Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1905-09-20
STATE ASSISTS IN
PENSION WORK
PERFORMS SERVICE OF ATTOR-
NEY FOR OLD SOLDIERS.
MANY CLAIMS ALLOWED
Applications for Government Allow
ances Handled by the State, Go pl.
rectly to Department at Washing.
ten and Have the Best Chances Of
Favorable Action.
Madlson. september 14.

Madison, September IA.
The pension department of the
United States government is paying to
the soldiers and widows and children
Uf soldiers in the state of Wisconsin
approximately $1,000,O00 annually.
During the second term of Governor
Rusk, there was established by the
legisla ture an office known as the state
pension agent, whose duties were .
assist in procuring for the soldiers in
Wisconsin the pensions that were their
due and to relieve these men from the
sharp practices of the pension attor-
neys that were holding them up lit
orally for large fees without giving
value rex eived. Some time after the
organization OF this department, it was
consolidated with the office OF the adj
jutant general and is located their
still under the personal supervision of
! Charles H. Russell of Berlin as agent.
There are at present in process of
| adjustment about 1,400 claims. Last
! year The department had 372 claims al.
lowed and about 60 rejected. The
business of the department has stead
! lily increased at the rate of about 800
per cert for The past three years, due
largely to the success that has accom-
panied the efforts of the agent in be.
half of the respective claimants, and
to the greater publicity that has been
given To the workings of the Office,
The present incumbent is a past de-
paftment commander of the Wisconsin
&. A. r. and mas taken good deal OF
trouble to bring to the notice of all
the posts, w. r. G. organizations ana
Sons of Veterans lodges acquaintance
with the work being done. Mr. Rus
sell was first lieutenant of Company
| Il, first Wisconsin cavalry, and is one
Of the best known Grand Army men in
the state. He is much interested in
the work of his department and has
spent a great deal of personal time and
money in bringing the work before the
old soldiers, purely as one who is
greatly interested In their welfare, as
the office carries simply salary, and
all this work that he has done has
been outside the prescribed duties of
| the once, not bringing him IN one ad-
ditional cent Of revenue and greatly in
creasing The amount of work that the
Office must supervise. Mr. Russell Is
assisted in this work by John NJ.
Williams of Belleyille.
There are from $4,000 to $4,000
soldiers Of both wars living in the
state and about 10000 of these are
drawing pensions. Many OF the men
and widows who are not drawing pea
sions have never made application,
cue In some cases TO the fact that a
pension Is not necessary TO their com
fort, but in many cases because they
cannot afford to so H. the expense Of
having taeir claims presented. II is
very largely 10 this class Of claims that
the department wishes to give atten-
ton. The only expense the old sol
der viii be put TO Is for the local aft.
daYits required, as this department Is
recognized al Washington and the fact
that Il has been enabled to have 50
large percentage Of claims allowed
proves tbs value Of the work.
Fara claim presented is placed In a
separate Jacket and the status Of the
case ncted Oh the outside, is carefully
indeXed and any work Of the depart
lnent can be found and the status Of
any lain shown in a moment. All
the work for the rsnsoner Is done d.
rectly with the apartment al Wash
ington and any old soldier can avail
himself Of tie opportunities here pre-
sented, flee of charge