Gilpin observer., 1899-01-26
COST OF ARMY CORPS.
LARGE EXPENDITURE IN THE
AMERICAN SYSTEM.
Going to Show That Large Standing
Army Would Prove Very Expensive as
Viewed by the Editor of the Atlanta
Constitution.


Inquiry among the disbursing officers
of the Seventh army corps and the de-
pot commissary and quartermaster
stationed at Savannah. independent of
the corps, but through whom large
quantities of supplies are distributed.
leads to the conclusion that the cost
to the government for maintaining
Gen. Lees corps of nearly $4,000 men
is not less than S1,0O0,00O month, or
S12,OOO,000 in the course of year. To
reduce these figures to a conceivable
basis, it may be said that it costs to
run the corps from 100000 to 1000
day, or comparatively comfortable
fortune every twenty-four hours The
largest item of cost, perhaps, is the
pay OF the troops, most of which goes
to them directly in cash. 1t costs
about $25,00O to pay a regiment, and
there are twelve of them here, besides
a couple of independent battalions.
With the pay of corps. division, bri-
gade and other officers necessary to
keep the machinery of such a corps
in motion, and their mileage, it may
be conservatively stated that the
monthly pay roll of Gen. Lees corps
Is not less than $685. 900. Next in i'm
portance, if not equally so, come the
depot commissary's disbursements.
Maj. George w. Ruthers, depot COM
missary here, conservatively estimates
that through this department alone it
costs the government $4,000 day to
feed the Seventh army corps. The
actual wholesale value of the provi-
sions issued as days rations to the
troops is nearly $4,000. 1t costs $1,000
day to supply the corps hospitals,
and Maj Ruthers has been paying out
an average of $500 day for commuta-
tion of rations. In the month of Sep
tember Maj. Ruthers paid out $4,000
to the Armour Packing company for
fresh meat alone. The items of onions
and potations for the corps for the
same month cost $4,000, and ice ST.
900. Maj. Ruthers paid the hospitals
in Jacksonville over 100000 a month
in cash. He pays out on the contracts
he makes for supplies from 100000 to
$500, 900 month. In the three months
of August, September and October he
paid out more than 1884, 900 in cash for
supplies, communication of rations and
for other necessary details. The en-
ployes in his department alone cost
the government $4,000 month.
The foregoing figures from the COM
missary department do not include the
cost of transportation, which is always
paid by the government. and for which
the troops are never charged. Neither
do they refer to the large amounts of
staple supplies, such as flour, meal and
canned goods, for which contracts are
made in Washington, and for which
the depot commissary draws on the
contractor.
Next in order comes the quartermas-
ter's department, in which it is much
more difficult to get at the cost of sup
plies for the corps, owing to the wide
variations in their character There
are $500 mules and 200 horses in the
corps to be fed. There are all sorts Of
transportation to be provided. There
are clothing, tents and other equip
ment to be furnished the men. There
are 600 to 800 civil employees, such as
clerks, wagon drivers, and laborers, to
be paid every month. There are 600
army wagons, ambulances, doritys, and
any amount of other equipment to be
kept on the rolls. Col George e.
Pond, quartermaster of the corps, says
he pays out anywhere from $1OO 900 to
100000 a month in cash for supplies,
commutation, salaries, wages, and
other things in this department.
Besides this he issues from $4,000
to 100000 worth of supplies a month,
which come directly from the govern
ment contractors. The quartermas-
ter's department issues and pays out
on account of the corps, therefore,
more than 100000 a month, perhaps
nearly S25OOOO.
In the foregoing figures the trans
portation of the corps as whole from
point to point has not been considered.
Thousands more are spent on this ev-
cry time the corps moves. There are
expenses also for hospital supplies.
which are secured otherwise than
through the commissary department.
The monthly bill for kilograms is en-
ormous and printing and stationery Is
no small item. Some of these items
are looked after by the quartermaster,
it is true, but they serve to show the
detail of large expenses attached to
Cnph rprpc