Page:U.S. Department of the Interior Annual Report 1880.djvu/56

54 surviving soldiers and sailors of the war of 1812, and 24,750 widows from that war, a total of 250,802—an increase since last year of 8,047.

During the year, 19,545 new pensions were allowed, and 1,377 pensioners previously dropped restored; 12,875 were dropped.

The annual pensions average $103.34—an aggregate for all of $25,917,906.60. Exclusive of the arrears, the payments for the year amounted to $37,046,185.89, of which $12,468,191.20 was accrued pension in the new cases.

The payment of arrears commenced in May, 1879. There was paid in May and June of that year $3,933,386.63, and $19,980,808.23 during the last fiscal year. The total amount paid out for pensions during the year was $57,026,994.12.

The number of cases in which arrears of pension have been allowed up to November 1, the date of the report, is 43,917. The average in each case is $560.15. These cases were settled from the beginning, so as to distribute them in equal proportions throughout the country, month by month, as the work progressed.

During the 19 years from June, 1861, to July, 1880, 412,459 Army and Navy claims for invalid pension were filed, and 278,488 claims in behalf of Army and Navy widows, minor children, and dependent relatives; 168,856 of the invalids and 193,494 of the other classes were placed on the pension-rolls. Under the acts of February 14, 1871, and March 9, 1878, granting pensions on account of service in the war of 1812, 34,339 survivors presented claims, and 40,020 widows; 25,470 of the survivors and 29,898 widows have been pensioned. There were, on the 30th of June, 282,597 unsettled claims for pension of the Army and Navy classes, and 17,749 claims for pension on account of service in the war of 1812, for bounty-land warrants and for increase of pension. There were allowed during the year 14,631 original pensions of the Army and Navy classes, a larger number than has been allowed in any year since 1871. Annexed to the report is a number of valuable statistical tables, which cannot be given in full, but one of them is worthy of particular mention, showing the number of pensioners borne upon the rolls at the end of each fiscal year from 1861 to 1880, and the amount of money paid out for pensions each year. The total amount for the twenty years is $455,718,505.70.

The Commissioner refers to the new record of claims which has been in course of preparation for many months, and now approaching completion, which classifies the claimants by their proper military organization. These records when completed will comprise 176 volumes of 250 pages each, and contain a record of the claims on account of service in 2,268 regiments, 194 battalions, 706 independent companies, 708 batteries, and 46 staff corps.

The reorganization in November last of the office force engaged in settling the Army claims for service in the war of the rebellion, with