The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1899-02-07
COST oF AN ARMY CORPS.

Inquiry among the disbursing off,
GERS of the Seventh Army Corps and
| the Depot Commissary and Quarter
master stationed at Savannah, independ-
ent Of the corps, but through whom
large quantities of supplies are distrib-
uted, leads to the conclusion that the
cost to the government for maintain
ing General Lees corps of nearly 49,
900 men is not less than $1,000,000 a
month, or $12,Q00o00 in the course of a
year.
To reduce these figures to a con-
| ceivable basis, it may be said that it
costs to run the corps from 100000 to
$4,000 a day, or comparatively COM
Portable fortune every twenty-four
hours. The largest item of cost, per-
| haps, is the pay Of the troops, most
of which goes to them directly in cash.
1t costs about $4,000 to pay a regi-
ment, and there are twelve Of them
here, besides G. couple Of independent
battalions. With the pay of corps, di-
vision, brigade, and, other officers nee
essary to keep the machinery of such
corps in motion, and their mileage, 1t
may be conservatively stated that the
monthly payroll of General Lees
corps is not less than $685.
Next in Importance, if not equally so,
come the Depot Commissary's dis
bursements. Major George w. Ruthers,
Depot Commissary here. conservative
ly estimates that through his depart
ment alone it costs the government
$4,000 a day to feed the Seventh Army
Corps. The actual wholesale value of
the provisions issued as days ra-
lions to the troops is nearly 5000. 1t
costs $1,000 a day to supply the corps
hospitals, and Major Ruthers has been
paying out an average of $500 a day for
communication of rations. In the month
of September Major Ruthers paid out
$14 900 to the Armour Packing company
for fresh meat alone. The items Of on
ions and potatoes for the troops for
the same month cost $4,000, and ice
$1,000. Major Ruthers paid the hospi-
tails in Jacksonville over 100000 a
month in cash. He pays out on the con-
tracts he makes for Supplies from $780,
600 to 100000 q month. In the three
months Of August, September and Oc-
tober he paid out more than 1884, 900 in
cash for supplies, Communication of ra-
lions, and for other necessary details
The employees in his department
alone cost the government $4,000 a
month.
The foregoing figures from the Com
missary Department do hot include the
cost of transportation, which is al
ways 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 Washing
ton, and for which the depot commits
sary draws on the contractor
Next in order comes the quarter
masters department in which it is
much more difficult to get at the cost
of supplies 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
equipment to be furnished the men
There are 900 to 800 civil employees,
such as clerks, wagon drivers, and any
amount of other equipment to be kept
on the rolls. Col. George e. Pond, quar-
IeTtIldSlGE VI lIlG NOi 10, say . lIt pay OuJ
anywhere from 100000 to 100000
month in cash for supplies, commuta-
ton, salaries, wages, and other things
in this department.
Besides this, he issues from $4,000 to
500, 900 worth Of supplies q month,
which come directly from the govern
ment contractors. The quartermasters
department issues and pays out on ac-
count of the corps, therefore, more
than 100000 a month, perhaps nearly
$250,000.
In the foregoing figures the trans
portation of the corps as a 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 stationary is
no small item. Some of these items are
looked after by the quartermaster, it
is true, but they serve to show the de-
tail of large expenses attached to such
a corps,--Atlanta Constitution.