The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-11-27
II WIS 4 BIC PROBLEM
OF VAST PROPORTIONS
B Annual nepert Of the ouartssmastsr
osnsrs,. MI Ludington-Afany DIM
cultiss Hnoountsrsd-rranspor
tation During the War.

washington. Nov. 3.-The annual re-
port OF ouartermaster General NJ. I.
L~udington reviews the Operations Of his
ONCE TO the close Of hostilities with Spain.
He said to properly clothe and equip the
large number of soIdiers for active SER
vice and operations in the field was a
problem OF vast proportions. Many 4
culttes were In the way. Contracts we're
promptly entered into for all the articles
OF camp ~equipage for which there would
be an early demand. great care being ia
Ken to prevent the supply OF articles Of
Inferior quality.
The kerseys and nanneIs OF standard
quality used for making army blouses and
trousers were not to be had In the market
ana u was necessary to have them man.
ufactured. In the meantime the depart
ment. as far as possible. e~ndeavored to
procure articles conforming as nearly as
possible to existing standards. but had
TO resort at first to some extent to the
purchase Of dark-blue trousers SO that
the men might be quickly supplied.
sThe prompt supply of the large number
OF tents equired by the Increased force
was a problem difficult Of solution and
called for extraordinary endeavors. At
the beginning of the war there was but
little cotton duck TO be found IN his
IL
poses. the supply having been depleted
by the large demands for tentage for the
klondike region and the extensive pur-
choses by the navy department. With all
the perplexiug difficulties confronting the
department in the matter of clothing and
equipment supplies. in the short period of
three and q half months an army Of u.s.
900 war equipped with such supplies. and
the army I'm Cuba consisting of $1,000
men. leaving their tentage behind. arrived
at their camp at Montauk Point. New
York. and found a complete new outfit of
tents and clothing ready for them.
During The war period animals were
purchased costing So ST. $50. and wagons
and harness costing 1858. 499. During this
same period S3.07s tons Of coal were pur-
chased. =
General L%udington discusses In detail
the transportation during the war. He
says: G
From April 1. 1895. TO the breaking up
OF Camp wikoff the aggregate movement
OF troops by rail amounted TO 1883 ON
GERS and as. SD men. Low rates were Sc
cured by the quartermaster's department
In making these movements. generally not
exceeding I cent per mile for passengers.
and In many cases much less, and about
one half the prevailing rates for freight
I'm excess of $50 pounds per man carried
free. From the declaring of war to Jun
" ACSCs thAo = ~
service on the Atlantic and Gulf waters
~ vessels. with a total tonnage of 1o4. 241.
and a carrying capacity of 1.2s7 officers
and 125, $50 men with their arms. ammuni-
ton. equipment. medical and subsistence
supplies and 6,746 animals. There were
also chartered four water boats with a
total capacity of $4,000 gallons. three
lighters. two tugs and one barge; also
two barges purchased. Fourteen ships
were chartered to Jun 30. 1885. on the
Pacific coast. entailing a total tonnage
OF II. i52 and carrying capacity Of SO off-
GERS and 1869 men. with their complete
outfit of camp and garrison ~equipage.
arms, ammunition. medical and subsist-
ence stores for a voyag Of more than
1000 miles.
THE combined fleets of the Atlantic
and Pacific coasts at the close of the
fiscal year consisted of 50 vessels of va
rious classes, with a total tonnage OF
145.3 53 and a carrying capacity of more
than 5000 men. The total expenditures
for fitting up these vessels as far as re-
ported to June 30. 1888. amounted to sls6.-
6s2. The payments for service vessels un-
der charter to June 30. 1898. were as fol-
lows: On Atlantic coast and Gulf wa
tiers. 81. O07, 952: on Pacific coast. $319. 764.
Since the LIST Of January. 1885. there have
been chartered on the Atlantic coast four
vessels viz: Steamships wanderer. La
Grande Duchesse. Tarpon and Ute. These
vessels were made auxiliary to the feet
of transports for the transportation of
troops and supplies to Cuba and Porto
Rico, and increased the tonnage to Iii. 09s
and the carrying capacity to cover 5000
men.
On the Pacific coast four additional
vessels were chartered for the transpor-
tation of troops and supplies TO Manila.
viz: City Of Rio de Janeiro, Pennsyiva-
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