La Junta tribune. (La Junta, Bent County, Colo.) 1881-1939, 1898-07-16
ARMY UNDERCLOTHES
hNEY ARE DRIED FREQUENTLY
ON THE PERSON.
Dniy One suIt to . Man-Clothing an
krmy IL Gigantic Undertaking
{ Shoes and stockings Very Important
AdIuncts-

HfX r FOM tut pOSlUu NIO<llnS
NE army and navy Is one OF the raost
skaportant problems presented to the
VII and navy departments for solu-
ZION. The quartermaster general per-
forms the task for the army and the
tPaymsster general for the navy. In
pine Of peace the duty involves consid-
xFraole labor. In time of war, and es-
Decially at the beginning of hostilities.
Nhen the public are crying for million
men to be enlisted, clothed and put in
ne front in n minute. the task assumes
t3e proportions OF mountain in fog.
NIKE the quartermaster general, for In
stance. II is his duty to see that the
big army which the president has called
70 give battle to the Spanish is clothed
II the very earliest possible moment.
I&s usual sources of supply are quick
~ exhausted. Others must be found.
New clothing must be made. The first
thing the quartermaster general does Is
- ascertain. as nearly as possible, the
exact number of suits required. the
Bind OF suits, the number Of shoes and
onderclo,hing. also hats. The exact
nd is then specified In detail. and
manufacturers and iobbers in that line
3f business are invited to submit bids
or the whole or any part of the cloth
ms needed Accompanying every bid
Sas check to guarantee that the terms
81 the contract will be carried out to
#0be letter. These bids are submitted,
together with samples OF the goods re-
xpuired. The bids are carefully exam
'x1ncd and compared and the lowest bid
.sder (the quality of the goods being sat
#1sfactory) gets the contract. When
7hey are delivered they are inspected
the government, officials, and, il all
8ght, accepted. Then they are for
Narded to the storehouse Of the army
~ Philadelphia, to await orders. When
4 regiment is recruited and sworn into
TIE United States service the captain
u each company makes out q requisi-
43on for the number Of uniforms need
-, and forwards the requisition to the
uartermaster of the regiment. The
blonel approves OF the requisition. and
ben II is forwarded to the brigade
3enartermaster. who, II he has not the
s0bthes required on hand, makes a req
isition on the corps quartermaster.
he latter. when uniforms are needed,
lakes a requisition on the quartermas-
IN general. who draws the supplies
neded from the depot at Philadelphia.
0pon the delivery of the clothing to
ne regimental quartermaster the cap
e hins OF the several companies are noti-
I'D. The captains march their men to
nadquarters. and there they receive
NE clothing apportioned to them, and
pr which the captain gives receipt
H. the regimental quartermaster, who
reps 1t for his voucher. The same
I& )rmula for the issuing of clothing Is
bllowed in the navy. The army and
Jhvy uniforms are made in nearly ev-
"a Ey large city OF the Union. and the
pst Of those for the privates is about
35 and Of those for men before the
mast is about IS per man. The on
2ers' uniforms range in price from $50
- SIS Quite as important as the
lothes are the shoes. For Cuban serv-
Il Ice the men will wear dark brown can
Sas clothes. but the shoes will be the
Iame as worn at home. They are COM
mon brogans. stout OF upper and
mighty of sole and heel. In fact. the
&Sfmy shoe is not thing OF beauty but
.aS6n the march 1t is joy forever, as
|aSevery veteran knows. They are made
8spf cowhide and. II possible. OF the hide
Il 0f q very tough COW at that. They are
1xceedingly broad of sole and heel. and
&ye made with the double view of Sc
Hdring durability and comfort At the
II Nbeginning OF the civil war shoes were
considered feminine, and were but little
#worn. Boots were the fashion, and
$they were made to fit like kid glove.
1.-THE volunteers for some months after
the war began clung to boots, not fam
&cying the uncouth shoe; but after a
vhile necessity forced the men to ac-
cept the shoes (pontoons, they were
Sealled by the soldiers), and after being
worn for few days they were voted
Nluxury next to milk in coffee. The
sfservice shoe is made by contract. and
Beverages in cost IS cents per pair Un-
Hess Jerry Simpson has reformed he
iNcould not stay in the army even were
II he to enlist. for every soldier has to
wear socks. The regulation sock is
n made Of wool, and SO coarse as to give
promise that 1t will last through this
7 Mar. Then there is the wooden under
shirt. It is a very important part of
,he soldiers clothing. He is given one
of these undershirts; he must wash it
himself, wiring 1t out and let 1t dry on
Eshis body II he is on the march. Tnis
&method Of cleanliness applies also to
me drawers and is possibly accountable
,Sfor soldiers walk. suggesting that his
Thoughts are busy with something else
Ahan the much-talked-of romance Of
war. This wouldn't happen were the
eoldier to receive two suits Of under
$Bothes. But economy. and q disincli-
nation to increase the weight the SOL
1ier has to carry on his back when