Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-12-29
TO RENT FURNITURE
PROPOSED SCHEME FOR ARMY
OFFICERS QUARTERS.
Information Given by the Quarter
master General to Secretary Root
at Latter's Request.

Secretary Root has written letter to the
quartermaster general on subject OK spe-
cial interest to all officers Of the army.
II am considering the expediency Of ask
ing Congress-" says the Secretary. ito au-
thorize the department to furnish officers
quarters with the heavy furniture. such as
tables, bedsteads. bureaus. etc, and to
charge the officers with small rental foI
the use of the articles furnished. 1t Is
Gear that the officer would save by this
arrangement in three ways:
'The interest of the money which he
now expends for furniture.
''The great cost OF transportation OF thes,
heavy articles when he Is ordered from
one station to another. 49,. 49,
The rapid depreciation Of the articles
caused both by use and by transportation
Buying in Large Quantities.
ION the other hand 1t is clear that tn
government, buying the furniture in larg
quantities. could get it at a very niue
sn aller first cost that the. officers can. an,
that the furniture remaining permanent
IN the same quarters would depreciai
much less rapidly than when 1t is move
about from one post to another
Il have an impression that. considerin.
the great saving to the officers and tn
smaller expense to the United States, tn
officers could well afford to pay rents
which would constitute sufficient renewa
fund in the hands of the government AL
would ultimately reimburse the govern
ment for the principal, SO that the grea
expense and the frequent hardship to OF
officers would be prevented without ult
mate loss to the treasury.
I'm order to test these views, / shou-
be glad to have all the Information pract
cable bearing upon the subject, and parti
llarly upon the following points:
"A statement Of the different articles
furniture which you think could be advai
tageously supplied in this way for MARI
officers quarters and for bachelor quarter
respectively.
THE difference between the average co
Of such furniture when purchased by a
officer individually and what the san
furniture would cost IL purchased by t.
Iuartermaster's department.
AN estimate Of the annual average
probation Of officers furniture under t
present conditions of frequent removal
from post to post. and an estimate of t
lrobable annual depreciation OF the san
furniture IL furnished by the governme
and permitted to remain in the same qua
ters.
such facts as you can obtain tendir
u show the cost Of transportation of fu,
niture to officers when ordered from pc
TO post under the present system.
An expression of your views as to II
total outlay which would be required
inaugurate the new system, the renta
which officers could reasonably be expect
to pay, and the adequacy Of such renta
to create a renewal fund and ultimate
retire the principal of the original outlay.
Quartermaster Generals Statement
The quartermaster general replied
these inquiries seriatim. and concluded
letter with the following general summar.
ION the basis Of the above estimate, tt
total first outlay, assuming that only car
tains and first lieutenants of the line a
supplied, on the basis Of Is per cent ma
ried and Is per cent bachelor, would be a
proximately $40. 4S3. As stated under pars
graph B, allowing a rental of such furnitur
as may be used by an officer at Is per cei
on its first cost, constituting a renewal
about seven years, it Is believed would !
ample to compensate the government 70
the first outlay necessary to inaugurate thu
system.
Assuming that these articles of furnitur
are supplied to all officers Of the army upo
the basis as noted above, viz, $3.50 officer
less rs per cent In the Philippines and 3
per cent OF the remainder not serving
posts. total of 1.S13. leaving 2,G07 Off er
to be provided for, will cost, upon the basi
of IS per cent married and % D.
cent bachelor. a total of $685. 2iO.
which must be added the cost of transpor
tation to the respective posts.
Gradual Introduction.
This system, II introduced at all. SHOULD
be brought in gradually, so as to enable Il
officers to become accustomed to and max
their arrangements to meet it, without be
ing obliged to dispense, under disadvan
tageous conditions. with the furniture whic
they now have. AS above stated the tota
estimated cost Of supplying the articles o
furniture herein referred to, for all Off
GERS in the service likely to require il
would be $685., 26O 1t Is believed, howeve
that not more than one-half of this sun
could be advantageously expended durn
the first year Of the Inauguration of tn
system.
while the articles selected are by n
means a complete list OF furniture that
officer would require in his household, 1t i:
believed that they should constitute all tina
Is necessary. and still leave the officer g
large limit Of choice for the exercise of
personal taste in completing the furnishings
OF his quarters.
cit Is remarked that the necessity may
arise for construction or enlargement OF
storehouses at some posts in order to NEE
cases where quarters provided with govern
ment furniture are vacated by an office
and another officer assigned to the same
quarters brings his own furniture with him
in which event either must be stored at tn
post. This may, however. adjust itself ir
the course Of time.