The Indianapolis journal., 1898-06-19
THE WM IL BLOCK CO., 7 and East Washington Street
ability of the number being doubled may

ability of the number being doubled, may
be imagined.
The camp sutler has been familiar figure
in all wars of the past. The word, applied
to the vendor Of provisions and liquors in
camp, is derived from the Dutch. 1t occurs
in Shakespeare, Dryden, Milton and Addison
The derivation of the word shows that it
represented calling which was never
classed as elevated.
suffers at forts and frontier posts the gov
ernment appropriated about 100000 for the
purpose of reimbursing the men who had
put up buildings upon the reservations for
carrying on the work of selling to soldiers.
An army officer familiar with the subject
said day or two ago in discussing it: The
present war will see nothing of the old-time
camp sutler, who got rich from soldiers
pay The ordinary prices charged were
had to pay at home in the former day. Now
everything can be bought at cost. 1t was
no uncommon thing in the war for soldier
to sit down and eat pork and beans, some
crackers and cheese and raisins which
would cost 10 cents here, and pay dollar
for them. This was just a sample of the
profit suffers made. OF course, they took
war risks, and a few probably lost money,
and when an army moved there must have
been goods lost, but the business was chiefly
profit.
When the government took in hand the
business of supplying 1t established the can
actna T cos RP IS ne tn r is
in building owned by the government, and
enlisted men manage 1t. Officers as Well as
plies, for they can save money by so dong.
There is a certain allowance to officers for
fuel. and in order to equalize the pay at diff
ferent places we have the quantity reckoned
on the basis of the average price. The al
1owance to a second lieutenant is fuel for
fires in two rooms, for a first lieutenant for
three rooms, and so on. One cord OF WOOD
or it's equivalent month is allotted TO each
fire. This is figured at 50 a cord, no matter
if it cost $40 at the place it is supplied.
cord of wood is reckoned the equivalent of
LOO pounds OF anthracite coal, or 200 70
$500 pounds of the soft coal burned in the
West This prevents the great inequality
between the cost of fuel in different parts
of the country affecting the army: II more
than the allowance is desired the officer
other things the government goes into the
general market and buys at the lowest price
and supplies army me men at this n ffigqpe .tal All
IS the lowest market for beans all the beans
fol the army come from that city, and If
81 sar is cheaper in New Orleans than any
where else the supply comes from there.
1.-THE old-time sutler used to sell at the
posts in war time $500 or $i00 worth day,
four-fifths of which was clear profit Many
men got rich in this business in the civil
war. They used to sell whisky surrepti-
tiously to the men. Now beer is sold at the
canteens but nothing stronger. The beer
which retaiIs here at cents a glass is sold
at the canteens at cents, and nothing is
lost. But the old-tine sutler store has CIV
en- way to a place conducted en- strict bus
mess principles. THE poor soldier does not
have to pledge his pay to meet his bills.
When the government took the buildings
which the suffers had built for their bus
iness fair appraisal was made There was
some dissatisfaction, of course, but others
thought they got the worth of their invest
menss. The buildings We're used so far as
possible for government purposes.
AT the camps Established in the present
war the troops can buy az cost all that is
not supplied TO them by the quartermaster's
and commissary's departments. Two big
buildings for the purpose were erected at
Camp Thomas.