Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1901-06-13
OUR ARMY IN THE ORIENT.
Letter Received From Maj. G. w.
Ruthers, Chief Commissary
in Northern Luzon.
SUBSISTENCE DEPARTMENT IS SUPERB.
The Fresh Beef Supply an Important
Fact0r-The Beef Stew, with Veg
etables, the Finest Component OF
the Ration. Ever Put Into the
Hands of Troops.

Washington, June s.-Maj. G. W.
partment of northern Luzon, in a
letter to Commissary-GeneraI Weston,
dated April Is, says there are 33s sta
tions in that department with about
$4,000 troops, and hat the supplying
of an army of this size divided into so
many stations is much more difficult
than if it vas an army in one body.
Besides the troops, there were at that
time several thousand prisoners who
were being fed by the government.
The subsistence department, he says,
is in superb condition and many
gratifying statements and reports are
received from all the officers. Gen.
Wheaton, in command of the depart
ment, has taken occasion several
times to speak in the highest terms OF
the commissary department.
The Fresh Beef Supply.
Maj. Ruthers devotes considerable
space in his letter to the subject of
beef supply. For the most part, b
! meat ration served the troops is the
refrigerated or frozen beef, although
in some of the interior points where
there is neither rail or water trans
portation this supply is necessarily
curtailed. He had sent beef 60 miles
into the interior with bull carts. He
notes, as a remarkable fact, hat this
beef was transported through a coun-
try infested with ladrones and small
bands OF insurgents, yet the cart driv-
ers and supplies were not molested.
He says they must have paid toll to
the tribal chiefs, for had the supplies
been accompanied by escorts there
would have been a daily ambush.
He says there is need of more water
transportation, and if he had it he
would use more frozen beef. as the
influence on the sick report is quite
marked: the more fresh beef used the
better the health of the troops. The
native beef from which the animal
heat has not entirely departed is not
healthful,
Beef Stew with Vegetables.
Speaking of a particular feature of
the army ration, Maj. Ruthers says:
THE beef stew with vegetables is
the finest component of the ration
ever put into the hands of troops. Tt
will take the place of fresh beef The
the latter can not be supplied for
some time, and with the addition OF
some bareback, coffee, sugar, salt and
baked beans, you could cut an army
loose from it's transportation for
some time. It is the finest ration for
hikes ever put into the hands of a
soldier, and is highly praised by
them"
Mai. Ruthers says for some time he
used the English army rations (beef
stew and p~otatoes) in two-pound cans,
which gave satisfaction, but does not
compare to the beef stew issue of the
United States army rations.
Emergency Ration.
He also says that the standard emer-
gency ration has given very good sat
isfaction. At the same time he adds:
"a ration of beef stew and vegeta-
bles, one pound of hard bread in tin,
and a tablet of chocolate, I would put
against any so-called emergency ra-
tion ever manufactured, and it would
not cause intestinal irritation, of
WHICH SOAAC OuupAdlAt Is AlduS' |
Another fact he states: Experience
shows that the American soldier serv-
ing in these islands needs the full
army ration, including the full allow
ance of fresh beef; his health can not
be maintained without it. In addi-
ton, his appetite apparently Graves
sweets and acids.''
Demand for Sauer Kraut.
In this connection he mentions the
demand for sauer kraut. Without
abundance of nutritious food, he says,
the health of Americans can not be
maintained in the Luzon climate.
The health of Filipinos living on
American foods, he says is much bet
ter than those living on native foods.
A BLIGHTED HONEYMOON.