REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF PENSIONS. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, PENSION OFFICE, Washington, D. C., November 1, 1882. SIR: I have the honor to submit herewith the annual statement showing the operations of this bureau for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1882. There were at the close of the year, June 30, 1882, 285,697 pensioners, classified as follows: 173,138 Army invalids; 76,448 Army widows, minor children, and dependent relatives; 2,361 Navy invalids; 1,955 Navy widows, minor children, and dependent relatives; 7,134 survivors of the war of 1812, and 24,661 widows of those who served in that war. There were added to the roll during the year the names of 27,664 new pensioners; and the names of 649, whose pensions had previously been dropped, were restored to the rolls, making an aggregate increase to the roll of 28,313. The names of 11,446 pensioners were dropped from the roll for various causes, leaving a net increase to the roll of 16,867 pensioners. At the close of the year the annual pension to each pensioner was $102.70, and the aggregate annual value of all pensions was $29,341,101.62. The annual payments, however, exceed this sum by several millions of dollars; i. e., the total amount paid for pensions during the year, exclusive of the arrears due in pensions which were allowed prior to January 25, 1879, was $53,924,566.20, the difference being the arrears due in new pensions from the date of discharge, in the case of a soldier or sailor, and from death of the soldier, where pension was allowed to the widow or others. The amount paid during the year upon first payment to new pensioners is $26,421,669.19; and this amount was paid to 27,703 pensioners, averaging to each case as follows: To Army invalids, $964,05; to Army widows, minor children, and dependent relatives, $1,065.44; to Navy invalids, $549.99; to Navy widows, minor children, and dependent relatives, $561.59; to the survivors of the war of 1812, $324.19, and to the widows of the deceased soldiers and sailors of that war, $208.24. The complete details of the statements will be found arranged and classified in Table 1, with the value of pensions allowed, increased, and dropped, and Table 2 will show the various causes for which the names of 11,446 pensioners were dropped; also an analysis of the "widows"" roll, showing the number of widows with and without minor children, guardians, dependent fathers, and dependent mothers. The amounts appropriated under each appropriation head will be found in Table 3, and the amounts disbursed out of the same. In connection with this table will be found a statement showing the disburse 45 INT 705 ments during the year ($134,823.41) on account of arrears of pension allowed in cases where pension had been granted prior to the arrears act (January 25, 1879), which, for convenience of comparison, are kept separately from other disbursements. To correct some misapprehension, which sometimes arises, I refer to Table 2, showing the various causes for which the names of pensioners have been dropped from the roll. Taking the invalids, for example, 1,935 names were dropped during the year by reason of death, and 664 by reason of failure to claim pension-the percentage of deaths being so small as to excite great surprise. Section 4719 of the Revised Statutes provides that the name of a pensioner shall be dropped from the roll where pension remains unclaimed for three years; so that in this class the larger proportion are supposed to be dead. This will be illustrated in a more striking manner by reference to the pensioners of the war of 1812, 1,450 reported as having died, and 2,379 as drepped from failure to claim pension. Table 4 is a classified statement of the number of pensioners on the rolls of each agency, and compares the whole number of pensioners on the roll with that of the preceding year, and shows the total disbursements and cost of same at each agency during the year. Table 5 is an interesting exhibit of the number of each class of origi nal claims filed and allowed during each year since 1861, and the amounts paid for pensions and the cost of disbursement each year since 1860. In this number will be represented a very small proportion whose claims were filed on account of disability or death occurring in wars prior to 1861-65, also the claims for service during the war of 1812. The number of claims filed since the passage of the first act, February 14, 1871, granting pension on account of the war of 1812, is, for survivors, 34,533, and for the widows of those who served in that war, 42,123. In the first class the number allowed is 25,611, and in the second, 32,556. The whole number of pension claims allowed since 1861 is 472,776. Table 6 shows the number of claims of each class on the files at the beginning of the year, the number allowed and rejected during the year, and the number remaining on hand at the close of the year. I had caused a thorough analysis to be made of the files of the office, so that I am able to present in an intelligent manner the number of claims of each class which are actually pending, and also those which are rejected or abandoned. Previous to this report there had been no division of these two classes, so that it was difficult to determine the number of actual pending claims. Table 7 will show the operation of the special examination provided by law as a substitute to what was formerly a special service of the office. Under the change of system provided by law, results appear to be most gratifying, and later on this subject will be referred to more in detail. Table 8 gives the location and geographical limit of each pension agency, the name of the agent, and the balance of funds remaining in the hands of each agent at the close of the year. Table 9 exhibits the different rates of pension paid to Army and Navy invalids, together with the number of pensioners of these classes to each rate. Table 10 shows the amounts paid for pensions on account of service during the war of 1812 in each year since the act of Congress providing pensions for this class. The first act was passed February 14, 1871, the general provisions of which granted pension for a period of not less than sixty days' service. Subsequently