Page:U.S. Department of the Interior Annual Report 1871.djvu/19

Rh The Commissioner, in his report, furnishes much interesting information relative to the various diseases and injuries on account of which so much of the bounty of the Government is dispensed.

The time for the biennial examination of invalid pensioners required by the act of March 3, 1859 occurred on the 4th day of September last but the results thereof are not apparent, as the returns of the medical officers have not yet been received. The sound policy of such examinations is fully established by the experience of the office, and it is believed that the aggregate results of the recent examinations will exhibit a considerable reduction in the number of invalid pensioners.

Especial attention has been given to the investigation of frauds. Through the instrumentality of special agents, 301 persons have been dropped from the rolls during the year, and the cases of a greater number are under investigation. Thirty indictments have been found against dishonest attorneys or agents of whom nine have been convicted five are fugitives from justice, and the cases of sixteen were pending at the date of the Commissioner's report.

It is estimated that $30,480,000 will be required for the pension service for the next fiscal year.

Owing to the requirements of the Patent Office for more room for offices it became necessary, during the year, to vacate those rooms in the Patent Office building occupied by the Pension Bureau. To accommodate the latter Bureau and at the same time to consolidate it into one building, I leased the Search House in this city, for the term of five years, at an annual rental of $10,000. That house was believed to be large enough to accommodate the entire Pension Bureau, and enabled us to vacate several outlying buildings, which have been heretofore occupied by said Bureau, and, at the same time to save some $5,000 per annum in rent.

The policy of renting private buildings for office uses, and of keeping valuable public records in structures liable to destruction by fire can only be excused on the ground of necessity. The Search House is as safe from any danger of loss by fire as the buildings which were vacated when it was leased, but it is not fire-proof, nor can any fire-proof buildings be obtained in the city.

A due regard for the safety of the public records would dictate the pressing need for the construction of suitable buildings for the comfortable and safe occupancy of the Bureaus. I therefore renew the recommendation made by several of my predecessors, that early action be taken by Congress looking to the erection of a suitable building for this Department.

The report of the Commissioner of Education exhibits, in fullest detail, the interesting and important results he has achieved, although the clerical force at his command would seem to be inadequate to the proper 21