Page:U.S. Department of the Interior Annual Report 1873.djvu/71

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REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
751

The appropriations for the present fiscal year are as follows:

For Army pensions $150, 000, 000
For Navy pensions 480, 000

These appropriations would have been amply sufficient had no additional expenditure been imposed by new legislation. The act of March 3, 1873, by extending the provision for $2 per month additional pension of act of July 25, 1866, to the children of officers and to single minors of privates, will increase very materially the amount paid to widow and minor pensioners, especially during the present fiscal year, as, upon the re-adjustment of the pension, arrears of increase from July 25, 1866, (or from commencement of original pension if subsequent to July 25, 1866,) are allowed. (The extent of this increase cannot be accurately estimated, but up to October 1, 1873, over eight thousand claims have been filed.)

By providing for the intermediate grades of $12, $13, $14, &c., for certain classes of invalid pensioners now receiving but $8, a further unexpected demand has been made upon the fund.

It is possible that the appropriation for "Army pensions" may be found sudicient, but the extremely small balance of the "Navy pension" appropriation remaining unexpended at the close of the past fiscal year indicates that with these new demands upon an appropriation of like amount for the present year it may be found insufficient.

Number of claims or pension arising from the war of the rebellion filed in the Pension-Office up to June 30, 1873, with the number allowed,rejected, and unadjudicated at that date.

A tabular statement was prepared for the last annual report from this office, showing the number of claims filed and allowed during each fiscal year since June 30, 1861 for wounds or injuries received, disease contracted in, or death resulting from, service in the war of the rebellion. The same statement is reproduced below, brought down to J une 30, 187 3.


Year ending June 30 ARMY NAVY
Number applications filed Number claims allowed. Number applications filed Number claims allowed.
Invalids Widows Invalids Widows Invalids Widows Invalids Widows
1862 1,362 1,000 3,29 60 65 78 49
1863 26,380 22,377 3,913 3,574 290 285 183 133
1864 20,263 32,627 16,742 22,148 385 324 271 248
1865 27,299 44,464 14,659 24,656 455 466 250 266
1866 35,799 28,732 21,913 27,023 350 375 238 218
1867 15,905 20,265 15,742 19,260 250 333 137 233
1868 7,292 13,099 8,991 18,940 170 207 135 219
1869 11,035 14,496 6,844 15,535 290 245 172 209
1870 12,991 11,400 5,242 12,267 260 200 149 160
1871 8,837 8,985 7,656 8,191 190 142 127 117
1872 8,857 6,755 6,060 7,057 240 178 151 124
1873 8,728 6,427 6,203 3,949 248 120 129 124



*******

Grand summary.

Total filed 401,503
Total allowed 281,233
Total rejected 58,581
Total pending 61,689