The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-10-23

at this arsenal. which Is one of the
greatest military manufacturing plants
in the world. employing 1000 men. IL
Is situated on ar island In the Missis-
sippi river. and with its numerous
buildings forms quite a town. There
are on the premises 20 acres OF
floor space for manufacturing purposes.
This arsenal makes gun carriages and
all sorts Of ordnance equipments. a
few weeks ago IL was turning out 5000
sets OF infantry equipments per diem.
and of cavalry equipments. such as
saddles. brides. etc. go sets a day.
All of the equipments ~relinquished by
the volunteers will be sent to this
arsenal to be overhauled. but probably
one-half OF them will be sold as old
junk. being too battered or otherwise
injured for profitable repairs. The junk
dealers are always ready to purchase
such stun. even to war-worn tin cups
and knives and forks. II is an interest
ing fact that at the outbreak of the
conflict with Spain junk men offered
to the war department great auanti-
ties of rifles. ~knapsacks, h~aversacks and
other such var material. which had
been bought by them at the conclusion
of the rebellion and held over for
30 years in h expectation that the
oultItdh VI dflOAitt E1laB Wooia Attant
a market for them. They had been
cleaned up. and IN the whole were In
remarkably good condition: neverthe-
less, the government did not see ft to
buy them.
The rifles that are in good condition
will be stored away in verious arsenals
every gun oiled and In good working
order. Those not worth keeping will be
disposed of TO the junk men. IL Is a
H. So. h4 arahtaD GnEtn1AglA2
should not he consigned to the dealers
In junk. but there seems to be every
reason to suppose that a century hence.
II this country has a war on hand then.
the good old arms will be busted up and
distributed among our troops for en-
ployment against the latest type or
weapons used by the enemy. The war
department is nothing II not conserva-
tive. Ii Is an interesting fact. by the
way, that the shells utilized for our
field cannon in this war were Of a back
number description. and not at all up
to date. though he navy shells were
the very best and newest obtainable.
But the ANY has long been run on a
business basis, which cannot be said
of the war department.
At the conclusion of the civil conflict
the government suffered an enormous
loss incidental to the disposal OF sur
Hlos NaA 1efBt,Es
for medicinal purposes. and OF the
finest quality. was sold at sl2 per case
of a dozen bottles. The camels. i'm
ported for transportation In Texas.
went for next to nothing. and their de-
s%cendants are still wandering over that
region. quite wild. Revolvers were auc-
toned of for a nominal price by the
boxful, and soldiers were permitted to
purchase their own rifles at a triflins
figure.
The loss in the present instance will
be not nearly so great. Its most grew
Gus feature has To do with the articles
sent to the front I'm such vast lots by
charitable people. mostly women. who.
inspired by the loftiest and most un-
selfish sentiment of patriotism. desired
To help I'm a practical way the fighting
men. and to administer To their comfort
Take. for instance, the matter OF
' pajamas. II there was anything about
which American women became en-
thusiastic during the recent conflict Il
was the subject of pajamas. IL was re-
allied that every American soldier and
sailor must have pajamas. Women all
over the country sewed themselves al
most blind In the manufacture OF these
useful garments. And they were use
full. 50 far as they obtained distribu-
| ton. Their usefulness was recognized
to such an extent hat they were
adopted as an outdoor costume by
wounded men In Tampa. Charleston,
and elsewhere. n nobody thought OF
suggesting that the garb did not meet
the demand of conventiona propriety
Unhappily. immense numbers of these
pajama suits never reached their in.
tended recipients. Tens OF thousands
of them are at this homer stored
away In care of the quartermasters al
Key West. Tampa and other points.
The same remark aplies to the IN
derclothing. the abdominal bands. the
jellies. the canned soups, the books
and all sorts of other things sent to tn,
front by patriotic women. Great guam
titles of them were forwarded to regi'