Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1914-01-16
aAisesllansnus gsaaing.
THE PENSION ROLL
Prineely Disbursement to Defenders OF
| the Nation,

Prineely Disbursement to Defenders OF
the Nation.
The pension roll, the report Of the
secretary Of the interior shows, bore
the names Of S60,294 pensioners of all
classes at the beginning Of the year
ending June 80, 1913. There were
|1s,75S names added in the year;
the names lost by death, remarriage
and other causes numbered 59,Sb2
There was thus a net loss Of 40,0s4
names, and the number at the close
of the year was $4,000. OF this
number 503,633 represented persons
who rendered service in the army OF
navy of the United States, including
32s army nurses, the remaining 316,.
567 being the names Of persons pen
stoned as widows and dependents.
There were 433,995 first payments
on new issues made during the year
carrying a total of $1S,250,22b.26
The number in the preceding year
was 1851. This increase was due
to the large number Of allowances
under the act Of May IL, 1912, in
creasing rates Of pension to survivors
of the Mexican and Civil wars, the
roll being increased from 1925 at
the beginning Of the year to 37s,064
at the close.
The amount disbursed in pensions
during the year was s174.171,660.S0
an increase over the preceding year
Of $21,1S5,227, and over the highest
prior expenditure (made in 1s0s) OF
$I2,1s7,s57.0S. The cost Of admin
istration Of the bureau for the year
including the payment Of pensions
was $2,543,246.59, an excess over the
previous year Of ss4,3Ss.2S. These
increases are chargeable to the new
legislation referred to.
The amount appropriated for PEN
sions for the fiscal year 1914 Is $780,
OOO, 900, and it is estimated that $780,
100000 will be used for 1915. The
amount disbursed for pensions from
July 1, 1890 to June 80, 1866, is
given as $ss,445,444.2S The total
from the latter date to June 80, 1913,
is $4,461,0s4,3S0.45 and the cost OF
maintenance Of the pension system for
that period reached a total Of $780,
S71,s65.64, making the total expen-
diture on account Of pensions from
July 1, 1890 to June 80, 1913, with
cost Of maintenance as far as shown,
$4,Sss,411,7s0.S2, and the total paid
out for pensions, exclusive of cost OF
maintenance, $4,557,5ss,S24.SS, OF
which amount s4,2s4,596,s44.74 is
charged to allowances made on the
basis of services rendered in the Civil
war.
Important changes in the method of
paying pensions were prescribed by
the act of August II, 1912. 1t pro-
vided for a dlsbursing office in the bu-
reau to take the place Of the eighteen
pension agencies, and also directed
that pensions should be paid in GER
tain cases by checks drawn without
separate vouchers or receipts. The
changes were carried into effect with
out interruption in payments and
without appreciable loss or damage
to the records and other equipment
brought in from the pension agencies,
notwithstanding they were made while
the bureau was in the midst Of the
great volume Of work incident to the
adjudication of a half million new
claims. There were 443,622 pension
certificates issued during the year, as
compared with s0,922 during the prior
year and S28,s7s in 1s0S-the largest
Of any previous year. This increase
was due to claims under the act of
May IL, 1912. The act was amended
March 4, 1918, to provide that increase
Of rate on account Of advancing age
should be made without further ap-
plication by the pensioner.
The total number Of applications
filed during the year was 1Ss, s,565, and
471,363 claims were adjudicated;
444,55S were admitted and 2S.576
were rejected. There have been A.
337 grants Of pension made by special
acts Of congress since 1851, and there
were 22,01S Of such grants remain
ing on the roll at the close Of the year
having an annual value Of $6,6ss, ,0s6.
The names Of 1s9 widows Of SOL
diers Of the waJ Of 1872 were on the
roll at the close Of the year. The last
surviving pensioned soldier Of that
war died in 1905. The last surviving
soldier Of the Revolutionary war died
April S, 1861, and the last surviving
widow of a soldier Of that war died
November IL, 1906.-Army and Navy
Journal, Jan. 10, 1914.