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*Of the amount disbursed, the sum of $1,300 00 is stated to have been expended by the secretary with the authority of the committee for the immediate relief of applicants, whose cases would not admit of the usual routine of appropriation.

III. -- Average Relief

Permit me to add a few words respecting the working and result of these various charities.

1. Mutual Understanding. -- It appears that notwithstanding the existence of several independent organizations, there is little interference between them, and little opportunity for dishonest applicants to secure help from more than one. The State aid, indeed, is given to every applicant who is dependent upon an absent volunteer, or a discharged disabled soldier, according to the rules mentioned. But the Boston Soldiers' Fund, and Massachusetts Soldiers' Fund, being disbursed by the same agent, are, so far as applicants are concerned, one Fund; and the Tenth Ward and Eleventh Ward Funds are so strictly defined, that they do not interfere with the other organizations. If applicants appear for these ward charities who do not reside in these wards, they are sent to the agent of the Boston Fund; if applicants appear there who reside in either the Tenth or Eleventh Ward, they are sent to those associations, so that the whole ground of the city is covered, and no organization overlaps another in its district.

2. General Results. -- Although the statistics which I have drawn up are not very full, yet they indicate, I think, that as yet the various funds suffice for the actual needs of soldiers and their families; an indication which is confirmed by the testimony of the almoners of the funds. I think also that we may infer a large amount of self-respect, leading the great majority of cases assisted to help themselves when possible, and, in the case of discharged soldiers, a willingness to go to work as soon as able to do so.

3. The Material for a full Statement respecting Aid. -- I would draw attention, finally to the abundant material which exists in various offices in this city for a further and more complete statement of the facts in relation to volunteers and their families, and discharged disabled soldiers and their families. This material is not at present wholly available, but if measures could be taken to collect and arrange it, I am convinced that it would afford invaluable data for important conclusions. Let me indicate the resources that exist here for investigation upon these and kindred topics. 1. Regiment Rolls. -- In the Adjutant General's Office, at the State House, are the rolls of the Massachusetts regiments. These rolls contain about 11,000 names of men enlisted from Boston. The rolls are drawn up under the following headings:

NAME
RANK
AGE
RESIDENCE
OCCUPATION
MARRIED OR SINGLE
RESIDENCE IN
REMARKS, I.E, DIED OR DISCHARGED

The names are entered in no order, except by regiments or companies of regiments, though I learn from the Adjutant General's report, that a duplicate and alphabetical catalogue is making. These 11,000 names, then, would be the basis of a complete classified catalogue of Boston soldiers -- a catalogue which could be made to embrace all the important facts in each case, bearing upon the questions involved in the economy of the war.

2. Returns of City Relief. -- In the Auditor's Office, at the State House, are the yearly returns from Boston, by wards, of the aid granted to families of volunteers enlisted from Boston. These returns are alphabetical, and recorded under the following headings:

Name
Date of entering Service
No. of Regiment
Letter of Company
Names of Persons Assisted
Age of Children
Relations of Persons Assisted
Monthly Allowance
January, February, March, etc
Sum paid each Person

3. Boston Soldiers' Fund. -- Every case assisted by the Boston Soldiers' Fund Association is recorded upon a blank form and filed for reference. These forms embrace the following heads:

SOLDIER.

Ward, name, age, married, residence, enlisted, occupation. Do you receive aid from town, State of Massachusetts, City of Boston, Overseer of Poor, any other source.