The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-11-11
AN ARMY'S FOOD.
aOW UNCLE SAM'S SOLDIERS
ARE FED.
for Supplies-Great Care
Exercised to Get Good Food
Regular Army Mess-No LII
ouor Now Furnished.
or four times a month

in the daily paper. This
means that the commissary department
of the United States Army is replen-
lshing the supplies in the great depot
over in Illinois street. Few people in
Chicago realize the scope and impor.
tance of this great National store.
The interior of this six.story brick
building resembles a great wholesale
house. From cellar to roof there are
barrels and boxes and bags and casks
and crates IN seemingly endless num-
Der. The depot is in charge of Cap
tain Oskaloosa NJ. Smith, decidedly
intelligent and agreeable officer, who
has seen twenty-six years service IN
the regular army. Previous to taking
charge of the Chicago depot last No
vember he had charge of the New Or
leans station. The chief Of the de-
psrtment is Colonel William A. Elder
kin.
The Chicago depot supplies to the
army more salt and smoked meats than
any other. In fact, almost all OF this
article comes from this city. The
Chicago depot ships meat to army
posts all over the country, from Fort
Candy, away out on the Washington
coast, to the Florida Keys.
Each army post makes requisition,
ordinarily, on it's nearest supply depot.
The requisition is examined and ap-
proved by the Chief of the Subsistence
Department, who sends it to the officer
in charge of the depot with instruc-
tions as to when it must reach its des-
tination.
The quality of food purchased for
Uncle Sans boys is excellent, and
great care is taken to see that it is all
in first.class condition. The depot in
Illinois street is run in that systema-
tic manner which characterizes
Governmental operations. Great bags
of green coffee lie piled half way to
the ceiling, while sugar is there in
rows of barrels and mountains of 100
pound bags. There are barrels OF salt
meats and smoked meats, ham and
bacon in 2O0-pound crates.
Over in one corner is several thou.
sand dollars worthlof tea, while on the
floor below $40, 900 worth of plug to-
bacco lies in tiers of kits. Sirup and
molasses, soap and candles. rice and
-four, cases of canned and bottled
goods, and half barrels OF split peas
abound.
On each pile of goods hangs a tag
with the original number of bags or
barrels or boxes marked on it. When
ever any are taken away the number
is marked on the tag, 80 that it may
be seen in moment just how the
stock stands.
The regular army mess is: Pork,
bacon, beef, mutton, beef cattle, fish,
-four, corned beef, soft bread, hard
bread, cornmeal, beans, baked beans,
peas, rice, hominy, potatoes, onions,
fresh vegetables, tomatoes, coffee, tea,
sugar, molasses, sirup, vinegar, can
dies, soap, salt, pepper and baking
powder. A good cook will alternate
these articles, and iumble them up in
appetizing mixtures so that the
"grnb" of the soldier is generally Of
varied form. The proportion of meats
served is seven days fresh meat and
three days salt.
The regular mess is paralleled in the
army regulations by long list of ar
ticles which the department Keeps for
sale to officers and men. These goods
are oil bought at the lowest consistent
price aud are sold to the men without
profit. The purchasing commissary
1T frequent periods makes out list Of
articles, with the ruling market price,
ind sends copy to adjacent posts for
the officers to order from. The officers
are furnished no rations, and must
buy their own supplies.
The department does not supply
liquor. For many years whisky, rum
and brandy were part of the regular
mess. The army ration in this coun-
try was established by an act of April
80, 1870. The first regular mess con-
sisted of twelve ounces of pork or
sixteen ounces of beef, sixteen ounces
of -four or bread, vinegar, candles,
soap, salt and one-half gill of rum,
brandy or whisky. 1t is peculiar
fact that it was not until 1895 that
coffee and sugar were allowed.
After 1855, when coffee and sugar
were made part of the regular mess,
rum, brandy and whisky were made
| an extra ration. That is, they were
supplied to the soldiers when the Off
GERS deemed them necessary for the
preservation of health. These liquors
remained an extra ration until 1865,
when they were discarded and the
Government stock OF spirits was sold.
Some OF the articles in the regular
mess were so made by an act of Con
gress, and some were placed there by
the President. Chicago Tribune.