Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-12-23
TO KEEP VALUABLE DATA
But Millions of Documents Must Be
Discarded.
INDIAN OFFICE NEEDS ROOM
Experienced Clerks Assigned to Pass
Upon Huge Mass of Papers Which
Contain History Of War.

The contemplated shifting of the old
papers of the pension Office in order to
give the Indian bureau more room is to
be conducted carefully, with experienced
clerks in charge of the work. Secretary
Ballinger of the Interior Department
pointed out today. This news will be a
source of much satisfaction to a large
number of Washingtonians who are Of
the opinion that in the great mass of
papers to be destroyed there are probably
many of value which should be carefully
preserved.
When Secretary Ballinger sent a COM
munication to Speaker Cannon recently
calling attention to the fact that at the
present time there are a large number
of rooms in the pension Office filled with
over two million allowed claims weighing
over two and one-half million pounds.
and requesting the permission of Congress
to dispose of the useless portion of this
great mass, the first thought of many in
terested in such records was. Who is to
do the work? Are they going to allow
clerks. who are not especially qualified,
to take it up?
The answer of the Secretary will doubt
less be. reassuring to those who have
been sOlicitous as to the welfare of val
liable papers which might be lost through
the work of inexperienced clerks.
Secretary to See Samples.
Before the work commences the Sec
rotary will doubtless request Commission
er Davenport Of the pension bureau to de-
liver a number of samples of the papers
at his Office. They will then be gone over
and Mr.. Ballinger will advise the PEN
sion commissioner as to the papers which
must not be destroyed.
No more valuable historical records
than many of these pension claims. it is
said, exist In this country. They cover a
period from the foundation of the govern
ment to the present. In addition to the
sworn evidence required to prove title by
law to an allowance, there are thousands
of personal letters which 1t Is declared by
some might be regarded as "superfiuous
papers," yet are invaluable to show the
personal interest of commanding officers
in their humble comrades and their fam
lilies, and for the signatures of the most
prominent men the country has produced
Presidents and Vice Presidents. Su-
preme Court judges, senators and rep
resentatives. written, sometimes, In be-
half of soldier friends.
This is one class of papers which Sec
rotary Ballinger will doubtless have
tain and that is. room must be made for
the Indian bureau. Half of the effects
Of the bureau are standing in the halls
of the pension office and the clerks are
not receiving the comforts Of those in the
warmer rooms. Thus much sentiment
may be tossed aside by the head OF the
Interior Department and these papers or
dered destroyed.
Real Slave History.
There is another class of papers de-
clared to be especially Invaluable to the
government, and if destroyed could never
be replaced-the real slave history Of the
south. 1t has come to the pension Office
from time to time in the special exami-
nations of the widows and minors
claims, based on the services of the
United States colored troops, to deter
mine the legitimacy of the children and
the legal right Of the widows.
These papers the Secretary will have
looked into very carefully, and at the
present time the question Is mooted as
TO whether or not they will be preserved.
In the papers to be overhauled are
also many marriage, birth and death
records. under oath and seal. which may
be Of value to litigants for property in
the future, as SO many courthouses and
churches have been burned throughout
the country and the records contained
in them destroyed. These the Secretary
will doubtless order to be carefully pre-
served.
There is many widow. 1t Il" said, who
never knew how many times her hus-
band had been married until a special
examiner of the pension bureau called
upon her after her claim had been pre-
scented.
Sometimes, it is declared. another widow
and another set of children have been
found enjoying the husbands name and
property. The record evidence of all
such cases is now in the bureau This
will doubtless be DreServed