The daily journal. (Salem, Or.) 1899-1903, 1903-07-06
MANY
CLAIMS
FILED
Nearly 900 Indian :
war Veterans
Apply
Pension Office Liberal in its
Construction of Proof
State Fund Nearly
Exhausted

The 100000 appropriated by the
last legislature of the state for the
reimbursement OF veterans of the In
dian wars of Oregon who were not
recompensed in full for their ser.
vice is melting away very rapidly. A
stream Of claims has been rolling I'm.
to the Office of Adjutant-General Gan
tenbein, of the Oregon National
Guard, in Portland, since March. The
last batch of claims is not in hand,
and after being examined by the ad-
iutant generals office, win be certi.
fed to Salem and. after the filing of a
voucher by each claimant, will be paid
OF. The muster rolls have been gone
over carefully, and s33 Indian War
veterans claims for services have
been passed upon since March 13.
This Was the aggregate number up
to last night. and "a few more will be
coming in, but how they viii be paid
Is not known, because the local office
Is Informed that the appropriation is
nearing exhaustion.
The payment Of these claims OF the
Indian fighters has been long delayed.
Some Of the claims for service and
horses used in fighting, helping TO put
down the indian outbreaks, have ney.
er been called for because the claim
ants are dead. The award TO the old
fighters gives them more than was al.
lowed by the United States govern.
ment for army service.
Concerning the action OF the gen
eral government, an exchange says:
The two special agents in Portland,
whose duty IL Is to examine claims of
Indian war veterans, are getting on
very rapidly. and a large proportion
OF the 800 claims have already been
approved. The Pension Commissioner
allows the agents a great deal OF lati-
tude. as he realizes the difficulty Of
obtaining positive evidence in cases
referring to half a century ago. II.
therefore. the aged applicant is un.
able TO find comrades 10 identify him,
the fact that he has been known as an
Indian war veteran for 20 years past
by reliable neighbors Is considered
sufficient proof This is a more liber-
al construction OF the law than was
ever applied before, but the commits
sioner OF pensions feels justified in II.
In the light OF the extreme age OF the
applicants. many OF whom have died
sipce they applied for the ss per
month voted them by congress a year
or so ago.
The ages OF these veterans range
from G6 20 SO years, and many OF them
are well preserved at very advanced
age, while some Of the younger ones
are very feeble. One citizen OF Port
land named Foster Is SO years old. and
still is not so gray as some men are at
45. His step is light and his faculties
as keen, apparently. as they were 40
years ago
There is a noticeable absence Of
young widows among the applicants.
and those posted in pension matters
think that ten years win be about the
longest period that Uncle Sans Ore
gon Indian war pensions win draw on
the treasury for any amount Most
OF the men who fought Indians in 1856
passed away before they were ac-
corded recognition by the govern.
ment and the handful remaining now
will show rapid depletion in their
ranks within the next decade.
Those awarded pensions now are al
lowed back pay since the law went in.
to effect, so that many OF them obtain
$50 in addition to their stipend of IS