The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-09-29
MILLIONS PAID
FOR PENSIONS
Annual Report of Commissioner
Eugene {. Ware.
OLD VETERANS PASSING AWAY
FORTY THOUSAND EXPECTED TO
MARCH ON THIS YEAR.

III ASHINGToN. Sept. 2s.-The an
w nual report OF Commissioner of
Pensions Eugene Z. Ware shows
that the number OF names on the pen
sion rolls still is under the million
mark, despite a net gain of 5,7s2 pen
sioners since 1898. The total enroll
ment July / last was s99.44s, against
S97, 1875 last year. The total comprises
1Ss,s0O soldiers and 26O.6S7 widows and
dependents. The aggregate includes
1896 pensioners outside the United
States.
The number of death notices of old
soldiers not now in the service re-
ceived by the bureau during the year
was 50.l2S: but only q ,0i3 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 10 the rolls from other
causes viii be about 5000
Amount Paid Last Year.
The total amount. paid for pensions
during the fiscal year was $137 .504, 25S
and the yearly cost OF operating and
maintaining the bureau and the agen-
cies outside of the payment of pen
sions proper aggregate S3.59O,529. The
pension system. says the report. since
the beginning of the government has
cost $685.. 500. This is exclusive of the
establishment of the soldiers homes.
The pension disbursements by the
United States from July !. 1870, to
June 30, 1855, were $50, 445, 444.
Grand Total.
The following amounts have been
paid to soldiers. their widows. minor
children and dependent relatives on
account of military and naval service
during the wars in which the United
States has been engaged:
Revolutionary war (estimated) S7o.-
100000; war OF 1912 Ton account of serv-
ice, without regard to disability, S45,-
025.2S7; Indian wars. 1S32-lS42 ION ac-
count of service. without regard TO dis
ability, $5,Sl5,2S7; war with Mexico ION
account of service. without regard TO
disability, $3f, SOL. 1888; war of the re-
bellion. $2.22S. ZIG: war with Spain,
SS,275.1S4. Actual total disbursement in
pensions. S2,sOOS54.SO2.
In the Old Wars.
The amounts paid as pensions on ac-
count of disabilities and deaths as re-
suits OF military and naval service dur
ing the wars of 1872 and with Mexico,
and in time of peace 90 the beginning
OF the war with Spain are included in
the payments on account of the war
of the rebellion. It is estimated that
S16,000,00o were paid in pensions for
disabilities and deaths due to military
and naval service in the wars of 1872
and with Mexico and during times Of
peace prior TO the war of the rebellion
and of the regular military and naval
establishment since the close of said
war of the rebellion, and their widows,
children and dependent relatives,
amount TO s., 22S. S7S,276. This is out
side Of the cost OF maintaining buread'l
agencies and soldiers homes.
Average Value.
The average value of each pension Is
now a little over S132. The humber of
applications for pensions filed was 1884,
62S, rejected 11s.S464 and granted H.
26S. During 1902 the bureau handled
4Il06 more pension applications than
il received. showing progress in catch
ing up with the accumulated work.
The number OF cases now undergoing
examination in the bureau and in the /
process of adjudication known as the
pending files" follows:
Under the general laws. 1S7 ,101: I'M
der the act of June q, 1890, 1859;
war with Spain, "a. 4S3; army nurses,
SO; prior to March 4. 1861. 2.323; ae-
crued, 22.Sl2. Total, $50, 436.
The report shows that on July last
there were paid 1880 appeals from the
decision of the commissioner. The
summary of rejected cases shows that
2S07S of the reflections were on legal |
grounds and 95.35l on medical grounds.