Page:U.S. Department of the Interior Annual Report 1880.djvu/58

56 against disbarred attorneys, who continue to solicit and receive fees in cases wherein they are no longer recognized.

Referring to the operations of the office in the investigation of frauds, he presents a table showing that the expenses of the year were $26,466.19; that there was saved directly to the government by the investigation $451,775.65.

The Commissioner is of the opinion that the great number of frauds discovered year by year, when it is considered that their discovery by the office is in a large degree chargeable to accident, or to voluntary information, is quite conclusive evidence that but a small percentage of the frauds committed have been discovered.

The Commissioner is of opinion that the compensation of pension agents is too small, and recommends a revision of the law fixing their compensation and increasing it by extending to them the right to use the official penalty envelope in their official correspondence. He also recommends that an additional fee of twenty cents be paid them for their services in paying the arrears.

The report closes with a recommendation for an increase in the number of clerkships of the classes 1, 2, 3, and 4, and also for an increase in the salaries of chiefs of division, appeal clerk, chief clerk, deputy commissioner, and Commissioner.

The report of the Commissioner of Patents shows an increase in the work of the office for the year ending June 30, 1880, over that of the previous year.

The number of applications for patents was 20,990, being 1,690 more than the previous year. The number of applications for design patents was 681; for the reissue of patents 598; number of caveats filed 2,680; number of applications for registration of trade marks 732; number of applications for registration of labels 479; number of disclaimers filed 11; number of appeals on the merits 781.

Number of patents granted, including reissues and designs, 13,649, being 1,178 more than the previous year. The number of trade-marks registered was 515; labels registered 307; patents withheld for non-payment of final fee 1,313; number of patents expired 3,364.

The total receipts of the office were $730,547.12, being $27,400.33 more than the previous year.

The expenditures for the year were $538,926.43; the expenditures for the year ending June 30,1879, were $548,651.37, $5,000 of this being for the repair of models damaged by fire and not chargeable to the current expenses of the office.

The current expenditures of the office were $9,725.04 less than the year before. This gives a net gain in excess of receipts over expenditures of $37,125.37. The total excess of receipts over expenditures is $191,620.69.