The National tribune., 1902-06-12
PENSION POINTERS.
Inquiries Answered and Sugges'
tons Made.

NJ P, Stamford.-A pension direct
~ granted by special act of Congress cal
commence only from the date of the ap
proval of the special act.
]. H., Sand Lake, Mich.-The pay OF
private soldier in the war of the rebellion
was only S11 per month until increased
to $13 by act of Aug. &, 1861. There are
branches of the National Home, near Lay
ton, Ohio; Togus, Me-; Hampton, va.
Milwaukee, Wis; Marion, Ind; DanvIie
ILL.,; Leayenworth, Kan, and Santa Mon
lea. Cal. IN
I. w. c., Goshen, Ind.-Pension bills
of a general nature, that have not the Of
fetal Endorsement of the Grand Army
have very little chance of consideration
The bill you refer to has practically nc
prospect of passage. A pensloner conio
not be drawing two pensions at the same
time Any new pension law would not IN
terfere with the rights of those entitled &c
more pension under prior laws than they
would be entitled TO under the new law.
X. Oakland, Calf the new dis
ability or which you based your clam
for increase of your act of 1871 pension
existed when your act of 1890 pension was
granted, it is possible that it was taken
INTO consideration in fixing your oelSliai
rate The repeated reflections of your IN
crease claim would so indicate. In IN
is held to be no such thing as new dis
ability" and any increase of such pension
is made to commence from date of med
ical examination.
I. B.. Cleveland. Ohio.-The bill pro-
yiding increase of the general law rates
of invalid pension for loss of limbs OF
total disability of the same, stands as foi-
lows as reported to- the House from COM
mittee, after passing the Senate: Loss of
fnfn *
same. $40; loss of arm or leg above elbow
or knee. or total disability of the same,
SIG; if the amputation is at the shoulder
or hip Joint, or so near the JOINT as 10
prevent the use of an artificial limb, or II
the stump is in such condition as to pre-
vent the use of an artificial limb, the
rating proposed is $50; loss of an arm and
a foot, or total disability of such, stu;
loss of both feet, 500.
G. W. n. New York City.-The bounty
act of July 20, 1888, does not benefit any
of the three-years volunteers who enlisted
after July p, 1861.
G. w. W.. Macon, Mo.-The general
law rate for loss of sight of one eye is
S12: for practically total blindness the
rate is S72. There are no liked inter-
mediate rates, but in some cases the rate
might be $50 or $50, instead of 81, when
the sight of both eyes is badly affected.
widow of a soldier of the war of the re-
bellion cannot obtain general law pension,
unless the soldiers death is shown to have
been due to disability of service origin.
Her rate would be only So with 81 addi-
tional for each child under 16). unless she
were married to the soldier before March
10, 1886 Her financial circumstances
would not enter into her claim to general
law pension. The widow can complete any
claim the soldier left on file at his death
except, ordinarily, a claim for increase on
pensioned disability, which she could not
complete unless he had been examined
Hereunder The general law rate OF Invalid
pension for disability, equivalent in de
gree to the loss of hand or foot, Is SZ4.
There is no rate for disability equivalent
In degree to the loss of arm or leg at or
above the elbow or knee.
H. NJ T., Denver, Colo.-lf You have
furnished as strong evidence as you can,
especially medical evidence, showing act
nal disablement from disability claimed on,
proba bly, you are justified in taking an ap-
peal to the Secretary of the Interior. Sim
nIy write letter describing your case SO
that it may be readily identified, and stat
ing your grounds for appealing from the
action of the Pension Bureau. If the Pen
sion Bureau holds that disability existed
in a service prior to that in which its
origin is claimed, there is evidently an Off
cial record of some sort indicating the
origin or existence of the disability in the
prior service Your attorney should be
able to advise you as to the best course to
pursue.
/. A. DIT is impossible to advise you
without better knowledge of the facts
in your case. To obtain an increase of
pension ON pensioned disability under the
general law is a comparatively simple mat
lint tn in nm
disability would involve proving the addi-
tional disability back to the service.
J. B., Tagus, Cal.-No proclamation Of
the President offered exemption from the
penalties of desertion or absence without
leave to officers who left their post of duty
without proper authority and subsequently
returned.
c. E., Dayton.-If the soldier received
an honorable discharge from each term Of
enlistment contracted during the period Of
the war of rebellion, he can obtain PEN
sion under the act of June q, 1890, re-
CARELESS of the fact that a charge of de-
sertion, for a stated period only, stands
against him during one of his terms of
service.
II. J. NJ, Bullion, Iowa.-As no widow
survived, the surviving child under 16 is
entitled to the entire accrued pension of
the invalid pensioner. 1t will be neces-
sary to have a guardian appointed for the
child before the money can be drawn. The
artificial limb or Communication therefor
cannot be drawn after the pensioners
death.
J. S. W., Paoli, Ind.-The provision for
reimbursement of Spanish war soldiers for
medical expenses on furlough is in the ap-
preparation bill, which has not yet become
q law.
G. B., Troy, n. Y.-If by second rate
you mean second grade" rate, that rate
Is $50 per month, and is allowed general
law invalid pensioners so disabled, by
causes proven due to the service and line
Of duty, as to be wholly unable to per.
forIi any manual labor.