The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-11-27
SUPPLIES FOR THE ARMY.
GENERAL LEXINGTON REPORTS ON
THE WORK OF HIS BUREAU.
Explains the Difficulties Labored
Under In Securing Uniforms and
TentinY for the Enlarged Army.
When the War Broke Out.

WASHINGTON, Nov a6-The annual
report o. saarferInaster General NJ. /.
LU1instcn reviews the oEsg atoms or BIS
office % the close Of hos.is.tles with Spain.
Trea ting CT tha war as affecting The quar-
terEnaste- generals department. Ire SAID 70
properly cfothe and equip this large num-
Der Of soldiers for active service and op-
srar.oIs n the 1eSd was q problem Ok VAST
proportions Many difficulties were III the
way. Contracts were promptly entered mo
for all the articles Of c9oining and camp
equ1paSe FOR which there would be an early
demand, great care being taken to prevent
,he supply Of articles Of inferior quality.
The ksrseys and aaa9sls OF standard quail
ity Used for making army blouses ana
trousers we've not 10 be had n the market.
and i vas necessary 10 have them MANI
featured. In ths meantime the department..
as far as possible. endeayorsd u procure
articles 10 conform as nearly as possible 20
existing standards but had 10 resort Ct
nrss 10 some extent to the purchase Of dark
o4Ge trousers So that the men might De
quickly supplied.
The prompt supply Of the large number
of tents required by the increased force
was problem OF difficult solution.
The klond;ke demand had depleted the
supply OF tentage. With all the perp-eXing
difficulties confronting tie department. n
the matter Of clothing and eqGipml H. sup
plies in the sh0rs period OF three ard one
aalg months, an army Of -75,0eJ mas equip
ped with such supplies and the army n
Cuba. consisting OF IL 10 men. leaving their
tentage behind. arrived al their camp at
Montauk paint, New York. and found a
complete new outfit Of tents and clothing
ready there for them.
During the war period animals were pur-
chased costing s3.s55.sgQ. and wagons and
harness costing %25s $50.
During this same period s2.01s tens % coal
were purchased Gen. I.uGing on discuss s
in detail the trans ,or ..-1n during the var.
He says:
Prom April l. 1855. TO the breaking up
OF Camp Wikon. the aggregate movement
of troops by rail amounted 10 1865 officers
aid 4@5. SIS men I1ow rates We're .ecured
by TIE ftlaft1l ili>tStg- 9 r.. M II ma :
.rg tnese m0vemeais, generally not exceed
Ing one cent per HIS L54 paaaet4s~As sild
III many cases much less. ana about one
half the prevailing rates for freight IN eX-
cess OF 10 pounds per man carried free
From the declaration Of war 70 June 30
lass this department chartered for service
on the Atlantic and guf waters IS YES
sells, with carry uS capacity O. 10 Ash
and 2,312 officers, with arms, equipment
medical and subsistence supplies ana 8, 10
animals. Ther. were also chartered four
water boats with . total capacity OF sle-tYJ
gallons. three lighters. two tugs and aise
barge Also two baTges were purchased
Fourteen ships were chartered 10 June 30.
1885 or the Pacific coast, entaillug 4 to-
tll tonnage OF H,l52. and a carrying capa-
city OF SO Officers and 1889 men, With
their complete outfit OF camp and garri
son equipase arms. ammunition, medical
and subsistence stores for voyage of over
7,0a0 miles.
'rEhe combined fleets on the Atlantic ana
Pacific coasts at the close of the fiscal
year. consisted Of s. vessels Of various
classes with a total tonnage Il 1853 tons
and carrying capacity Of over 57.on.
The total expenditures for fitting up
IN SO vessels as far as reported to June 81,
ls9S, amounted 10 SiS66,
The payments for service OF vessels IN
der charter 10 june 60 ls3S were as fol-
lows: ON the Atlantic coast ard Gulf wa
ters. 81 .g17 80; on the Pacific coast sSf9 80.
Since January /. 1898. there have been
chartered on the Atlantic coast four Ves-
seis. viz; Steamship Waadersr. steamship
La Gfarde Duchesse, ship Tarpon and
steamship Ute.
These vessels were made auxiliary TO the
fleet Of transports for the transportation
% troops ard supplies 70 Cuba ana Porto
Rico. and Increased the tonnage 20 III no
and the carrying capacity 10 over $3.50
men
TO meet the needs for ght draught ves-
seiS Ter toFin and llghteragR at santiago
Two fine ocean tugs were chsre cred cary IN
JHly. lSlS, the Underwater ard the Glad
stone. There were r lso chartered Or serv-
Ice n the movement Of troops ana supplies
a Aoutauk. after the return % Gen. Shat
tef's army from CUBA, one large steamship
for the transportation OF sick ana wound
ed. end i've small steamers. three harges
abandonment y Camp W!koT as a camp
have been dispensed with on the Pacific
coast four additional vessels we're charter
ed for the transportation Of tro0Ds ana sun
plies Ia Manila. viz: City Of Rio 90 jan
e;po, Pennsylvania, -. Paul AMI Tacoma"