Democratic Sentinel, Volume 6, Number 39, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 October 1882 — PENSIONS. [ARTICLE]

PENSIONS.

Annual Report of the Commissioner. The annual report of W. W. Dudley, Commissioner of Pens.ons, shows that at the close of the fiscal year ended June 30, 1882, 285,605 pensioners had been classified, as fol ows: - A’my invalids 173,138 Army w dows, minor children and dependent relatives 76,448 Navy invalids 2,301 Navy widows, minor children and dependent relatives 1,953 Survivors of the War of 1812 7,134 Widows of those who served in the War of 1812 24/61 The names of 27.664 new pensioners were added to the rolls during the year, and the names of 649 whose pensions had previously been dropped were restored, making an aggregate increase to the rolls of 28/18. The names of 11,446 pensioners were dropped from the rolls for various offenses, leaving a net increase for the year of 16,857 pensioners. At the c!o~e of the year the pen-ions paid to each pensioner averaged #102.70, and the aggregate annual value of the whole roll was $29,341, 1 01.02. The report says: “The annual payment of pensions exceeds the annual value by several millions of dollars—that is to say, the total amount paid for pensions during the year, exclusive of the arrears due in such pensions as were allowed prior to Jan. 25,1879, was #53,924,506.20; the difference between this sum and the annual value being the arrears due from new pensions computed from the date of discharge in the case of an inval d soldier, and from the death of the soldier where pension was not allowed to the widow or others.” The amount paid during the year upon first payments to new pensioners was $26,421,069. This amount was paid to 27,703 pensioners. The report gives in detail the operations of the bureau covering the period since 1861. the tables being arranged by years for the purpose of ready comparison. A table has a'so been prepared which shows the number of pension claims filed and allowed since 1861, and the disbursements on account of pensions since 1862 This table shows that the total number of claims filed during the period mentioned was 837,361; the total number allowed, 472,77'6; and the aggregate disbursements made, #56. >,.641,324 75 Included in ihis amount is the sum of $25,234,232 85 paid to pensioners for and on account of service rendered during the War of 1812 Anot ler table shows that there are 290,966 claims for pensions now pending, and 75,268 on the rejected files of the office. This exhibit also shows that there were 75,087 claims filed during the last fiscel year. The special examination system substituted by Congress at tbe sugge tion of the Commissioner for the “Special Service” is said to be giving great satisfaction. On this subject the Commissioner says: “This new system does away with tlje exparte evidence formerly i 1 use so that the claimant is now’ afforded the opportunity to face the witnesses and to appear in person or by counsel in the exammation of his case.” The ex( ense incm red in this service dur. ing the year amounted t > $88,275.23, while the gross saving to the Government resulting fiom the adoption of this system waß about #645,183.

The work of repairing Bunker Hill monument, which had been going on for six weeks, was completed satisfactorily a few days ago without accident of any kind. When the examination vshich led to the repairs was made, it was found that the seams about the top of the monument had been almost completely washed out, and the moss was growing in many of the crevices. If the monument had been neglected only a short time longer it would have suffered irreparable injury from the action of frost, which had already begun to show its effects around some of the horizontal joints.