The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1911-10-16
PAID s|57,325,l60
To PENSIONERS
~
Th. u: Decrease of $685.
15oh ~ Last Year Ac-
cording t.. commissioner

Washington, Oct. ia saving es-
timated at $1.000,000 annually to the
pensioners of the United States and
eventually about $1S0,000 a year to
the government is contemplated by a
|simplified plan for the payment of PEN
sions without vouchers which Com
missioner of Pensions ]. L. Davenport
submitted to the secretary Of the in
terror In his annual report made pub.
lie today. During the year s157,325.-
160 was paid as pensions. decrease
of $3,498,154 from last year. making
the total amount paid in pensions since
the foundation of the government $4,-
250, 0,361.750. There we're 55.185 names
dropped from the roll and 26,200 add
ed. leaving a net loss of 2S,985 PEN
sioners. The total number at the end
of the year was ss2.09s. the smallest
number since 1892. Methods of econ
omy resulted in decrease of the cost
Of administration of $140.504, the
amount being $2,517.127. the lowest
since 1882.
Commissioner Davenport's plan.
which was devised at the request of
congress and which will require the
passage of law. would greatly simpli-
fy the methods Of paying pensions. re-
suit III the mailing Of pension checks
on the date upon which the pension
sioner in large majority of cases of
the execution Of pension vouchers.
which varies from 81 up to So yearly:
decrease to a considerable extent the
work In drawing and mailing of PEN
sion checks and eliminate the sending
Of 100000 letters yearly through the
mail, saving about $4,000 thereby.
The plan contemplates payment di-
rect by checks mailed to the last ad-
NJ ha
endorsement on the back of these
checks, the government would require
certifcation by two witnesses as to
identity. In a few instances Commits
siOner Davenport said vouchers still
would be required.
Commissioner Davenport told of his
efforts to ascertain the truthfulness of
reports in the press and elsewhere that
the pension roll was honeycombed
pensioner to -pensioner In the Wash
|ington agency and is now doing the
same in the Knoxville agency with a
view t. probing fraud. Out of to.
tai Of 47,181 pensioners seen and
questioned only 26 cases of improper
pensioning were revealed. The COM
missioner said he believed the check
system would put an end to any fraud
that now exists.
on the pension roll at the close of the
fiscal year was 570.050: dependents
and widows 321,642 and army nurses
4O6. There were 529,884 survivors OF
the Civil war. 35.243 having died dur
ing the year. 1t Is believed that only
twenty-five per cent of the estimated
2.213,365 individuals in the United
States service during the Civil war are
now living. the death rate of the sur.
vivors being now slightly in excess OF
six per cent yearly. The average age
of survivors Is now about 20 years.
The last pensioner Of the Revolu.
tionary war. Mrs. Phoebe Palmetter
daughter Of Johnathan Hooley. who
served in a New Hampshire company
died in Brooklyn April 25, 1911, aged
80 years.
Mrs. Brittania K. Kennon Of Wash
ington. D. c.. great granddaughter
of Martha Washington and who died
during the year drew a pension as a
widow probably longer than any 9TH
er person in the history of the pension
office, having received $50 month
almost sixty-seven years. Mrs. Ken.
non was the widow of the captain OF
a United States ship who was killed or
February %. 1874. by the bursting OF
a cannon, in which occasion two mem
bers of President Tyler's cabinet were
killed,