The Washington times., 1902-08-28
EXPENDITURES FOR
4 YEAR Tn PENSIONS
Aggregate of All Approved
Claims SI33,55o,o3o.
THIS INCLUDES ALL WARS
Spanish American Pensions More Than
Million and Half More Help Is
Needed in Order to Make Careful Ex-
animation of Vouchers.

The Auditor for the Interior yester-
day submitted the annual report for
the last fiscal year TO the Secretary OF
the Treasury. 1t shows that the dis
bursements OF pensions for the fiscal
year ended June 30. 1902. was S1S3, $40
on account of the war of 1872. 81 $50. $50
on account of the Mexican war, si12, Isl
for Indian wars, s64 1887 under gen
eral laws SOS, ,393.l42 under the act Of
June 81, 1890, and 81 .657, ,957 OF account
Of the war with SPAIN making a total
OF S133. $50. .O39
auditor Person makes the following
statement in his report:
The work of the office in all di-
visions is well in hand. though a vast
amount of extra work has been, and for
some time Will continue to be. required
TO secure an absolutely correct pension
roll The card system of keeping this
roll has disclosed a very large number
OF errors, which, though generally of
minor Importance. yet are such as
should not be perpetuated or remain un-
corrected. This work has required the
constant services of four to six clerks
throughout the year. but this class of
work will gradually diminish
No Time for Proper Care.
Another class of work also requires
an undue amount of labor. 1t is ap-
parent from correspondence with pen
sion agents that the force now en-
ployed in some of the agencies is made
quate to make such careful examination
OF vouchers, prior to payment, as should
be made in order to avoid the suspen-
sion OF an excessive numbe. OF the
same by this office.
"A very large number of vouchers is
returned to agencies each quarter be-
cause OF their improper execution. This
causes undue delay in the settlement
of the accounts to which they pertain.
Every effort has been made to harmonic
the work OF the several pension agelcies
in the preparation of pension vouchers
and in their execution and authentica-
ton so as to meet the requirements CT
this Office and the regulations Il the
pension Office. Through the cordial CO.
operation of the Commissioner OF Pen
sions. and an evident desire on the part
of the pension agents to conform to the
regulations. some progress has been
made in this direction, but the result is
still short of what is reasonably de-
sired. especially when it is considered
that practically sl40. 100000 a year is
disbursed through these agencies.
New System for Books.
Prior TO the introduction of the
card system now in use for entering pay
ments OF pensions, notices from the rem
sion office in regard to issues. reissues,
transfers, etc. were from two TO two and
one-half months behind the current
work OF the office. This arose from the
necessity of allowing at least a month S
accumulation in order to avoid the iro-
quent handling of the heavy record
books, nearly 40G IN number. consequent
to their entry. The accumulation of such
notices. which amounted TO about IS. 900
in number, referred to In the last report.
has entirely disappeared. They are nov
of from day to day as they are
received and the information desired
from them is Immediately available.
This would be impossible but for the
new system OF entering them The work
of transcFibing the pension records from
tha roll books TO the cards was fully !
in January and now all en-
tries are made directly thereon
Employees and Salaries.
The totag number of employees in TIE
office is i22. classified as follows: ono /
law clerk, $4,000; 3 chiefs Of divisions,
80. 600: clerks of class /. $780, 10 |
clerks OF class 3. 81 600; 30 CLERKS OF
class 2. sl.4OO; % CLERKS OF class l.
81 200: II clerks OF class f, 81 ,OO0; 7 |
clerks of class D. 5000 clerk Of class
c. $S40; / assistant messenger. $I20; 10 |
Iaborers. $500; ! female laborer, $50.
OF the 122 employees 50 were granted an (
extension OF annual leave on account Of
sickness during the calendar year 1901. I
being an excess of 10 over the number
N 1900 but the total time lost by sick
ness was SSS days, whereas there was a
loss of,1.17012 days from the same cause
N 1900.