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Report To The U.S. Sanitary Commission. On A System For The Economical Relief Of Disabled Soldiers, And On Certain Proposed Amendments To Our Present Pension Laws

Creator: John Ordronauz (author)
Date: 1864
Publisher: Sanford, Harroun & Co., New York
Source: Available at selected libraries

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Title of Claimant. -- As I before remarked, the agent of the Boston Soldiers' Fund is also agent of the Massachusetts Soldiers' Fund, and he is thus enabled to disburse the two funds with greater economy, both by guarding against any persons receiving aid from the two societies at once, and by making a distinction between the classes to be aided, for he also is authorized to inquire into the merits of the cases presented. I do not know that any special disability entitles a soldier or a soldier's family to receive aid from this fund; but, in general, we may say that it proposes to step forward with its assistance, in all regular or irregular cases of necessity, which other charitable funds fail to reach or to cover.

334  

Record. -- Each case approved by the Executive Committee comes to the agent registered on a blank form, and these forms are by him kept on file. His cash journal contains the date of payment to each applicant, the names registered under the separate wards, the sum paid to each.

335  

From this cash journal, and from the treasurer's report for July 7, 1863, I gather a few facts recorded in the accompanying tables.

336  

WARD XI. SOLDIERS' RELIEF SOCIETY.

337  

The first volunteer city movement. -- Two wards are not represented in the Boston Soldiers' Fund Association, for the reason that they had previously formed separate associations for the same object, and were in successful operation. The Eleventh Ward was the first to organize, and I will copy an account of its operations furnished at my request by the secretary of the society:

338  

Organization. -- "Our organization is called Ward Eleven Soldiers' Relief Society. The fund is twenty-five thousand dollars, invested in United States securities. July 30, 1862, the citizens of the Ward were called together to consult and take means to raise three hundred volunteers, as called for by the President of the United States. A committee of twenty were appointed by this meeting to recruit in the Ward, and to raise $25,000 for the relief of soldiers and their families, and to see to its distribution. This committee is sub-divided into ten committees of two each. The full committee meet every Tuesday evening, and all applications are then considered, and referred to the above sub-committees, who visit the applicants, ascertain their wants, and relieve according to their judgment.

339  

Title of Claimant. -- "Any member of a soldier's family who is dependent upon him for support, any wounded soldier returned or discharged, and the families of those killed in battle or dying of disease, have a claim upon the society.

340  

Disbursements. -- " We have disbursed $5,500 to the relief as above, including $2,500 paid in allotments to soldiers' families, they thus having a fixed sum monthly, a part of which we hope to and shall receive back again. The number on our books amounts to 500. Two-thirds of that number receive aid from the fund according to situation and number in the family, ages of children, sickness, etc., and some by the above allotments. Last winter the committee distributed a large amount of clothing and shoes, which were kindly donated by the citizens of the Ward.

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Results. -- "I will remark, in addition, that this committee took extraordinary pains to become personally acquainted with the family of every soldier in service from the Ward, and that under their system, it seemed almost impossible that there should be any serious privation among the class concerned."

342  

WARD X. SOLDIERS' RELIEF FUND.

343  

Date of Organization. -- The prompt action of the Eleventh Ward was followed by that of Ward Ten. The Ward Ten Soldiers' Relief Fund was organized in August, 1862. The amount then and subsequently raised was about $7,000.

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Mode of Distribution. -- The fund is in the hands of five trustees -- gentlemen resident in the Ward who act as a committee of relief. Amongst them the Ward is districted, and each has power to relieve applicants in his district. Personal investigation is made of each case, and such assistance, and for so long a time, is made as shall seem advisable to the committee having charge of the case.

345  

Title of Claimants. -- Applicants for aid must have been residents of the Ward at the date of the raising of the fund; but if they have since removed to other Wards, they are still entitled to aid. The fund is conducted substantially as that of the Eleventh Ward, and the system of neighborly oversight enables the charity to be judiciously administered. I have been unable to obtain any facts as to the number assisted or the amount of aid granted.

346  

DISCHARGED SOLDIERS' HOME.

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Organization, and Design. -- Although not strictly a local institution, yet, as being founded and sustained in this city, the "Discharged Soldiers' Home" comes within the scope of this investigation. It was organized July 4, 1862, under an extensive board of management, embracing one hundred and nine individuals, with the design to provide a comfortable Home " for such persons who are in need, as have been honorably discharged from the army of the United States, by reason of their sickness or wounds." A building has been granted them by the city government, and the Home has for some time been in operation.

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