Military Aid. CHAPTER 381, SECTION's 9–11, ACTs War of War Total Whole number aided preceding year: War of Rebellion . 94 cases. SOLDIERS’ RELIEF. Chapter 79, Section 18, Revised Laws. The origin of this most just and beneficent law may be traced primarily to the members of the Grand Army of the Republic, who, on becoming aware that many of their worthy comrades who had ceased, through old age or infirmities, to be breadwinners were being supported as common paupers in the almshouses of cities and towns, began an agitation which culminated in the passage by the State Legislature of chapter 438 of the Acts of 1888. It has been a law in one form or another ever since and is now known as chapter 79 of the Revised Laws. While our old Commonwealth has always been generous to the soldiers who fought for the Union, it never exhibited its gratitude so wisely and so completely as by the enactment of this law. Under its liberal provisions the soldiers and their dependents who have failed in the battle of life are no longer compelled to go “over the hill to the poorhouse,” but are given proper support in their own homes and have been separated completely from the pauper class. In order to be eligible for support under this law the recipient must be in need and have a legal settlement in Boston, for the reason that the entire expense is borne by the city. The soldier upon whose service the claim is based may have served in the War of the Rebellion from any state, but he must have had an honorable discharge from all enlistments, and he must have acquired a legal settlement within the Commonwealth subsequent to May 1, 1860. Investigation is made to ascertain the condition and eligibility of applicants, and if the result is favorable the Soldiers' Relief Commissioner presents his recommendations to the Soldiers’ Relief Committee of the City Council at its monthly meeting, each member of the committee being furnished with a condensed typewritten brief of each case. At these meetings the commissioner gives the details of the cases and explains the laws under which the relief may be granted, and it is in the power of the committee to increase or decrease the sum recommended or to reject it altogether. All applicants whose physical and mental conditions will admit of their presence are notified to attend these monthly meetings, in order that they may be examined by the committee if deemed necessary. Lists of cases approved by the committee are subsequently presented to the City Council for its authority to pay the sums allowed. The following table shows the operations of the department under this law during the past year: § É CHAPTER 79, SECTION 18, w; to th g Z. REVISED LAws. £ § à # # É P, — so | 2 || 3 # 5 | E 8 g 3 || 3 || > || 3 || 3 || 5 || 3 || 3 Number on roll January 31, 1909. . . . 248 63 || 757 1 9 9 1 | 1,088 Added during the year. . . . . . . . . . . . 38 4 69 | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112 Dropped during the year. . . . . . . . . . 55 8 85 1 3 4 . . . . . 156 Number on roll January 31, 1910. 231 59 || 741 | . . . . . 7 5 | . . . . . 1,044 Whole number aided during the year, 1,200. ACTUAL NUMBER AIDED. In many cases the state or military aid allowed proves insufficient for the proper support of the beneficiaries and the soldiers' relief is relied upon to supply their needs. It follows, therefore, that the foregoing tables contain an unavoidable duplication of persons. The following table shows the actual number of separate persons relieved during the year, with the changes connected therewith: Separate Persons. o, Gb ACTUAL NUMBER or INDIVIDUAL e e É PERSONS RELIEVED BY THE £ e o, £ g § 2. DEPARTMENT DURING .92 3 É Qt) * -5 >, | – THE YEAR 1909. se: :- ro o: +P : E § O * r * * =g o O -- $– O ČD > : Pro >. O <! ENumber on roll January 31, 1909, 1,015 || 114 | 1,462 3 24 10 1 2,629 Added during the year. . . . . . . . . . 172 7 123 | . . . . . . . . . . . 2 . . . . . . 304 Dropped during the year. . . . . . . . 317 22 206 1 4 2 . . . . . . 552 Number on roll January 31, 1910, 870 99 || 1,379 2 20 10 1 2,381 Whole number of individual persons aided during the year, 2,933. BURIALS. Chapter 468, Section 17, Acts of 1909. Under this law the sum of $35 is allowed by the state for the burial of poor soldiers and certain of their dependents in places not used for the interment of paupers. Capt. Charles A. Feyhl of No. 60 Pemberton square is the burial agent for the city and he has performed his duties most creditably. The number of burials during the year and the expense attending the same are shown in the following table: Burials. CHAPTER 381, SECTION co #soft. Soldiers. | Wives. | Widows. | Mothers. No. Total. 17, ACTS OF 1909. Number. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99 1 61 1 | . . . . . . . . 162 Amount. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $3,458 00 $35 00 |$2,135 00 $35 00 | . . . . . . . . $5,663 00 DEATHS. The deaths which have occurred among the beneficiaries of this department during the past year are shown in the following table: Deaths. o Arm Total Soldiers. Wives. | Widows. Mothers. Fathers. Children. Nu * Total. | PrecedTSes. Jing Year. 88 7 90 3 1 | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189 135 LOCATION OF BENEFICIARIES. As the city is liable for the support in other cities and towns, and in certain institutions, of veterans and their dependents having legal settlements in Boston, quite a number are nonresidents, as shown in the following table: During the year we have succeeded in securing the admission of fourteen veterans into the Soldiers' Home in Chelsea and seven into the National Soldiers' Home in Togus, Me. In doing this we have the satisfaction of knowing that the soldiers will receive better care than they could have at their homes and that the city is relieved of any further expense on their account. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS. Often during the year we have need of an ambulance to remove sick and disabled veterans to the Soldiers' Home in Chelsea and to other places. In such emergencies we have relied confidently upon the courtesy of Mr. George W. Morrison, Superintendent of Public Buildings, who has never failed to respond to our request. The members of the Soldiers’ Relief Committee of the Board of Aldermen during the past year were Charles L. Carr, Matthew Hale and Daniel A. Whelton. Their invariable courtesy to the commissioner and their kindly and humane consideration of applications for the city's bounty merits and receives the most profound gratitude. FINANCIAL STATEMENT. Regular appropriation - * * - - * - . $250,000 00 Chapter 381, section 3, Acts of 1904, and chapter 468, section 3, Acts of 1909, to 2,286 persons . o * . $107,740 29 Chapter 381, section 9, Acts of 1904, and chapter 468, section 9, Acts of 1909, to 153 persons - * - e. 16,245 03 Chapter 381, section 17, Acts of 1904, and chapter 468, section 17, Acts of 1909, to 162 persons . e - on 5,987 00 Chapter 79, section 18, Revised Laws, to 1,200 persons . 91,028 66 $221,000 98 Salaries. John E. Gilman, commissioner e o • $3,500 00 Clerks . - e * - • e - - 10,826 33 *-os- 14,326 33 Office Earpenses. Printing - - - - e. e. - - $268 34 Stationery and postage . . is o - - 124 92 Premium on surety bonds to or - * 112 00 Fee for justice of peace and special commissioner . * e - o e - o 12 00 Traveling . . . - e o - e. 295 88 Telephone . * - - • - - - 157 04 970 18 Total expenses . - o o - - • * . $236,297 49 There was received from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts as follows: Receipts. Chapter 381, section 3, Acts of 1904 . . * - $114,365 81 Chapter 381, section 9, Acts of 1904 . . . . . 9,430 05 Chapter 381, section 17, Acts of 1904 . - e o - 6,463 46 $130,259 32 Total expenses . - * * • * . . . $236,297 49 Total receipts . - * * - e. • * * 130,259 32 Net cost to city $106,038 17 |