received
81, 10, 22D.f6 an increase over last year
OF sS42, 800 81, and the pensioners under
the act of June 9th, 1880, ms amended
by the act OF May 9TH, 1900, received
s66, 973, 4Sl. Is, being an Increase over
last year Of 81, 207, 401. so.
While the payments to the old war
pensioners during tho year was only
81, $50, 2lS.99, the record of pievioua
payments show that the survivors Of the
war OF 1912 and their widows have re.
ceiyed in the last 30 years the sum of
S44. S41 CAT. 03; those of the Mexican
War the sum of $50, 201, 1856. so, and
those Of the Indian Wars tho sum Of
S., 400. 0J4. IS.
The disbursements for pensions since
1880 have been as follows: From July
LIST, 1890, to June 30th, 1865, sos, 945.
4i4. %; from July 1st, 1865 to Juns
30th. 1901, s2,666, 9O4, 5S9 %; total
81, 7G3, $50, Q33.46