Arizona republican., 1899-11-22
HOW AN Army is FED
Work Thai is Done by fhe Commits
saIy Corps In ihs Philippines

Major Z. l. Brainard. chief of the
commissary department OF the Eighth
army corps, has asked for leave of alb
sence that he may take a rest. The
major has been putting in half tin. for
several days past. and week aG> he
was sick at his headquarters. His
physician has advised him to get a way
from his desk, and if he gets the per-
mission of General Otis he will spend
a month or two in Japan. far away
from thoughts of bacon and beans and
out of sight of the cans of bareback.
The chief commissary has no easy
time OF it. About 10000 soldiers are
fed three times a day, and supplies
must be kept up for the sustenance Of
the officers and the civil emp Dyes that
the government hires. Upon the eff
cheney of the commissary every indi-
vidual in the army is dependent.
Provision is being made for 5O01o
troops. and by October l additional
supplies will begin to come by steamer.
Orders are given first on the commits
sary general in Washington and the
supplies are bought in the states and
shipped out either by transports char
tered vessels or commercial lines By
=
are so arranged that a cargo arrives
every ten days. Cascoes go out to
meet the ships in the bay and bring
the tons of onions. potatoes. beef and
bacon to the store house. The variety
of things in these cargoes would suffice
TO stock a big grocery. The list in
cludes everything from soap. candles,
salt salmon, beans -four and canned
~, CHI -,
All the wants of the man away from
home are provided for. and all at first
cost to the government. The supply
department is down on the river front.
Cascoes with red noses and new wick
er covers are tied up five deep in the
river before the door and coolies teeter
up to the dark door of the cavernous
warehouse with boxes and bags from
morning until night.
Captain Krauthoh has charge OF the
issues department of the commits
sary. and it is his duty to keep sock
of his supplies. checking in all the
things that come from the ship and
checking OUT those Things which are
taken away on requlsition and which
go to the camps. Hc has his office in
4 building that overIooks the water
e
one book and the acquisitions in an
other. while a sergeant with a half
dozen men takes care of tn ware
houses. There are two of these build
ings, and when the army increases
there will be Il third. These structures
have floor space Of 60.CCO square feet
nearly two acre5-and are more than
twenty feet in height The boxes of
81, IN, hi
narrow alleys running between. The
sergeant in charge knows where every
article is located and can lay his hands
on the wash basins or the barrels Of
flour when the acquisitions call for
them. There are in storage provisions
to the amount of 2,7OO tons, and the
supply is worth to the government
something like $500 COO There are sup
posed to be at least 100000 rations il
the depots.
The army consumes 1892 900 pounds
of supplies every thirty days. Twenty
ounces OF beef are issued to each man
seven days out of ten. The issue of
ten days rations for the 10000 men
amounts TO 2G2. 500 pounds. The b5ef is
usually frozen when II gets out in the
field. 1t is kept frczs IN on shipboard
long before the boat sails from San
Francisco. Sometimes the meat issue
is of mutton. and the men enjoy the
luxury of eating mutton chops while
il line at the front. Bacon comes two
days in ten and makes a total Tor the
month Of $4,000 pounds. The men like
bacon. however. and would net prCtes.
if it came oftener on the bill Of fare.
Salmon comes one day in ten. There
never has been Il raging demand for
FISH that comes in tins. but of this is
sue $4,000 cans go out every month. Of
flour 1,0t2,500 pounds Il month tn 80
around. About 1880 pounds Of rice are
used every month. with seven days is
sue out of ten. Rice. too, is a popular
dish. and when served with native
sugar is q pa!atable delicacy- Oatmeal
is issued in the same quantity as rice.
Dried fruits-sometimes evaporated APP
pies and sometimes apricots-come
seven days out of ten. $3.50 pounds be-
ing issued each month.
Potatoes are issued every day, in
busheI crates. and when the issue for
the ten days is complete 22.5)O pounds
are gone. OF onions $4,000 pounds Il
month are used. Tomatoes are used TO
the weight Of 10000 pounds month.
of green coffee 10000 pounds a month
are required and 1900 pounds of roast
ed and ground coffee are used in the
same period. The army requires 1900
gallons of vinegar. 36.10O pounds of salt
1850 pounds of black pepper, $4,000
pounds Of soap and 1880 pounds of
candles mOrthly. Altogether the total
supplies OF the army amount to 215,O29
pounds q day 1,464. 600 pounds for ten
days and 4,392, 900 pounds for the total
of thirty days. For a year this mak7s
a grand total Of S1.4S4,125 pounds. or
about 10000 tons.
This does not Include the issues from
the sales commissary. which are one
half more. The sales commissary IS
the institution which makes it possible
for the families of the officers to live in
Manila. If officers We're compelled to
buy the necessities Of life at the stores
on the Escolta they would have to pay
treble the prices. Goods sold by uler-
chants have had to pay duty. and the
merchants also must recover the OK
penses of freight.