Ottumwa tri-weekly courier., 1912-08-13
MORE CLERKS TO
Be NECESSARY
INCREASE IN THE NUMBER or
PENSION APPLICANTS MUST
BE TAKEN CARE OF

washington, u. e.. Aug. 10. -
Despite the fact that more than 100
veterans of the civil war die each day.
an increased force of clerks will be
needed at the pension office in Wash
ingtcn to handle the increase in
pension rates provided by the new
pension act recently passed.
Already more than 100000 applica-
tions have been received and before
the rush is ended it is expected that
the number will reach the 100000
mark. The pension bill is exact in it's
requirements and rates, necessitating
a great deal of research work among
the old files, establishing the exact
number Of years, months and even
days, which the applicant served in
the army.
The new pension bill has provided
stipulated rates for pensioners, rank
not to be considered, for the years,
months and days. Age Of the applicant
is also taken into consideration. The
act includes any person who served
during the civil war or In the war
with Mexico A separate clause proyid-
ing a pension Of $40 month for all
who are unfit and incapacitated for
manual labor is also included.
The date Of enlistment and the date
OF mastering out are noted on !, card
index. The length OF service is com.
puted. All furlough, sick leaves and
absence by desertion are computed,
and the number of days away from
actual service are taken from his
time. This done the soldiers age Is
noted. Then by reading the table pro.
v1ded for by the recent act OF con-
gress, the pension office knows Just
what he should receive each month.
The pension office has eighteen
branch agencies. Every veteran draw-
ing pension is under one of these
agencies. He receives voucher stat
ing how much is due him. He signs
this under oath administered usually
by postoffice official, and returns it
to the agency. A check for the amount
OF his pension Is then sent to him..
Each office pays every three months.
The schedule Of rates under the new
law and the rules of the pension office
are given in this table.
Age 62 Sc 20 rs
Ninety days $500 $500 $500 s21 90
|Six months 1880 1850 1900 $3.50
II year ..... 14OO 1900 1000 24.0O.
~ years ;. 14.50 1850 21.50 .T0O
II years ~. 1900 100 1890 800 ).
|s years over 1900 1900 24.0o 5000
Mexican war-Service CT sixty days
in the war with Mexico, $50 per month.
Pensions for veterans of the civil
was have cost the government some
thing over $4,135, ,719 1886. An appfopria-,
| tion Of $153,0O0,00O has been msde fo-
this years disbursements, and next
year this will be increased to s164,O09,-
900. The war of the revolution PEN
sion lists are estimated to have cost
the government about $70,000,000 the
war of 1912, s45, ,s53 ,024; Indian wars,
$11, ,192,205, and the war with Mexico,
$45,279,686 The Spanish war pension
estimate is $34,142.796, which, added to
the regular enlistment and the un-
classified pensions, brings the grand
total up to $4,3so,3S1,73O.
There is no telling how much this
increase will cost the government" !"
said Commissioner James l.. Daven.
port Of Washington. "More than $4,000
veterans die each year, and the rate
OF mortality will increase. However,
about half of those who die leave
widows who are entitled to pensions,
provided they had been married to
the rensioner prior to June II, 1890. :