The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1933-03-10

Uncle Sam ceased paying pensions TO his Con-
tinental army heroes more than 10 years ago
when the last recorded survivor of the Revolu-
ton, Daniel Frederick Brakeman, resident Of
Freedom, Cattaraugus county. n. Y died On
April 5, 1869, at the age Of one hundred and
nine years. But II was not until 1905 that Uncle
Sam ceased paying a pension to a soldier Of
the War of 1912. On May IS Of that year Hiram
Cronk. the last survivor of our second war with
England passed away at the age of one hundred
and five years.
But Cronks death did not mean the end Of
War Of 1912 pensions. For even though that
conflict ended 11S years ago, on June 80, 1882,
there were still living seven persons in receipt
Of pensions on account of service rendered by
soldiers of the War Of 1S12-fve widows, one
remarked widow and one daughter. The wild
ows were drawing pensions Of $50 per month
each. They were Arminia Anderson. Cedar Grove,
Ga; Marion Clark. Iowa City. Iowa: Lydia Ann
Graham, Brushy Run, W. Va; Mary Isgrigg,
Cincinnati, Ohio; Carolina King, East Aurora,
n Y and Elizabeth Huron. Indianapolis, Ind,
and Esther Ann Morgan of Independence, Ore,
(daughter).
The Mexican war ended So years ago but until
September, 1929. Uncle Sam was paying month
" pension TO Owen Thomas Edgar who served
in the navy during that war. And even though
Uncle Sam has closed his account with the last
man who bore arms across the Rio GTande, he
is still paying pensions 10 ATS widows and de-
pendents of Mexican veterans The Civil
war has been over for IS years but on the pen
sion rolls there are still 1072 soldiers, is nurses
and 139924 widows and dependents and last
year Uncle Sam paid out total of s1O7. S65, 761
TO Civil war pensioners.
Other pensioners on the rolls as of June 80,
1892 were:
War with Spain: Soldiers. 1864; widows,
etc, 36,sO2: nurses $50.
Regular army: Soldiers. 1891; widows, etc,
4571.
Indian wars: Soldiers, 5,102; widows ETC.,
4,453.
World war: Soldiers, So; widows ETC., -
1t will be noticed that unbelievably small fig
ures are cited for the World war pensioners.
Obviously this does not include the vast sums
that have been paid out in one form or another
to these veterans and the explanation is that
there was a different set-up for compromising
those who served in this conflict
Since the close of the World war the gov
eminent has paid out approximately s6,31S,-
1OST33 on account Of relief of World war vet
Grams and their dependents-an average of about
s451 100000 annually. Some of this money was
paid in insurance premiums by the veterans
themselves. but the greater portion came from
the treasury. Appropriations made by congress
for the financing of veterans relief in the fiscal
year 1893 total 1927 $4,000.
seven IOrLlS OF EeIleI nave Oeen pIoNIueu anu
all are in operation. They are: Adjusted service
compensation. medical care and treatment dis
ability compensation United States insurance.
term insurance paid for permanent and total
disability, disability allowances and emergency
officers retirement pay.
On June 80. 1881. the veterans administration
was set up. the old pension bureau was absorbed
in il and all veterans activities and operation of
homes for veterans are now concentrated in this
ode nj which Is headed bY RrIg
Gen Frank T Hines as administrator