Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1884-03-17
Apls1uaslna ORDER.
Relative to the Purchase Of Military Sap.
DlleA

Relative to the Purchase of Military Sap
plies
81. Paul Pioneer.Press.
Not little commotion has been crea.
ted in business circles in Omaha, Leaven-
worth and Kansas City anent the recent
order from division headquarters in
Chicago in the matter of purchases Of
supplies for the troops stationed in the
division Of the Missouri. Following 10 the
text of the order:
"Whenever the public exigency re.
q ulres the purchase Of any supplies in
open market, for immediate delivery, as
authorized by law, the purchase should
b made in that market which is nearest
to the place of delivery. aud in which
the required articles can be obtained
without disadvantage to the United
States, due regard being had to quality
and cost Of transportation. Such
purchases will, - heretofore. be made
only upon authority from these lead
quarters, whioh authority may, in case
Of necessity. be obtained BY Telegraph;
these purchases will, in general, be mado
by the chief quartermaster of the depart.
ment colnQaAnder. Whenever such pur-
ohases candof be made in the local mar.
kst withoHt detrimsut to the interests OF
the United States, the chief quartermas.
ter Of the department, with the approval
of the department commander, will re.
port the fact to these headquasters, and
the purchase will then be made by the
chief quartermaster Of the division
whereverit can be done most advantage.
ously to the United States"
It il announced a. result Of this In.
nocent looking order that nearly, it not
quite, all the supplies for the army in the
northwest will have 70 be bought from
the merchants in Chicago. Heretofore
been permitted to exercise their iudg.
ment and make the needful purchases in
the local markets. But now there seems
no alternative, and the purchasing officer
who wishes to buy quire Of paper or Q
foot of red tape must 6rst get authority
from division headquarters. LeaainR
| st. Paul merchants who have furnished
the bulk of the government supplies for
the Departments Of Dakota naturally
feel chagrined over the issue OF the or.
der, but at the same time hope that it
will not prove 90 bad as is anticipated.
They say that since the failure Of the
movement made by the chamber of COM
meroe year or more ago to secure for
st. Paul the furnishing of all the sup
plies for the department of Dakota they
have managed to compete with Chicago
and get fair share Of tho trade. With
any sort of Justice and fair dealing they
believe they can hold their own, the only
fear being that the officers at Chicago, in
estimating the cost of the various arti-
clee, may not figure the full rate which
il charged by the railroads on govern
ment freights. At Omaha and Leaven-
worth they have always managed to buy
nearly all the supplies for their depart.
ments, and very little has been purchas.
ed in Chicago; hence the great out.
cry among the merchants OF those cities
against the changes which are sure to
follow. A movement is already on foot
to bring pressure to bear on the military
authorities in Washington through the
Representatives of the states OF Nebraska,
Kansas and Missouri, and secure q
modification Of the order.