The National tribune., 1910-11-17


nine of these were against persons who
had been in the army or navy. At the
close of the year there were 145 cases
pending before the Court. During the
year s20,557.Ss was recovered from all
sources
portion of the Commissioners re-
port which will have interest to all
soldiers, sailors and their descendants,
relates to the condition and work upon
the records. We give the Commission
er's statement entire:
Card Index of Records and Removal
of Useless Papers.
The records of the Bureau are kept
in large, heavy, cumbersome books.
Upon these books are inscribed the
names of all applicants for pension,
numbering into the millions. BY con-
'Stant handling the writing has become
partially effaced and many of the books
worn and ready to fall in pieces. 1t
became apparent about four years ago
that a different method of keeping the
records should be adopted, and a card
system was decided upon. The carding
of the records was commenced, and d
few cards were written in 1906; but the
passage Of the act of Feb 6, 1907, so
increased the regular work of the Bu-
reau that it became necessary to sus-
pend the carding for time, as the
services of all the clerks were required
in the adjudication of claims.
I'm August, 1907, the work was re-
sumed in a small way, and after the
necessary appropriation for file cases
was obtained in 1908 the force engaged
thereon was gradually increased until
at the present time $50 clerks are en-
nj n TO lafn
Gil cards have been written, compared,
arranged and fled. 1t is estimated that
there will be 100000 cards when the
record is complete. This, OF course,
does not mean that there were 1000, 0O0
soldiers and sailors, but that three sets
of cards are being written, one set to
be arranged alphabetically, one numer-
ically, and one by the organizations in
which service was rendered. With the
complete card record a claim can be
found with the name alone, while at
present it is necessary to have, not only
the name, hut the number of the claim
or the military or naval service of the
soldier or sailor. The work Is going
forward as rapidly as possible, and 1t is
believed that it will be finished in two
years.
There are over $4,000 claims on ac-
count of service in the Revolutionary
War. The papers in these claims are
in bad condition and difficult to handle.
They are being put in as good order
as possible and placed in fiat files.
where they will be easy Of access and
better preserved from injury than when
tied in bundles as at present. a card
index for these old claims is also being
prepared. Fourteen clerks are engaged
in connection with the Revolutionary
work.
"On the fourth floor of the building
are stored all of the admitted claims
Each claim. with the papers pertaining
thereto, is kept in strong jacket and
tied with tape. Nearly all space on
this floor is utilized, and more will be
needed in the near future for admitted
and abandoned claims. An estimate of
the weight of papers filed there was
made, with the result that it was found
there were 80 long tons weight oc-
cupying 27 rooms. Congress, upon
your request, gave permission to take
from these old cases the waste paper.
Jan. 90, 1910. 40 experienced clerks
were assigned to the task of removing
these papers, with Instructions not to
lake out paper of permanent value or
historical interest. A few weeks later
the force was Increased to 100, and has
been maintained at about that number
ever since. Altho the removal of pa
pers from claims that have been accu-
dust for years is not work OF
q pleasant character, there has been
little disposition on the part of the
clerks TO avoid it.
The work was commenced with wild
ow's certificate No. 1 and has
to No. 5O4Os99 the
claim bearing the latter number hay-
ing been completed and returned to the
admitted files the afternoon of June
30. 1910. About So long tons of waste
papers have been removed and turned
over to the Department contractor. Two
and one-half rooms have been vacated
If this gain Is maintained thruout the
admitted files there will be a result of
eight vacant rooms and the removal of
about 200 long tons of waste.
Until the card system is completed.
the waste papers removed from the old
hles and the Revolutionary claims
placed in fiat files. every employe of this
Bureau viii have to work from 9 o'clock
until half-past 4. The value of this
work can be appreciated only by those
who know the existing conditions
by concentrating the force of the
Pension Bureau on the second and third
hoors of the building room has been
made on the first floor for the Indian
Bureau
The only Revolutionary pensioner re-
on the roll is Mrs. Phoebe M.
SiAittti, dBtu % years, OF BfOOKfleIu,
NJ Y. pensioned by special act as the
laughter of Jonathan Wooley The last
widow Of the Revolution was Esther
s. Damon, of Plymouth Union, Vt, who
lied Nov. II, 1906, aged 92 years.
The last survivor of the Revolution
vas Daniel F. Bakeman. who died at
Freedom. n. y, April 5. 1869, aged 1os
years, six months and eight days.
The last survivor of the War of 1912
was Hiram Cronk, of Ava, N. Y, who
lied May 10. 1905, aged los years and
l6 days. There are 33s widows of the
War of 1912 now on the roll
June 80, 1910, there were 4,66O Ex-
.mining Surgeons, who made during the
'ear 3I.307 examinations at an expense
IF $247,687. During the year 136,437
pension claims were adjudicated, of
which 97,207 were admitted, 3S,O32 re-
ected, and 1,19S approved for allow
tnce, in which no certificates were
ssued because of no benefit to the ap-
Dlicants. OF 1894 appeals the Bureau
vas reversed in only 265 cases. During
he year 201 pensioners were dropped
'or various causes. being 420 less than
we're dropped the previous year.
The report is written with great con-
.iseness and lucidity. and every feature
IF the administration of the Pension
Bureau can be readily understood from