Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-03-02

few residents of this city are even aware
OF their existence or present location. Inc
land on which they stand belongs to
private parties, and, partly for the sake OIL
saving ground rent, the establishment Is
to be moved to the arsenal. Presumably
the house and sheds, which contain rooms
for offices and storage space, will be torn
down and removed.
They are not handsome to look at, and
the interest attaching to them is from the
historical point of view merely. 1t Is
rather hard to find them. even when one
is properly directed, inasmuch as they are
at some distance from the street, the
courtyard which they partly inclose being
entered by way of an alley. On the right
of the courtyard is a long and low wooden
building, while on the left are tumble
down and rickety sheds, used for stables
and for the storage of empty boxes, etc.
Toward the further end of the open space
Is a somewhat pretentious structure of
two stories. Here are the Offices The
general aspect of the group of buildings is
extremely shabby and even dismal.
About the Monument.
The long and low building to the right is
filed with stores. 1t was built for that
purpose originally on another site. close by
the Washington monument. That was in
1862, when the structure served to contain
supplies for the troops. Later on the gov
eminent rented from Mr.. Corcoran piece
Of land where now stands the bureau of
engraving and printing. and thither the
shanty was removed. The two-story house
already described was put up alongside Of
it, When the bureau OF engraving's. pres
emit handsome edifice of brick was erected,
Uncle Sam having bought the land of Mr..
Corcoran. the shanty had to move again,
and. together with the house, was trans
ferred to the location which it now occu-
pies. Business was carried on just as
usual during the transfer, the clerks re-
naming at their desks.
In war times, as old Washingtonians will
easily remember, the monument grounds
were covered with buildings Of wood. When
these were torn down, some of the lumber
was utilized in the construction of the
stable and storage sheds above referred to.
At one end of the long shanty, which has
had so peripatetic and ambuiatory a ca
reer, there is room partitioned off from
the main part of the structure. This was
a butcher shop during the rebellion, meats
being furnished regularly from it to the
troops. 1t continued to be used for this
purpose until so recent period as the year
1880. officers of the army stationed in
Washington patronizing it for their beef,
mutton and veal outlets. The meat, of
course, was always sold at cost prices.
Perhaps the most interesting feature of
the long shanty is a brick vault with an
iron door, somewhat resembling a safe.
Without an explanation of it's history one
would be at loss to imagine the purpose
of its construction. 1t was built to hold
the records Of claims fer rationS by Union
prisoners of war. According to the law,
Union soldiers who had been confined in
confederate prisons at Andersonville, Rich
mond and elsewhere We're entitled to al
lowances for re tons covering the term of
Imprisonment in each case. The papers re-
lating to their cases were put for safe
keeping in this brick vault. About six
years ago all of them were removed to the
War Department, however.
At Cheap Rates.
The War Department maintains many
grocery shops in various parts of the coun-
try. There is one in New York, another in
Chicago, another in Boston, another in st.
Louis, another in San Francisco. and there
similar depotS in many other places.
They are kept up for the purpose of fur
nshing supplies to the officers and enlisted
men III various sections of the country. In
this way much expense for transportation
Is avoided. At every army post there Is
grocery shop. AS a rule, each of these
shops is under the charge of a commssary.
All of the commisSarieS are under the di-
rection of the comrnissary general of the
army. The business of the particular grocery
shop described in this article is to furnish
groceries to Fort Myer the arsenal and to
any officers and enlisted men who may
happen to be at the capital and who want
to take advantage of the cheap rates at
which such goods are provided by the gov
eminent.
The most important part of the business
engraving is to sell supplies to officers,
both retired and active, who live in Wash
ington. OF these the number varies, of
course. In January there were exactly $50
of them; last month there were 146 who
dealt at the store In summer there are
fewer than in winter. They are not obliged to
purchase from the government but, as a
rule, they are glad to do SO for the sake Of
economy. Everything is sold at wholesale
rates. The clerk in charge of the store
notifies the commissary general as to what
Is wanted. The latter advertises for bids.
Nothing is bought in the open market.
Supplies are purchased for q month ahead
usually. Most Of them come from New
York, but there is always competition, and
the lowest bidder wins.
No Bad Debts.
Thus prices are made as low possible.
The goods furnished are like those of any
grocery, including flour, beans, molasses,
sugar, lard, matches, canned goods, cigars,
etc. Orders sent by mail or dropped into
box at the War Department are filed at
once, the goods being delivered by wagon.
An army officer in Washington gets flour
for $3.50 barrel that Is equal in quality
to the best family flour for sale at retail
for s.. This is rather an exceptional case
however. inasmuch as the flour is fetched
from the northwest by the War Depart
ment and no freight on 1t is charged. The
difference In respect to teas is very consid-
cradle. On sugar and some other things 1t
does not amount to much, the profit of the
retail grocer on these articles being small
1t should be remembered that Uncle Sans
grocery shop has no bad debts; those who
buy have got to pay up, and that promptly.
officers run monthly bills, as a rule; enlist
ed men must pay cash. Three or four
brands OF cigars, such as the officers like
best, are always kept in stock None of
them are imported Havanas Officers of
the army are usually satisfied with do
nestle cigars.
The sales room of this grocery shop is in
the two-story house. 1t is extremely ln
pretentious, reminding the observer some
what of country grocery store. There
Is long wooden table for counter and
behind 1T are the conventional boxes filled
with teas and other merchandise Here
and there are boxes and barrels In one
corner is a barrel of molasses, and close by
it is coffee rooster, which is of most
primitive pattern, being nothing more than
an iron cylinder suspended over a stove
ard turned by crank. 1t holds forty
eight pounds of coffee and three-oua rters
of an hour Is required for roasting.
The removal Of the grocery shop to the
Washington arsenal will involve a change
In its administration. Instead of being nm
der the control Of the commissary general
OF the army, as heretofore, it will be under
the authority of the commanding officer of
the Department of the East, stationed at
New York. That officer is at present Cen