Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1907-08-27
ARMY IN CUBA COST
$2,554,97O IN Year.
ouARTERMAsTER GENERAL RE.
PORTS ON EXPENSE OF PRE-.
SERVING PEACE IN ISLAND.
NEEDS OF SERVICE
ARE POINTED OUT
Urgent Necessity of More Commits
stoned Officers and Increased
Funds Is Shown - Automobile
Fails to Supplant Horse. n

Washington, Aug. 24.-It cost the
American government $2,554 $40, in
addition to the regular ordinary ex-
pense to keep the American army of
Cuban pacification in that island dur
ing the fiscal year of 1907 This fact
is shown by the annual report of Gen.
Aleshire, quartermaster general of
the army. OF the amount stated ST.
915.383 was spent for transportation.
Gen. Aleshire devoted few words
to the work of the quartermasters de-
partment and it's ramifcations over a
great portion of the world covered by
the United States and its territorial
possessions, at the same time point
ing out that the strength of the
corps consisted of only SO commits
stoned officers and 200 post quarter
master sergeants, in addition to rs
line officers, who were detailed in
connection with the departments
work.
Wants More Commissioned Officers.
He points out the urgent necessity
for such an increase In the number of
SOAAAA1AESAOliNu 'IlASSI6 C10 Will ICllSNG
the department from the necessity of
calling upon line officers to perform
its duties; also for an increase in the
number of post quartermaster sar-
geants and the creation of general
service corps for the work of the de-
partment. Gen. Aleshire expresses
the opinion that the limit of cost, now
$4,000, for buildings which can be
constructed without special authority
of congress ought to be increased to
100000. This is especially urgent with
reference to hospitals. He says care
fully prepared statistics show that
the prices of nearly all the lumber
used in ordinary construction have ad-
vanced fully 100 per cent. since 1904,
and the. higher grades of finished lum-
her even more than that.
Transports Coal at Naeasaki.
Because it is economical, the bulk
Of the coal required for the trans-Pa-
rife transport service is procured at
Nagasaki, Japan, where upon the
return trip to the United States all
transports take aboard coal to their
cargo capacity. Because of necessary
repairs In the transports and reduced
passenger lists and freight cargoes
there has been an apparent loss to the
government in the transport service
as compared with what could have
been secured from commercial lines,
of more than 100000.
Gen. Aleshire, however, points out
that there is wisdom in having fleet
OF vessels available at all times for
the movement of troops and tram
sportation of those ordered to take sta.
ton in distant fields.
Supply of Horses for Army.
Gen. Aleshire devoted considerable
space to the femount service He be-.
lieyes that the results contemplated
In providing for open-market pur.
chases can be best obtained by the
establishing Of remount service with
main Office in Washington.
Discussing the subject of automo-
biles for military purposes, the quar-
termaster says tests of these ma
chimes and reports received as to thei,
utility and cost of maintenance do
not argue in favor of their substituS
ton for any of the standard means Of
army transportation.
"a .