The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-04-30
New Contracts Made Show a
Reduction from Last Year.
NOT FOR THE ARMY AS WHOLE
But for Individual Posts Officers In The
Subsistence department Furnish Some
interesting and Timely Information.

washington. April sO.-Inqulry at the
war department discloses the fact that
despite the great increase in the price of
beef the army is now making contracts
for the next fiscal year by which IL will
get beef at number OF military posts
at lower rates than It has been paying
under the contracts arranged year ago.
Subsistence officers with whom re-
porter talked expressed the conviction
that there was some reason for a slight in
crease In the price OF beef In the short
corn crop OF last year. which compelled
many cattle raisers 10 sell their herds be-
fore the winter began, but they cannot
find any Justification for the large addi-
tional cost which the dealers ask.
Dealers is some OF the big cities have
offered TO furnish beef 10 nearby army
posts at prices lower than those OF last
year. and I'm most cases where there is
an Increase IL is very small In some
cases the Increase over last years prices
is due not 10 any Of the causes given
by the beef men, but the fact that chilled
beef has been substituted for freshly
slaughtered beef. which is, OF course.
cheaper
Figures taken from the Official records
OF the subsistence department furnish
a striking comparison with the prices de-
Under the army system OF food con-
tracts bids are invited for supplying
commissary supplies 10 individual mill
tary posts and not for the army as
while. The bidders are restricted there
fore 20 the agents and dealers doing bust
ness near such separate post The COM
mandant OF a post calls for proposals for
supplying his command with beef. bacon.
vegetables, etc, for the fiscal year be-
ginning July l. or in some cases for the
six months beginning July and Jan. /.
Abstracts OF the bids offered in each
instance are forwarded 70 the commissary
general OF the army. who directs that
contract be made with the lowest respon-
sible bidder Bids for the fiscal year be-
ginning July !. 1902 are now being re-
ceived and contracts awarded From the
records OF contracts awarded so far this
year the figures given below were taken.
Contracts have already been made for
supplying with beef three posts near
New York city. and in two OF these there
is a decrease from the prices agreed upon
a year ago. AT Fort Wood on Bedloes
Island the price for the coming fscal year
will be 7.9S cents a pound against SIS
cents for the year 10 end June 30. At Fort
wadsworth on Staten Island. the price
just fixed by contract is ia cents. against
7i9 cents under last years contract. At
Fort Columbus. New York harbor. the
price will be Increased from 1853 TO 7.s7
cents.
In Washington, ID. c., where there has
been a marked rise in the price OF beef
10 private consumers the subsistence
department of the army has made a con-
tract with local dealer TO furnish beef
to the Washington barracks at IA cents
a pound against IA cents under last years
contract. a decrease OF three-tenths OF
cent pound.
The Official records show also that beef
dealers are now offering to furnish sup
plies at lower rates than last year 10
army posts near the cities OF Atlanta.
Pittsburg. Baltimore. Troy. New Bedford
and New Orleans. while the contract
prices have been increased for posts at or
near Providence. Boston. Mobile, Augusta,
Charleston, Watertown, West Point and
Plattsburgh.
The contention that the rise In the
price OF beef is due to the scarcity of
cattle In seemingly contradicted by the
records of contracts just awarded for
furnishing beef to army posts In cattle
raising sections Of the west. In every
one OF these contracts so far made the
price is lower than last year or just the
same as then. While there may be rea-
sons not known here for this decrease In
the grazing country. subsistence officers
regard IL as an indication that cattle are
IL anything more plentiful on the far
western ranges