The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1884-05-08
WHAT SOLDIERS CLOTHES
COST.
Less than 5000 Allowed for Five
Years by the Government.


COST.
Less than 5000 Allowed for Five
Years by the Government.
The New York Herald says: A pri-
vate soldier in the United States army
receives $13 month, rations, medical
attendance, full pay when sick. q pen
sion il disabled, and certain allow
ance of clothing. The pay is the same
in all of the branches of the SER
vice, but the allowance of clothing ma
terially differs. The soldier enlists for
five years. At the start he is furnished
with a complete outfit, which is renew
ed, with the exception of a great-coat,
at least once during the time he has to
serve. His helmet has to last him un-
til the third year, when he gets another
one. He is given a forage cap annual
ly, uniform coat the first, second and
fourth years, three pairs of trousers
the first and third years, and two pairs
the second, fourth and fifth, making
twelve pairs in all. Eleven dark blue
flannel shirts, fifteen undershirts, and
fifteen pairs of drawers are expected to
last the five wears. He has pair of
boots, two pairs of shoes and five pairs
of socks year. Each year he has y .
blouse, and, if he is an engineer or
mounted man, pair of OveralIs. He
has to content himself with a wooden
blanket the first year, and another the
third, and two rubber blankets, or if
mounted man, rubber ponchos, during
the five years. Fifteen white Berlin
gloves are deemed necessary to cover
his hands each year, rights or lefts,
whichever he may need. If he is on
duty in extremely hot climates he may
have cork helmet instead of cam
paign hat, in his first and third years,
or ii he is where he needs arctic over
shoes OF mittens, he is given one pair
of the former in his first and third years
and two pairs of the latter every twelve
months.
The value of the clothing allowed
each man varies each year, and de-
pends upon the rank and duty of the
man. A sergeant in the signal corps
gets $6817 worth the first year, $4O5O
the second, $43. 10 the third, $40 so the
fourth, and $50. 80 the fifth, making a
total of $223.26. This is the largest
amount allowed to any enlisted man.
A chief trumpeter receives $218.43 for
the five years, and q private in the in
fantry or artillery $194.95. Wind ap-
parently is held to be worth more than
muscle.
If q man does not draw all the cloth
ing allowed him, the value of that re-
naming is credited to him, and he can
get the money the next year or at the
expiration of his term. Recruiting Of
ticers tell the candidates that careful
man should save from $50 to $75 in
this way during his term. Sometimes
the soldier falls among thieves and
sells or pawns his clothes, or
he may wear them out or lose them be-
fore he can draw new ones. In that
case he must buy of the quartermaster.
Regular prices for each article are
therefore fixed, and these the soldier
must pay. The present price list took
effect July l, 1888. A cork helmet
costs $1.44, and fatigue or campaign
hat 65 cents. The hat-cord and tassel
for the latter is valued at cents. For
$11.58 the warrior can buy first class
greatcoat, and for 5000 u greatcoat
canyas-lined. A lined blouse will draw
from his purse So. AZ, and a pair Of the
best kersey trousers, ready made, $2.77;
the same kind of trousers cut out but
not made up are fifty cents less. Flan-
mel shirts come at $2.75 each; drawers,
60 cents; undershirts 66 cents; wooden
stockings, 26 cents; cotton stockings,
13 cents; Berlin gloves, cents each,
and woolen mittens IS cents pair
His brass screwed boots are appraised
at 81. 81 pair, and his brass screwed
shoes at $1.7S. Arctic overshoes cost
$3. 40 a pair, and woolen blankets So "a
each. If he INDUCES in the luxury OF
q handkerchief he is at liberty to buy
it where he chooses, and of such style
as suits his pocketboOk and fancy. An
officer can get his dark blue flannel, As
inches wide, for SIZE yard sky blue
kersey for $1.4S to $1.53 yard, and
dark blue cloth for $2.64 yard.
Camp and garrison equipage is fur
nished by the government, but if lost
or damaged by the soldier he has TO
pay for it. An iron bunk without Stats
is worth $3.50; bed sack 79 cents. and
a pillow-sack Is cents. The piece of
mosquito bar netting with which he
keeps off the insects at night is priced
at 40 cents. He cooks his food in camp
in 28-cent kettle, and eats it out of a
mess pan worth a quarter. His AK
costs him 81 cents and his hatchet 40
cents. If he ruins or loses drum it
will debit him 1886. The batter-head
he can replace for 50 cents, and the
snare-head for 80 cents. The sticks
are worth II cents pair, and Il set of
snares the same. If he is trumpeter,
the government holds his instrument
at 1912. Tents cost all the way
from $45. 20 to $3 32. A garrison flag
is valued at $67. Sc, and post flag ut
$12.6O. Scrubbing brushes may be had
for II cents, and corn brooms for %
cents. A barrack chair, with raw
hide seat, brings $1.15; and one with 4
poplar seat is IA cents less. The buf-
falo coat, which the government loans
the soldier, Is appraised at $l2. 95; the
fur cap at $1.10. and fur gauntlets are
marked at $1.82 pair.
A general officer in camp or in garri-
son is allowed three wall tents, an Ak
and hatchet. An allowance of one
Sibley or conical wall tent is made to
every twenty foot or seventeen mount
ed men, and a common tent to every
lapndress, Every company is allowed
three corn brooms and two scrubbing
brushes month. In barracks every
non-commissioned officer above the
rank of corporal may have chair.
One chair is provided for every two en-
listed men of all other grades.
Why He Stopped the Express Train.