Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1888-01-12
UNCLE SANS GROCERY.
How Army Officers Families Obsai
Goods at u Discount.

How Army Officers Families Obtain
Goods at % Discount.
just south of tho Bureau of Engrav-
ing and Printing west of Fourteenth
street and facing the river bank,
stands large frame building. with q
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 the arsenal This depot
also furnishes to the families of re-
tired officers residents in the city gro
oeries and provisions st a lower rate
than they could be purchased Of a city
dealer. The United States commissary
depar tment buys in large quantities
direct from the importers and whole
sale dealers all the provisions used by
the army.
AS Unole 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 to get groceries at
first cost from the oommissary 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. tho
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
er case of canned tomatoes, corn and
fruits. Barrels of rice and hom1ny.
Casks of sugar and nolassss and fir
kins of butter. Caddies of tobacco for
the enlisted officers. and row after
row 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 it is possible to get pure,
unadulterated articles of food. the Off
GERS and men of the United States
service have them. The majority of
the retired Offices living in Washing
ton avail themselves of the OPP
portunity of saving a small
per cent of their grocery bills
by purchasing their supplies from
the commissary. 1t is no unusual
sight to see several fine equipages
drawn up before the door of the store
house. while the owners of them, Off
GERS wives. are inside the building Sc
Letting 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 a small delivery
wagon, which delivers to any part of
the city orders filed by the storekeep-
er. 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 compelled to
buy their supplies from 8 sutler, and
the prices were often so sxorbitant
that the margin between the expenses
of a 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. - Washingtos Critic.