The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-11-02
TRAIN LOADS OF VEGETABLES.
Volunteers Consume Vast Quanti-
tics of Potatoes and Of Onions.


tics of Potatoes and Of Onions,
Three wagons, each drawn by four
sturdy looking mules, drew up in front of
the store of Collins & Co. on the Bay.
yesterday afternoon. On the side of each
wagon was in large letters ~. S. "" and
the further lettering descriptive of the di-
vision, brigade and regiment to which it
belonged. The driver presented an order
for 500 pounds of Irish potatoes and ], $40
pounds of onions for the Second Louisiana
Regiment. The order was from the reg
mental commissary department and was
quickly honored. The quantity of supplies
secured was charged up against a gross
order for onions and potatoes from Mai
Ruthers, the regimental order filed away
and the teams were soon on their way
back TO camp, Both of the vegetables
desired were i'm readiness, sacked and
weighed the potatoes having 165 pounds
allowed to the sack and the onions $50
pounds
This is nine days supplies for our regi-
ment, which now has $50 men drawing
rations," said the soldier. who had pre-
sented the order. THE government gives
us liberal allowance of vegetables, and
especially of potatoes and onions. They
are substantial and healthful. and form
quite an item of our meals. We get other
vegetables in smaller quantities, but these
are the mainstay in that line. and the men
find them palatable and suitable for an
everyday staple food. l have got to see
the first soldier yet who didn't soon relish
both potatoes and onions Some didn't
fancy the onions at first, but 1t wasn't
long before they developed a strong liking
for them, and the allowance might be in
creased and none go to waste. The harder
man works and The more he lives out in
the air the greater his fondness for pota-
toes and onions. That is what experience
has shown me in the past six months.
When you are hungry they seem TO have
more solid nourishment in them than al
most anything a man can get to eat, I'M
less ii is The beans. 1t would never do to
have a potato or onion famine in Savan-
nah while the army corps is here. I'm
afraid 1t would cause a rebellion at once.
This war is going to breed nation Of
onion eaters" continued the soldier, as he
peeled a raw onion with his knife and
chewed it with evident graft
fication to his palate. Il sup
pose it is the same with all the reg
iments as with mine. Lots of our boys
had never taken to onions before they got
in the army, and now it is onions three
times a day If they can get them. When
they get back home they are not going TO
lose this newly acquired taste. You take
100000 men and make onion eaters out OF
them, and their example on the nation at
large is likely to be strong. L tell you the
onion growers will have to increase their
acreage hereafter"
Collins & Co. have the contract for sup
plying the entire army now here with po-
tatoes and onions until December When
it is remembered that there are about 12,OOl
men to supply with these delicacies, 1t is
seen that the firm has contract of nc
small magnitude. Many carloads of the
vegetables have arrived since the army got
here. and have been distributed. There is
almost a train load here now ready for
them. while what is practically another
special train load lot is being hurried
South from New York state, where
most of such supplies are
being obtained. Every morning, before
the town has fairly got awakened for the
business of the day, string of army wag-
ons reaching to beyond the city exchange
is drawn up in front of the store, and the
force of clerks and helpers is hard at
work filling the orders they have brought.
All day long the teams keep arriving. In
addition to the potatoes and onions, thou
sands of pounds of cabbage, sweet pota-
toes etc, are taken out to the camp. See
ing the heavily loaded wagons, one is
forced to believe that one thing at least
is sure as to the lot of the volunteer, he
is in no danger of being starved.
There is never any lack Of teams at
camp for this, and all other hauling. Each
regiment has twenty-five wagons, making
seventy-fve to a brigade, in addition to
which there are two for brigade head
quarters work, a total of seventy-seven to
the brigade AS there are now four bri-
gades in the city, this means at least
3C3 wagons built especially for heavy haul
ing. This will account for the long pa