Page:U.S. Department of the Interior Annual Report 1875.djvu/14

664 steady growth of the roll of invalid pensioners and the increase in the average annual rate of such pensions, which has advanced, under the operation of the more recent liberal enactments of Congress, from $90.20 in 1872 to $103.91 in 1875, to each pensioner.

On the 30th of June, 187 4, the names of 236,241 pensioners were borne on the rolls, at an annual aggregate rate of $26,244,786.46. During the year next ensuing, 11,557 names were added to the roll, and 12,977 dropped therefrom for various causes, leaving the names of 234,821 persons on the roll June 30,1875, whoso pensions annually aggregate the sum of $26,289,519.59. Of the latter number, 210,363 were Army pensioners, 105,478 of whom were invalids and 104,885 widows and dependent relatives; 3,420 were Navy pensioners, of whom 1,636 were invalids, and 1,784 widows, &c.; and 21,038 were pensioners of the war of 1812, 15,875 of whom were survivors, and 5,163 widows; a total of 234,821 pensioners.

There were examined and allowed, during the last fiscal year, 26,018 Army-pension claims, of which 5,876 were for invalid pension, 13,483 for increased pension to invalids, 4,732 for pension to widows, dependent relatives, &c., and 1,927 for increased pension to widows, &c.; 443 Navy-pension claims, of which 170 were for invalid pension, 127 for increased pension to invalids, 122 for pension to widows, dependent relatives, &c., and 24 for increased pension to widows, &c.; and 657 claims for pension of survivors and widows of soldiers in the war of 1812, of which 241 were for pension to survivors, and 416 to widows; making a total of 27,118 claims adjudicated during said year, at an aggregate annual rate of $2,119,169.07.

During said year the payments from the appropriations for pensions were as follows: To Army invalids, $11,748,433.79; to Army widows and dependent relatives, $15,525,734.30; to Navy invalids, $185,675.82; to Navy widows, &c., $334,672.65; to survivors of the war of 1812, $1,355,599.86, and to widows of soldiers in that war, $533,000.21; in all, $29,683,116.63, which amount includes the expenses of disbursement.

It thus appears that, notwithstanding the total amount due on the pension-roll has been increased during the year by $44,733.13, the total disbursements were $910,632.93 less than during the preceding year; but this apparent decrease in the annual expenditure results from the reduction in the amount of arrearages due on pensions allowed during the year, and on pensions, previously granted, the average rate of which has been increased by recent legislation.

On the30th of June last there were on file 66,107 unadjudicated pension-claims, of which 32,228 were for invalid pensions, 33,138 those of widows, dependent relatives, &c., and 741 of survivors and widows of soldiers of the war of 1812; and 7,778 pending claims for increased pension, 6,772 of which were those of invalids, and 1,006 of widows and dependent relatives; in all, 73.885 claims undisposed of at that date.

There were borne on the rolls, at the close of the year, the names of