The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1903-12-31
PENSION STATISTICS.

his annual report Ethan Allen Hitch
cock, secretary Of the interior, gives
these statistics:
The disbursements for pensions from
July 1, 1890, to June 80, 1865, were
500, 445, 444.23. Since 1896 the disburse-
ments for pensions were $2,942178,1 45.-
90, and for maintenance and expenses
$95,647, 934.71, total of $3,037 1926, 080.64
system since the foundation of the
government So, 4,271 ,524.87.
During the fiscal year ended June 80,
1908, the total number Of pensioners on
the roll was 1,O43,s33 and the number
remaining on the roll at the close of the
year was 996,645.
The gains to the rolls during the year
we're 40,0S6 new pensioners and 4,4O1
RESERVATIONS and renewals, total of
A, 4S7; of this number 231 were pension
ed by special acts of congress. The
losses to the rolls during the same time
by death were 4O,9O7 and from other
causes 6,4S1, total Of 1888, net loss
for the year of 2,901. The number of
deaths of soldier pensioners for the
year was 29,481, and of this number
27,S42 were volunteers Of the civil war
The pension roll at the close of the
year contained the names of 72S,732 sold
iers, 267, 1S9 widows and dependents and
624 army nurses.
The pensioners ON the rolls June 80,
1908, are classified as follows, viz.
War Revolutionary Widows, 2,
daughters, 3.
War of Survivors, 1; widows,
Ills.
Indian Wars Survivors, 1866; widows,
$3.50.
| Mexican War Survivors, 1864;
widows 1910.
Civil War-Invalids, widows and
nurses, 951,847.
War with Spain-Army invalids,
S,79S; army widows, 3,4ss; navy in
valids, 4O2; navy widows, ia.
Regular establishment-In lid S,
9,170; widows, 1880.
The commissioner estimates that the
deaths among the pensioners for the
present fiscal year will be about $4,000,
and the losses to the pension roll from
other causes about 5000.
The largest number of pensioners on
the roll during the year was on July
81, 1902, when there were 1,001, 494
| pensioners. The commissioner ex-
presses the opinion that the pension
roll will not again cross the million
line.
The appropriation for the payment
of pensions for the fiscal year was
4 S13S,50O,00O; repayments to the appro.
4 priation made the amount available fol
Payment of pensions $138,504,618.36
The disbursements for army and navy
pensions during the year, including the
amount disbursed by treasury settle
ments, were S137,759,653.71, leaving an
unexpended balance to be covered into
the treasury of SSS2,36O.1O. The ex.
penditure for navy pensions was $3,837,
40O.76.
The amount expended during the year
for salaries and other expenses of the
pension bureau, and the cost of dis.
bursements, fees of examining surgeons
ETC., was 5000, 216.79, making the total
cost of maintenance of system $141, 752,
870.5O.
| The total Indian population of the
United States, the report says, remains
about the same as last year, approx
mately about 100000, of which the five
civilized tribes and New York Indians
embrace about 10000, leaving about
100000 occupying 1856 reservations, con
tanning 55,127,0OO acres outside Of the
Indian Territory and the state of New
York.
The New York Indians number 5,23.
and occupy eight small reservations O
about $4,000 acres in the northwestern
part of the State of New York. Thes,
=
Indians receive small annuities il
money and goods under treaty stipula
tions. The Cherokee, Chickasaw
Choctaw, Creek and Seminole, known al
the five civilized tribes, located ii
Indian Territory, including freedmen
number about $4,000, and occupy reser
vations whose aggregate area il
/ 19,475,614 acres.
4 Indians were largely employed dur
ing the year in the agency and fiele
service as harnessmakers, shoemakers
blacksmiths, herders, butchers, team
sters, police and in like occupations
and in the school service as nurses
matrons, clerks, cooks, laundresses ant
as industrial and other teachers, Whose
salaries aggregated nearly 100000. Z