Delaware State journal and statesman., 1862-02-28
LOCAL AFFAIRS.

MS A0liiy aud economy 10 the management nt
public affairs
Very little work is going on outside at preseut,
as most Of the contracts given out have been
filled, but the prospects are that there will sUon
be Il revival OF business, as nll our vast army
now in the field must receive their clothes, &c
directly from the Government, and not from the
State to which the men belong, as was done al
the time Of the breaking out OF the rebellion.
Owing to the Temporary slack OF work, ut each
pay day number OF the employees are dis
charged, il being the object TO reduce the force
in each of the different departments, The force
at the branch Arsenal Mt Twenty-fourth aud
Chesnut streets, was recently reduced, and these
men will, we understand be placed at the Arsenal
Grays Ferry road, from whence "A number VI
the hands will be dismissed in few days. There
are now three assistants tO the storekeeper, al
though previously there was but one The mill
tary storeketper, inspector of booiees, master
carpenter, quarterinaster's messenger, foreman
OF the cutting shop, ali reside upon the premises.
The latter, we understand, will soon resign his
residence to one Of the assistant storekeepers.
There were other officers who previously resided
ON the grounds. but the buildings occupied by
them are now used tor storage purposes. All
the Arsenal buildings are well hlled with Govern.
meat goods The whole place is SO completely
crowded that Captain Alligood, during his reign,
after considerable trouble and delay, effected
lease for the Government for lot on the south
side Of the Arsenal with front Of % feet and
depth extending to the Schuykil front. Upon
1 this lot the construction of about 200 feet Of
shedding was commenced, and is now nearly
finished These sheds will he used exclusively
tor storing away goods. building at Twenty
first aud Spruce streets, and portion of the
Government Buildings NJ Fifth and Chesnnt
streets are also used for storage
Among other articles in the storehouses is a
large quantity of cotton goods, consisting of
| shirts, drawers Sc, which were purchased by
Col. Gresham seyernl months since, at an exceed
log fair price. As all cotton goods are now sell
lug at ex0rbitant prices, this wise purchase has
effected q great saving TO the Government, al
though the same was at first strongly condemned
by reriain paities, A large number of women
still receive work from the arsenal, although the
number is rather small to what it was n month
CT two since The total number OF men employ
ed at the present time is about eight hundred.
CATHOLIC RULES FOR rng oDsrRvAxcn OF
LENT IN THE DiocEsE OF PHILADELPHIA The
Right Rev. Bishop OF this Catholic Diocese has
issued from bis Cathedral the following rules
for the observance of the forthcoming Lent;
The first day Of Lent, Ash Wednesday falls,
thi4 year on the 9th Of March
: All the faithful who have completed their
twenty-frst year, are bound 10 observe the fast
of Lent, unless dispensed for legitimate rea-
sons
.. 0ne meal a day only is allowed, except on
Sundays.
3. TLis meal is not to be taken until about
noon.
i. 0a those days GU which permission is gran
ted to eat meat, both meat aud fish are not to be
ustd at the same meal, even BY way Of condi.
nient.
8. y collation. or partial meal is allowed in
the evening. The general practice of pious
Christians limits It's quantity TO the fourth part
Of an ordinary meal.
q. Bread, butter, cheese, fruit of all kinds,
salads, vegetables, and fish, are permitted ut
the collation.. Milk and eggs are prohibited
I. Custom has made il lawful to drink in the
morning some warm liquid such as tea and
coffee, or thin chocolate made with water
8. Necessity and custom have authorized the
use of lard instead Of butter, in preparing fish,
vegetables, sc,
8 The following persons are not bound to
observe the fast viz All under twenty one
years OF ege the sick pregnant women. aud
those giving suck TO infants those who are
obliged 10 do hard work and all who through
weakness cannot fast without injury to their
health
10. The use Of ueatis allowed by dispensa-
Iion at any time ou Sundays, but only at the full
meal ON all Mondays, Tuesdays, aud Thursdays.
except Thursday in holy Week
ii. Persons exempted from the obligations Of
fasting, by age or laborious occupation, are not
restricted to tue use Of meat at one meal only, on
those days On which its use is granted by dirpen.
saton.
The UNITED STATES QuaRrERNAsreR's DEPOT
AT PEHHYviLLE.-FranA Drowue,l the ayenRer
Of Ellsworth, now lieutenant in the regular
army, stationed with his regiment at rerryville,
gives the Press, the following items relative Ia
the great Government depot at that place:
An pNniiPmpnt an t.a H.,
u report that nine hundred teams had been or
defed TO leave for Washit gton immediately The
report grew out of the inquiry made by the
War Department Of the Assistant Quarermastet
1 rs to how soon nine hundred teams could be
made ready for marching orders. Wagons were
: sent TO The shops for repairs, mules to be shod
! and everything and everybody ordered 10 he
ready for active service. There was no move
! meni, however
Horses are frequently sent 10 perryyille from
Washington 10 recruit in flesh, ETC., nni Us soon
! as ct for the service are either taken back tc
Washington or given 10 cavalry companies Al
b the mules are now under cover, sheds having
heen erected during the last six weeks for each
- train About half Of them Are covered will
boards and the rest with the canvas that hal
been used iu covering hay. The mules stand
y in TWO rows, facing each other, Niih an entry
about three feet between them. Each gang o
u teamsters has been obliged to put up its owl
l. shedding.
Some have used picket rope for fastening til,
mules and mess troughs; some pine soantngs
l. others saplings, and others still fence rails o
r boards great improvement in the con
s diton OF the mules is visible. Thitteei
Is pounds Of hay and nine pounds Of grail
arc allowed each animal per day. Up to th
u first Of this month, only eleven pounds of ha,
u were given at each ration. Seventy six mule
only have died at this depot since The reception
$ Of tue first mules last summer. This il a smal
IL number out of the 10 600 that have been KEEP
~ here in seven months, when the fact is consid
u erred that all were exposed to the weather nj
- to the first OF this month. Oats and corn ar
fed two days in the week. and corn the rest O
IL the time. Wheat and oat straw are given il
y place Of hay, at the rate OF about one 10 eight
is Mule-breaking has been suspended since win
, ter set in. No new trains Of white men wer
u received since last fall, though FIVE or six train
g Of colOred men were brought in during the las
two months. There are now about two hundre
le and seventy-fve colored men in Perryville wit
u teams, about seventy.fye without teams. Th
-, latter are detailed Tor duty in the horse and mul
~ pens, &C. There are about ! 200 mules remaiu
" ing to be broken into teams. Within the lac
two months some ten hundred were shipped I
~ Washington and Frederick cities. There ar
81 about 100 teams lying here.
W Shanties, with hunks for the teamsters
lu sleep in, have been erected in each train Neai
=, ly all these shanties are heated with some kin
" y Of stove. During the greater part OF the win
" ter the men were obliged to trough it," seepin
e in wagons and few of them having anythiu
'e more than Government blanket and hay O
straw, suffered considerably from cold. Th
~ Sibey tent accommodates but about fifteen me
~ comfortably. Each train is allowed but one {
these Whist one set were at the fire. the res