Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-10-16
QUARTERMASTER GENERAL
His Annual Report Has Been Submitted to
the Secretary Of War.
Clothing and Equipage Furnished
and Construction and Repairs ut
Posts-Natfonal Cemeteries.

The annual report Of Gen. Batchelder,
quartcrmaster general. showing the opera
items Of the quartermasters department
of the army for the fiscal year ending June
30, 1895, has just been made to the Secre-
tary of War. The report shows that there
was a total disbursement of 1880, 1O4 dur
ing the year, leaving a balance of $1,O23,-
O9533. The issues to the militia Of the sew
eral states and territories amounted to
s1S5, 235.
During the year the army has been hber-
ally and promptly supplied with all neces-
sary articles of clothing and equipage
Transportation for 800 persons, 4,357
animals and 92OS7 tons of material was
furnished during the year by the quarter
masters department.: and for the move
ments of troops i'll changing station there
was expended the sum of $174,923, exclusive
of deductions on account of land grant and
bond-aided railroad.
Cost of Horses.
The contract system for the supply of
horses continues to give general satisfac-
ton and the standard has been greatly i'm
proved since the system was adopted. The
average cost of cavalry horses for the
fiscal year was 1854, and for artillery
horses $148O4. The cavalry mount of to-
airy previous time, and all Information
shows 1t to be superior to that in foreign
armies.
The cessation of Indian wars and hostil-
tiles on the Rio Grande rendering 1t I'M
necessary to further maintain post trans
portation on a field campaign basis. orders
were issued in October last fixing new
allowance of draft and pack animals for
recting the sale Of all surplus animals
The reduction in the number Of animals,
wagons, harness. tcamsters, hostlers. &c,
&C., thus effected, together with the forage
ard bedding heretofore required for the
animals will effect considerable saving to
the appropriation. The average cost of
team horses during the year was $167.S
and Of mules $114.64. During the year there
We're sold, died, &C.. !, 400 cavalry and artil-
lery horses, 81 team horses and LOSS mules.
leaving on hand at the close of the year
g. 1879 cavalry and artillery horses. 247 team
horses and 3,04O mules.
Construction and Repair.
The sum of s65O,OOO was expended in the
construction and repair of officers quar-
ters, barracks, storehouses, stables. etc.
There was also expended during the year
the sum of $i4,919 for the construction and
repair of hospitals at military posts, which
includes the new hospitals in course Of
erection at Fort Barrancas. Florida, and
Fort McHenry, Maryland. A new hospital
Is In course of construction at Fort Meade,
South Dakota.
By act of Congress: approved n august
priated "for the construction of buildings
at and the enlargement of such military
posts as in the judgment Of the Secretary
Of War may DO Necessary s winch diin win TN
hand from prior appropriations. together
with other available amounts made an ag-
gregate of $326, 53O.S6 for this purpose,
I'LL F01I0
For Crook, Neb., s7O,O5S. rs; Preside of San
Francisco, Cal, $3l,941.27; Fort Myer, Va,
$45 600; new post near Little Rock, Ark,
SIG, 6OO.0Y; Jefferson Barracks, Missouri,
$1462O; Plattsburgh Barracks, New York,
s2l 1888 so; Fort Bliss, Tex. (reconstruction),
50, 900; Fort Sheridan, ILL.,, s11, 1927. The
buildings are either in course of erection
or under contract.
lands and buildings known as Mount Yer
non barracks were relinquished to the state
of Alabama, and all right, title ana IN
terest of the United States in the property
was transferred to the city of Newport.
Reservations to the number of fifteen were
transferred to the Department of the In
terror as no longer needed for military pur-
poses.
During the year 1910 white marble head
stones we're provided to mark the grave
stones Of soldiers sailors and marines
buried in national post, city and village
cemeteries, and the sum of $19.454SS was
expended in necessary repairs to roadways
to national cemeteries. The appropria-
lions made by Congress for the establish
ment, maintenance and Improvement OF
national cemeteries, including pay of super
intendents, headstones. monuments, pur-
chase Of sites and construction and repair
of roadways from their inception to June
20. 1895 have amounted in the aggregate
to s., lex, 6SG.47.