Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1899-02-17
IMMENSE. COST OF ARMY CORPS.
Details, of the Large Expenditure in
the American System.

Details of the Large Expenditure In
the American system.
Atlanta Constitution: Inquiry among
the disbursing officers of the Seventh
army corps and the depot commlssary
and quartermaster stationed at Savannah.
independent of the corps, but through
whom large quantities Of supplies are dis
trlbuted, leads to the conclusion that the
cost to the government for maintaining
Gen. Lees corps of nearly 1900 men Ia
not less than 81 OOO,OOO a month, or $l2.-
0000O0 a year.
To reduce these figures to a conceivable
basis. 1t may be said that 1t costs to run
the corps from $4,000 to $780, 900 day. OF
a 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 d.
rectly in cash. 1t costs about $4,000 to
pay a regiment, and there are twelve OF
them here, besides a couple of independent
battalions. With the pay of corps. d.
vision, brigade and other officers neces-
sary to keep the machinery of such q
corps in motion, and their mileage, 1t may
be conservatively stated that the monthly
pay roll of Gen. Lees corps is not less
than $325. 600.
Next in Importance, If not equally so.
come the depot commissary's disburse-
ments. Maj. George w. Ruthers, depot
commissary here, cOnservatively esti-
mates that through his department alone
It costs the government $4,000 a day to
feed tho Seventh army corps. The actual
wholesale value of the provisions Issued
as days rations to the troops Is nearly
So 900. 1t costs 81, 900 a day to supply the
corps hospitals. and Mai Ruthers has
been paying out an average of $500 day
for Communication rations. In the month
of September Maj. Ruthers paid out $1<-
900 to the Armour Packing company for
fresh meat alone. The items of onions
and potatoes for the corps for the same
month cost $4,000, and Ice $1,000. MAJ.
Ruthers paid the hospitals In Jackson
willie over $4,000 q month In cash. He
pays out on the contracts, he makes for
supplies from 100000 to 100000 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 employees in his department alone
cost the government $1,000 month.
The foregoing figures from the commits
sary 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 sup
plies, such as flour. meal and canned
goods, for which contracts are made In
Washington and for which the depot COM
Next N order comes the quartermasters
department in which 1t Is much more
difficult to get at the cost of supplies for
the CORDS owing to the wide variations in
their character. There are 1900 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 equipment to be furnished th1
men. There are 800 to 800 civil employees
such as clerks, wagon drivers and labor
ers to be paid every month. There are GOO
army wagons, ambulances. doritys and
any amount of other equipment to be
kept on the rolls. Col. George Z. Pond.
ouartermaster of the corps, says he pays
out anywhere from 100000 to $2OO,OOO q
month in cash for supplies, Communication.
salaries. wages and other things In this
department
Besides this, he issues from $4,000 to
500, 900 worth of supplies month, when
come directly from the government con-
tractors. The quartermaster Depart
ment issues and pays out on account OF
the corps, therefore. more than $2pW,OOO
month, perhaps nearly S2oOOOO.
N the foregoing figures the Transporter
ton of the corps as whole from point
TO point has not been considered. Thou
sands more are spent on this every time
tha CORPS moves. There are expenses
also, for hospital supplies which are 50
cured otherwise than through the commits
sary department The monthly bill fo2
kilograms Is enormous. and printing anQ
stationery is no small item. Some OF these
items are looked after by the quarter
master it is true. but they serve to show
the detail of large expenses attacheo 10
such a cOrpS