The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-03-19
UNCLE SANS BIG DRUG STORE.
SUPPLIES IN ARMY MEDICAL DE-
POT WORTH 4 MILLION DOLLARS.

Germ in savannah Ia IhHt beiOng-
! ing 10 the Government at the Foot
of Hull Street-Four Immense
Warehouses There and a Fifth at
the Whnrves-LOeal Merchants
Derive Financial Benefit From the
DcpOt-They Sell Goods to the Sur
geon i'm Charge, in Emergency
Cases-Everything Needed for
Field or Permanent Hospital Can
BE Furnished at the Depot.
stock of 100000 value is immense,
but there is an establishment in Savannah
that carries one Of this magnitude. IL is
the depot of medical supplies conducted
by Mai. James +. Pitcher for the medical
department Of the army, who says the re-
tail value of the great quantity of medi-
cines, Instruments, stores and articles Of
general usefulness for the care and treat
ment of sick can scarcely be lesg than the
6gure given.
Soon after the establishing of the head
quarters Of the Seventh Corps in Savan-
nah the depot of medical supplies was To-
Gated at Barnard and Bay streets, in the
building formerly used by the Savannah
Steam Bakery Company. Maj Pitcher
was In charge of the depot at Jacksonville,
which was not more than one-third as
large as that here. and the transfer of his
stock and his office came with the de-
parture of the corps from the Florida me-
tropolis.
The building first used was soon found
too small to answer the requirements, and
Nos. ., and Bay street, west, were
secured. Since the moving Of all the sup
plies from the original location, IL has
from time to time been found necessary
to obtain additional room for storage. I'M
til now The depot embraces not only the
numbers named but Nos l, 2. 3 and
River street, west, Nos. and
River street, east and No 2 Bay
street east. Another large ware>
house is at the wharves, and medical sup
plies are kept there for convenience in
leaving aboard the transports. A rental
of 800 a month is paid by the government
for the use of these buildings.
Since the establishment of the depot at
| Savannah it has been a large buyer from
time to time from local merchants. 1t is
not very frequently that goods have to
be purchased in Savannah, as most of the
supplies used come direct from the manu-
facturers, but in cases of emergency sup
plies are needed at once. 1t is then that
the surgeon in charge makes his needs
known to local merchants and they have
| change to supply him. Only last month
one bill against the depot amounted 10
$1,000. furniture dealer has Jared par
ticuiar well, his bills monthly having on
| occasions run as high as $1,000.
The surgeon in charge is the disbursing
| officer for the medical department. and all
civilian employees of hospitals are paid off
monthly by Maj. Pitcher. When the Sew
enth Army Corps was here he paid out
frequently 10000 a month TO nurses and
attendants not regularly enlisted in the
service. Even now quite a tidy sum is
given out every month to employees of the
department. Twenty men are employed
for the work required at the depot This
consists principally in the receiving and
| shipping of supplies.
The depot is one of the largest in the
United States. 1t is possible that 1t may
be located permanently in Savannah,
though this is point upon which Surgeon
General Sternberg is not decided Mai.
| Pitcher is convinced of the advantages of
this city over any other that might be
| selected for the depot and he believes it
probable that it will be retained as the
permanent location. There is a depot at
Atlanta that will be the rival of the one
here in the contest for permanency. 1t is
| said, however that the chances are In
favor of this city, as supplies can be
| brought from New York at a less rate than
| they can be secured at Atlanta, and thay
| can also be shipped to Cuba at consider
| ably less expense than from Atlanta.
Supplies are sent to troops in Cuba and
to the hospitals of regiments and divis-
ions wherever they may be. Army hospit-
| ais are also supplied from the Savannah
| depot, and next winter, when it is expect
1 ed the hospital here will be in full opera
ton with its 1000 beds, that institution
will be making the heaviest demands. Sup
plies are being received from the manu-
| facturers and from the hospitals that are
| being broken up throughout the country
The principal rooms of the storehouses
are those of the Waldburg
| buildings, Nos. 2 A. and 6
Bay street west. On the third floor medi-
| cines are dispensed to local hospitals on
| GERS or enlisted men come in with their
acquisitions for supplies, and they are fill
ed by the stewards. In the dispensary is
| the nearest approach to a retail of drugs
that the depot offers. But even there
everything is given out In wholesale lots
| and original packages, and the stock of
| the dispensary represents that of three or
four ordinary drug stores. In the same
room are kept the cases of surgical in
struments. There is $4,000 worth of these
HI SIOUX, duOhS them some or as handsome
and complete manufacture as any that
are to be secured on any market When
these cases are issued they remain the
property of the government.
Everything needed in the equipment of
hospitals in the field or permanent is n
be had from the depot. The goods are ar
ranged in such order that admits of their
being issued at a moments notice. There
are liquors of ancient make probably tho
/ In b. haA
of the year 1861 being on hand in ouanti-
~ exceeding 1000 gallons; hospital furni-
ture, built on the folding plan and ADAPTED
to use IN the he,d or wards; tents, bed
ding cots iron hunks. cooking utensils
crockery and articles too numerous N bc
named
On ono floor is the room where the forco
employed at the depot sleeps. Iron bnnl,s
are furnished the men, and they live CO.,,
fortably and economically. On the gro,Ind
floor are the receiving rooms. stored a.
these Is lot of stuff that win be sold oFt
ion IL favr