The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-06-06
LirE roPIos ABoUr rowN.

Ono Of the largest buyers in the New York
market just now is the Depot Quartcrmnster,
Liout.-C Col. Amos 3. Kimball, whose offices
monopolize nearly all Of tho sixth floor Of tho
Army building. Any civilian who harbors the
idea that an army officers chief business In life
Ia to wear a uniform and conduct paradcs could
find good evidence to the contrary by visiting
Col. Kimbalrs Office during business hours. 1t
IL his duty TO inspect and buy all sorts Of sup.
plies that an army may neod. from Government
mules and uniforms to hospital ships. A fcw
days ago Col. Kimball drew his check on tho
United States Treasury for 100000 to pay for
tho hospital ship Relief. This is the largest
check that he has drawn since the war began.
N9l. of smnniites for The Goyernmcnt M to
date. le has become an expert buyer by his
experience Of, years snd the agents who try to
want discover very quickly tina. they have mp
preached the wrong man. New YORK furnishes
son the depot Quurtermaslcr has established his
headquarters here. Col. Kimbhl Is u veteran
master OF the Army Of the Potomac. His COM.
mission as Captain of Volunteers Is signed
Col KImbai's son, AiTos w. Kimbail, has re.
Gently been commissioned Deputy Qunrtcrmns-
ter.Gsnerai, with me rSn No %t spte,thh n. ma Mar 81,
expedition.
When tho work on the Government reserva-
ton at Sandy Hook saround Fort Hancock Is
completed the.stretches of sand, which arc now
hot and unattractive during the summer, will
have disappeared and handsome lawns and
flower beds will replace them. Ten years ago
the Preside In San Francisco, which now has
the reputation of being the most attractive
military post in the United States, was as hope
less appearing a stretch of sand as Is Sandy Hook
to-day. The Presidio now Ia one Of the show
places of San Francisco. 1t is situated close to
tho lhoraa of tina Eollpn Gnt0. Mt tho entrance
to the bay, and the parade grounds and officers
| qua rters are surrounded by choice flowers and
groves of pines and cypress. 1t is said that the
system of reclamation so successful at the Pre-
contemplates first the planting Of thousands of
sage brush shrubs all over tho Hook. These
shrubs thrive in the sand and In time shed their
leaves, which d]ecompose and act as a fertilizer;
thus producing a false soil on which grass and
layer TSwr'S Of " clay II from SI1T eight inches to a foot deep
over the sand in places where trees are to DO
planted. Capt. G., A. Devoe Of the Quarterma,-
provements on Sandy Hook. Undoubtedly
tho various army posts around New York will
be points OF greater interest to visitors after the
war is ended than they have been for more than
a quarter OF a century. AT present visitors are
excluded from them and the only persons ad.
mitted are those with passes or with business
which requires their presence.
The sale of inspectors samples of -four at the
Produce Exchange every morning attracts from
tho downtown Italian colony a lot OF women
who have found there an opportunity to buy a
limited amount of high grade -four at n low
price. The rule prevails in this little -four mar
ket that tho first to come are the first to DO
served, and tho lRggards find when they arrive
! that the supply for the day has already been
sold. During the day q great many samples of
flour arc thrown into what Is known AS tho
waste bin. The inspector bores q small hole in
tho top OF the barrel and inserts a grooved in:
Btrument which, on being withdrawn, Is filled
with flour. The inspector tests il by sight to
detect tho presence of foreign substances; by
touch to test its smoothness and then he smells
It for traces OF sourness. When he has proper
ly classified 1t he throws the sample Into the
waste bin. There are only two grades OF -four
in this bin, the good and tho bad. and. although
sample, tine amount collected in the waste bin
after u busy day is considerable. This -four is
sold at prices about 20 per cent less than those
charged by the retail groceries, and the wonon
who buy 1t complain. because the quantity is
limited.
From the number ~of.names which have been
posted for membership in the Strollers' Club
since, its housewarming last Thursday night 1t
would seem as II many of tho men who stuck to
tho old Vaudeville Club until it died, and later
went into the Opera Club, are now seeking tho
surroundings. which they were unable to create
for themselves, in this association. which has ro-
Gently enlarged. Its scope. 1t has hurt the feel
ings OF some of the Strollers to have their club
called q Junior Lambs Club and they have
FASTENED TO disavow any ambition to rival the
Lambs, SO beloved by its nelghbors because of
its revelry by night. The Strollers is not a new
organization. 1t was formerly an amateur
dramatic club whose membership was largely
made up of Columbia College alumni and I'M
dergraduates, and 1t vas known to the public
by Its winter theatrical performances. which
were carefully prepared and produced with elab-
crate costumes and stage settings. These per
formances were OF the same character as those
given by the Harvard Hasty Pudding Club.
csted in amateur theatricais in this town made
1t possible for the Strollers to draw into their
graduates of Coiumbia The club enlarged its
scope and the result was apparent when 1t
opened its new rooms for inspection last week.
The Strollers now occupy the three upper
floors OF tho building at l424 Broadway. There
is a dining room on, the first floor, %lounging
rooms on the second floor and on the third floor
there is n small stage for theatrical perform
ances. Tho walls Of the room on the third floor
are covered with valuable photographs OF the
atrical celebrities and with posters. The Opera
Club, which. In n limited way, Is a successor OF
to its former members announcing that 1t pro
poses to have an omnibus box 1.-THE Metropoi.
tan Opera House as we'll as assembly and grill
rooms.
The old Thirteenth Regiment OF Brooklyn,
which was recently disbanded, had q very en-
thusiastic bicycle company several years age,
and during the past three years our regular
army has made many interesting tests of hi
cycles In army manGuyrcs,i but. to tho regret OF
enthusiasts of tho wheel, there Is no indication
vet that bicycles are going to play any part at
oil in the present war. Their value in the army
has been recognized by european countries. but
the conditions there are very different. A man
who-has made u study OF bicycles for army
equipment said several days ago: 'If war
should break out between France and Germany
! firmly believe that the effectiveness of troops
mounted on bicycles would be demonstrated
beyond n doubt. The magnificent system OF
military roads on tho Continent and the com,
parativcly small space in which war would be
waEcd would make 1t possible to use bicycles to
good advantage. 1t has oven been demon,
strated that light artillery may he mounted on
bicycles and made serviceable where the roads
arc good. / hardly expect to see any use Of the
bicycle made by our army in timo OF war. how,
ever. Our roads are not good enough for such
a service and in tho present war wheels would
i, be merely a nuisance in q Cuban campaign"
TWO OF THREE ARE DEAD.