Omaha daily bee., 1902-09-29
SUMMARY OF The PENSIONS
fetal Number On the Rolls is Still Slightly
Undsr a MilliSn.
SLIGHT INCREASE DURING THE YEAR
Almost Three Billion Dollars Paid
out since III BEGINNING of
the Government rs
Pensions
CFrom a stan Correspondent

- SNAAA ANHf
WASHINGTON, Sept. 2s.-(Special Tele-
gram)-The annual report OF the commits
sioner OF pensions for the fiscal year ending
June 80 last, shows the total number of
pensioners on the rolls to have been 1914, ISL
drawing $137, 504, 26S. or this number there
were from Nebraska 1884 pensioners re-
ceiving S2,312, 491; Iowa, 1896, receiving
s.. 4O4, 1856; South Dakota, 5,167. drawing
1929, 574, and Wyoming $50, receiving $121.-
606.
The report shows that the number Of
names on the pension rolls still is under the
million mark, despite a net gain Of 5,723
pensioners since 1895. The total enrolment
July 1, last, was 999, 446. against 997.735 last
year. The total comprises 7Ss, 500 soldiers
and 26O.637 widows and dependents. The
aggregate includes 1895 pensioners outside
the United States.
The number Of death notices Of old SOL
diers, not now in the service, received by
the bureau during the year was 80, 12s; but
only 27,043 Of them were pensioners.
The report says that the death rate
among the pensioners for the coming year
will be about 10000 and the losses to the
rolls from other causes will be about 5000.
The total amount paid for pensions during
the fiscal year was S137, 5O4, 26S and the
yearly cost OF operating and maintaining
the bureau and the agencies outside OF the
payment Of pensions proper, aggregates
81, 1880, 529. The pension system, says the
report, since the beginning OF the govern
ment has cost 81, 1892, 500, O19, exclusive Of the
establishment Of the soldiers homes. The
pension disbursements by the United States
from July l, 1890 to June 30, 1865, were
$685. 45, 444.
The following amounts have been paid
To soldiers their uyidpUu p,ipnr obIf1rnp
and dependent relatives on account Of mill
tary and naval service during the wars
in which the United States has been en-
gagged:
Revolutionary war (estimated). s. 10000 900
War of 1872 ION account of serv-
ice, without regard to disa-
Indian wars. 1Ss2-iS42 CON account '0'V1''-''
disability ...""..."9....... 5,S14,2O7
war with Mexico ION account of
service, without regard to dis
wal Of the rebellion ............. 2,7H,sYS,97S
Wal with Spain ................. 3,275, 1874
Actual total disbursement in
pensions ................... 81, 900, S54, 302
The amounts paid as pensions on account
Of disabilities and deaths as results of
military and naval service during the wars
Of 1912 and with Mexico, and in time OF
peace to the beginning Of the war with
Spain, are included in the payments on
account Of the war Of the rebellion.
Civil War the Big Bill.
1t is estimated that SIC, 900, 900 were paid
In pensions for disabilities and deaths due
to military and naval service in the wars
Of 1872, and with Mexico, and during the
time Of peace prior to the war Of the re-
bellion, making the payments Of pensions
to soldiers and sailors OF the war of the
rebellion and Of the regular military and
naval establishment since the close Of the
war of the rebellion, and their widows.
children and dependent relatives, amount
to 81, 72s, s7s, 276. This is outside of the cost
OF maintaining bureau, agencies, and SOL
diers' homes. The average value Of each
pension is now a little over 1882. The num-
Der Of applications for pensions filed was
1885, rejected 11S, 464, and granted III, 26S.
During 1902 the bureau handled 7,1O6
more pension applications than 1t re-
ceived. showing progress in catching up
with the accumulated work. The number
of cases now undergoing examination in
the bureau and in the process of adjudica-
tion. known as the pending files" fol-
lows: Under the general laws 1877, 101;
under the act of June %, 1890, 142, $40;
war with Spain S4,433; army nurses 50;
service prior to March 4, 1861, 2,342; ac-
crued, 22,S12; total, $780,
Commissioner Ware recommends that
the New England pension agencies OF Au-
gusta, Boston and Concord be consolidated
and that congress provide for the storage
outside Of the pension bureau OF the great
amount OF accumulated and combustible
records now seldom needed or examined.
The report shows that on July / last there
were pending Il, 604 appeals from the de-
cisions Of the commissioner The summary
of rejected cases shows that 23,o73 of the
reflections were on legal grounds and 8 1891
on medical grounds.