Milford chronicle., 1924-01-18
FEDERAL PENSION
ROLL TAKES JUMP
Cost Rises To $26S,Ol2,5OO, But
Number OF Pensioners Was
Decreased By 1850.

Pensions amounting to $3.50, O12,50O
were paid out in the fiscal year ending
June 30, 1928, as against $3.50, 8O7, $3.50
in 1922, according to the annual re-
port of the Commissioner of Pensions.
| The cost for maintenance and expense
of the system in 1923 was $1,992,O63.
| The number of pensioners on the roll
June 80, 1928, was 500, 756, as compar-
ed with SAT, 016 in 1922. OF these 1884,
623 were Civil War veterans; 264,580
Civil War widows; 68,S99 Spanish War
veterans, and 1857 Spanish War wild
Ows. There are yet on the pension roll
forty-nine soldiers of the Mexican
War and forty widows whose hus-
| bands served in the War of 1912.
By classes there were on the pen
sion roll at the close of the fiscal year
253 sos soldiers, 278,700 widows, 1888
minor children, 931 helpless children,
4,106 dependents of soldiers, and 81
female army nurses. During the year
25,452 Civil War veterans died as
against 25,O82 in the previous year,
and 1884 widows as against 21,250.
On July l, 1922, there were pending
82,615 pension claims of all classes.
127,779 new claims were filed during
the year and 159,727 claims were dis
posed of, leaving 0,567 claims pending
on June 80, 1928. OF the claims dispos-
ed of during the year, 54,462 were bas-
ed on Civil War service and 69,854 on
service in the war with Spain.
The total disbursements to pension
ers under the pension system, which
practically dates back to 1890, have
been to the close of this fiscal year,
$685. 56,621, of which $6.2241O6,631
have been paid out on account of the
Civil War and $1O5,553, 496 on account
of the war with Spain.
The number of pension certificates
issued during the last fiscal year was
1882, of which 34,961 were for Civil
War service and 1884 for war with
Spain service. Since the beginning of
the pension system there have been
issued 6,441 ,165 pension certificates, of
which 5,913, 423 were issued to soldiers
and 1,127,742 issued to widows.
The average annual value of a pen
sion of all classes is $421.92. The av-
erage annual value of pension paid to
a soldier of the Civil War is $661; of
the war with Spain, $197; of the war
with Mexico, 1929; of the Indian wars,
$217; and for disability of service Or
igin in the regular establishment,
$217. The average annual pension paid
to a widow of a Civil War veteran is
$3.50; of a Spanish War veteran, $240;
of a Mexican War veteran, $351; of an
Indian War veteran, $149, and by rea-
son of death of a soldier husband from
injury or disease of service origin in
the regular establishment, $213.
Pensions are paid at rates varying
from 81 per month to the S416.67 per
month paid under special act of Con-
gress to the widow of President
Roosevelt. Pensions at rates of $12
per month are being paid to 6,726 per-
sons.
During the last fiscal year, Con-
gress, by act of September 1, 1922,
broadened and liberalized the condi-
tons under which pensions on account
of service in the war with Spain may
be granted. By act of September %,
1922, the fees and mileage allowances
of examining surgeons for pensions
were increased. By another act of the
same date, the benefits of the general
DGu5lOu laws WCAC ulduC NPPllCdD4O "
persons admitted into the military or
naval service after February 8, 1922.
Congress also passed 2,505 special
acts, granting pensions or increase of
pension by special legislation to that
number of beneficiaries.
The Bureau Of Pensions is charged
with the administration of the act of
May 1, 1920, providing for retirement
of persons within the classified civil
service.
The Commissioners report shows
that there were before the bureau for
action 65,282 claims of all classes I'M
der the retirement laws; 6S,4S0 claims
were disposed of during the year,
leaving 1874 pending June 80, 1928.