The Arizona sentinel., 1888-01-28
UNCLE SAM'S GROCERY.
How Army Officers Families Obtain -a- Goods at a Discount.


 Just south of the Bureau of Engrav- ing and Printing, west of Fourteenth street and facing the river bank, stands large frame building with a one-story L extending along the alley way. This is the United States com- missary depot for the supplying of subsistence stores to the soldiers of Fort Myer and tine arsenal. This depot also furnishes to the families of re- tired officers resident in the city gro ccries and provisions at lower rate than they could be purchased of city dealer. The United States commissary department buys in large quantities drec5 from the importers and whole. sale dealers all the provisions used by the army.
 As Uncle Sam is cash customer and large consumer, his trade is sought for. and he is quoted very low prices on all he buys. The army off cers are allowed 10 get groceries at first cost from the commissary depot that is, they can buy one barrel of flour at the pro rata rate the Govern ment paid for one thousand barrels, which were bought not in open market, but from the dealer offering the lowest price in answer to the de- partments proposals for supplies. A reporter dropped into the depot store house here. long. low building. the the interior looking like a grocery store. The air was tinged with the subtle flavor of coffee, spices and bacon.
 Great piles of salt meat packed high in a corner. Sacks of fragrant coffee from Rio and Java. Boxes of black and green tea from China and Japan. Little packages of spices and peppers from the isles of the Indies. Case aft CT case of canned tomatoes, corn and fruits. Barrels of rice and homlny. Casks of sugar and molasses and fir kins of butter. Caddies of tobacco for the enlisted officers, and row after TOW of boxes of Havanas. Reinas and Perfectos for the officers. Hanging from nails on the wall were canvas covered hams and lengths of break fast bacon, and last, but greatest in profusion. seemingly inexhaustible supply of that joy and comfort of the army, the succulent bean.,
 The Government buys nothing but the best of goods. and it goes without saying that if itis possible to get pure, unadulterated articles of food, the offi- cers and men of the United States service. have them. The majority of the retired offices living in Washing ton avail themselves of the op- portunity of saving a. small per cent. of their grocery bills by purchasing their supplies from the commissary. It is no unusual sight to see several fine equipages drawn up before the door of the store house, while the owners of them, off cers' wives. are inside the building se- lecting and ordering their supplies of groceries. An account is kept with those who purchase from the commits sary, and prompt payment Is required at the end of every month.
 The depot keeps small delivery wagon, which delivers to any part of the city orders filled by the storekeep- CT. The plan of selling groceries to the officers was inaugurated several years ago for the protection of those sta toned at far Western and inaccessible posts. These men were compeled 10 buy their supplies from sutler, and the prices were often so exorbtant tha the margin between the expenses of soldier stationed there and one in the East was quite a large amount. The system not only saves money to the officers, but gives them a better class of supplies. - Washimgton Critic