Page:U.S. Department of the Interior Annual Report 1876.djvu/18

XIV PATENT-OFFICE.

The work of the Patent-Office shows a gratifying increase in receipts and a decrease in expenditures, with a slight increase in the amount of labor performed.

From October 1, 1875, to September 30, 1876, the total receipts from all sources were $787,586.75, an increase over the previous year of $55,300.88. During the same period the expenditures were $661,637.76, or $47,236.59 less than those for the previous year. The number of applications for patents was 22,408, an increase over the former year of 919. The number of patents issued, including re-issues and designs, was 15,911, an increase over former year of 1,681. During the year two applications were filed for the extension of patents, and two were extended; 2,943 caveats were filed; 3,613 patents were allowed but not issued because of failure to pay the final fee; 1,037 applications were received for registration of trade-marks, and 1,029 trade-marks were registered; 644 applications were filed for registering of labels, and 499 labels were registered.

The work performed by the Patent-Office is highly satisfactory, and is due largely to the excellent clerical force employed, and to the fidelity of those officials charged with the supervision of its responsible duties.

As the Commissioner of Patents is required to make an annual report to Congress of the operations of his office, the brief abstract of the work of the year as above presented is deemed sufficient in this connection to show the condition of this important branch of the service.

PENSIONS.

The pension-roll has been diminished during the year by a greater number than during any year since 1873, when the maximum was reached; the number of pensioners on the 30th of June, 1875, being 2,684 more than at the close of the last fiscal year. The number of invalid pensioners on the 30th of June, 1876, was greater by 2,919 than at the close of the same month in the preceding year, while the roll of widows, dependent relatives, and survivors and widows of those who served in the war of 1812, contained 5,603 names less than it did on the 30th of June, 1875. In consequence of the large number of minors' pensions that will expire, and from other causes, it is anticipated that during the present year a still greater diminution will occur in this class of pensioners, while, on the other hand, it is reasonable to expect that the number of invalid claims allowed will exceed the number disposed of during any year since 1871. This presumption arises from the fact that the number of invalid claims filed during the last fiscal year far exceeds that of any year since 1866.

The whole number of names borne upon the pension-roll on the 30th of June, 1876, was 232,137. Of this number, 110,033 were pensioned as invalids, and 102,911 as widows and dependent relatives; 19,193 were pensioners of the war of 1812, 14,206 of whom were survivors, and 4,987 widows. There remained on the roll 6 widows of those who