the act of March 9, 1878, liberalized these provisions and allowed a pension for fourteen days' service. Table 11 shows the number of late war invalid pensions allowed year by year since 1861, classified and arranged, so that in each year's allowance it is shown in what year the claims were filed for all the preceding years, as well as the one in which such allowance was made. It also shows the total number allowed out of each year's filing. The work of compiling this information has been considerable, and I have not been able to show corresponding results for the widows, minor children, and dependent relatives' class, but I hope to be able to do so in the future. If the number of claims reported allowed each fiscal year, in this table, shall be compared with these in the several annual reports of the Commissioners of Pensions, a small discrepancy will be noticed in each year. This is accounted for by the elimination of the old war invalid pensions, also such cases as had in former years been allowed and were afterwards discovered to be duplicates, amounting to some few hundreds in all, but the results now reported may be regarded as at a minimum. . Some valuable information, never before reduced to substantial results, I have also presented in this table, i. e., the percentage of cases allowed up to the present time out of the number filed each year since 1861. It will be seen by computation that of all claims filed prior to July 1, 1872, 75 per cent. have already been allowed, and though this terminal point is ten years ago, it does not represent the maximum of the number which will be allowed out of the cases filed during the time stated. As an illustration of this, a reference to the table will show, that during the year just closed 3,007 claims (or 13 per cent. of those allowed) were filed during the twelve years ending June 30, 1872. Herewith I add a table analyzing the one referred to, which compares, by percentage, the work of this with former years from 1872 to 1882, inclusive, showing the per cent. of claims allowed during the same year in which they were filed, and for the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh year preceding, also for the full time (in aggregate) prior to the seventh year period back to 1881. Pr. et. Pr. et. Pr. ct. Pr. et. Pr. ct. Pr. ct. 37. 1 11.4 2.4 7.5 5.8 3.6 2.3 18.5 10.9 7.7 4.6 3.3 2.6 10.9 36.3 20.6 8.5 3.8 2.6 21 1878.. 12.4 30.3 25.2 5.7 3.3 3.4 2.9 1.7 1877. 10.9 36.5 16.4 8.3 6.4 3.8 2.7 1876.... 12.0 2.3 6.1 4.6 4.0 1.7 2.0 43. 1 11.6 6.5 5.3 4.1 3.2 18.4 7.9 7.9 34.6 12.4 6.8 17.3 21.2 26. 1 6.4 5.0 2.6 8. 1 4.7 3.2 3.1 2.6 16.4 in the thirteen years previous to 1874. Taking the year 1882, we find that five-tenths of 1 per cent. of the number allowed were filed during the same year, six-tenths of 1 per cent., were filed in the year previous (1881), and the second year previous (1879) 43.4 per cent., and so on; also that prior to the seventh-year period, which was the thirteen years preceding July 1, 1874, 16.4 per cent. of the cases were filed. Taking this latter (16.4), and we find that of the cases allowed in 1881 20.1 per cent. were filed previous to the seventh-year period, being the twelve years ending June 30, 1873, and for the year 1880 it was 21.6 per cent. for the eleven years ending June 30, 1872. Referring again to 1882 we find the 16.4 per cent. referred to shows a falling off for this earlier period, notwithstanding an additional year and two years respectively are added to it; and it illustrates how the work of the office is being concentrated towards the great block of claims which were filed in 1879 and 1880. It will be remembered that the arrears act was passed at the commencement of the last half of the fiscal year of 1879 (January 25), and the limitation granting arrears expired with the year 1880. Of the claims filed since June 30, 1880, less than 1 per cent. have been allowed, and these for grave and sufficient reasons which justified special action. In the claims filed during the years 1879 and 1880, there have been allowed 43.6 and 11.2 per cent. respectively out of the numbers 36,835 and 110,673 claims of invalids which were filed during those years. It should be remembered that these statements refer only to the late war invalid claims. Table 12 is an exhaustive exhibit showing the number of claims made for pension on account of the late war, of invalids, widows, children, mothers, and fathers; the numbers which have been admitted, and are now pending. Out of the whole number admitted and pending it is shown in each those who are and those who are not entitled to arrears. The information collated in this table is arranged by each regimental organization, and the totals of each arm of military service in each State and Territory. For a more particular description your attention is invited to the title "Pension Population" on page 23 of the report. Table 13 shows the number of pensioners upon the roll, the annual value of such roll, and the amount actually paid, including arrears, for the year ending the payment of June, 1882, classified and arranged so that the same is exhibited in each county by congressional districts in each State and Territory. This information was first called for by a resolution of the Senate and was published in Senate Executive Document No. 152, first session Fortyseventh Congress, showing the condition of the roll to and including the September (1881) payments. I have since had the same revised and brought down to the June (1882) payment. Table 14 contains the names of the surviving widows of Revolutionary soldiers and sailors who are pensioners, and their place of r sidence, as shown by the roll, at the close of the fiscal year. EFFICIENCY OF THE BUREAU. The commencement of the last fiscal year found this office with several troublesome questions to face; and many disastrous occurrences, and difficulties following difficulties, combined to render the beginning inauspicious. First, a large discharge of clerks became necessary owing to the inordinate size of the rolls as compared with the appropriations for the fiscal year then beginning; the assassination of the President caused an almost total suspension of business, and a distraction of the attention of clerks from their work to such an extent |