Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1874-03-04
sDot vas mo himself.
COX ON THE ARMY MOTH.
In the House Of Representatives ON Feb
ruary 8. 1874.
The clerk read as follows :

|
The clerk read as follows:
For preservation of clothing and
equipage from moth and mildew, here
tofore adopted and now in use, $780,
900. Y 81 ~'tt
Mr.. Wheeler-I move to strike out
the words "heretofore adopted and
now" That process, Mr.. Chairman,
is not applied simply to the preserva.
tion of old clothing, although large
amount has been used in that direction,
but is also applied to the preservation
of new clothing, aud to the prcsreva-
tion of tents. The process has been
thoroughly tested by board com
posed of General Ingalls,, and General
Lee of the quartermasler-g generals de-
partment. 1t seems to DO most Of
ticicnt process. sr
Mr.. Cox--I move to strike out Of
the bill s50,00O," and insert $685.
000," in line 120.
II is curious that so much money
should be expended for preserving
from moths the cassimeres, kerseys,
cot.ons, tents and clothing on hand.
This house was hardly prepared for
the statement Of the gentleman from
New York, [Mr. Wheeler, that there
were 81 100000 OF uniforms now on
hand.
Mr.. Wheeler-Not of uniforms, but
of clothing, blankets, tents, etc, grow
ing out Of the stock accumulated dur
ing the war.
Mr.. Cox--I know, cir, that every
day these articles are wasting. Hence
these appropriations. The money is
to be preservative of the clothes and
tents. have a report before me from
Quartermaster General Meigs, per-
haps the best officer in our service.
1t shows that we are spending hun
dreds of thousands to fight moths.
They are worse than domestic or for.
eign enemies.
Before ] come to that, may refer
to the report of Quartcrmaster Bing-
ham, of December 80, 1872? This
report shows that thon we had $685.
435, 5,S21.27 in wooden clothing and
tents--mostly the former. This did
not then include some forty-two thous.
sand blankets, worth sl28,000. Nor
did this include coats, jackets, trousers,
flannel sacks, blankets, goods made
up and not made up. These items run
into the millions, and the moths run
into them. [Laughter]
Hero are $4,000, 900 worth Of coats,
jackets and trousers. Nearly eight
hundred thousand of these articles Of
apparel for an army Of thirty thousand.
Our appropriation is dollar and six
ty-six and two-t thirds cents per soldier
not per moth. Omitting the wool
en- blankets and amounted great coats"
(for the cavalry, / suppose,) and the
"sky blue kerseys," there is a splendid
objective point for the army OF moths,
which no great general of that corps
should omit to attack, il feeling well.
Did the moths fail 7 If they d,wbat
need Of this appropriation
In this list we have al least one
million and quarter yards of flannel
not made up. We have millions Of
dollars Of this peculiar wooden prop.
erty not yet made up into uniforms.
II is subject to the attack Of the
moth. A large part of this is still on
hand, either in uniform or otherwise.
The gentleman confesses to seven mil.
lions. Now, according TO the report
of the quartermaster general just re-
ferred to, there were $3.50, 1000 appro.
priated in q couple Of years last past
for peculiar kind Of process, which
is said to prevent moths getting into
this cloth and clothing. The quarter
master general in this report asks this
congress this year for 100000. i
copy bis statement;
"Thc expenditures on account Of the moth and
mildcw proof process Of George A. Cowlcs A Co.
during the fscal year have been $685., 900. This
includes 100000 appropriated for the current
fiscal year, but made available for expenditure
during the last fiscal year. To prepare such arti-
cles Of wooden and cotton fabrics on hand as have
not yet been submitted to the process an addition
al sum Of 100000 has been asked In tho estimate
for the coming fiscal year"
Mr.. Wheeler-And we give them
half OF 1t.
Mr.. Cox-Why do you reduce 7
You give them $4,000 know that.
/ still propose to reduce it, i do not
understand whether We can by law
sell out all this cloth and clothing at
once. | hope 80.
Mr.. Wheeler rose.
Mr.. Cox-The gentleman knows /
have only five minutes, and ho must
mot interrupt me.
Mr.. Wheeler-1 will not trench on
tho time Of tho gentleman.
Mr.. Cox--You can get the floor at
any time, Iwould prefer, rather than
be fighting moths at such immense
expense, TO give these uniforms away.
Observe those eminent colored pat
riots in the gallery! They sit with
ns 90 regulasly [Great laughter ]
They toll not, [laughter], neither do
they spin. They arc Tho lilies Of The