Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1916-06-22
HANDLE GUARD
SUPPLIES FAST
Real System at State Arsenal;
Organization Rivals Ger
man Plan

When Col. Livingston V. Rau-S. as
puartermaster of the National Guard
of Pennsylvania, left his office at the
State arsenal in Harrisburg to go to
Mt. Gretna to prepare camp for the
coming OF the National Guardsmen
ordered out In response to the call of
President Wilson for troops to guard
the Mexican border. he was absolute
iy certain that the vast and varied
supplies he would need would follow
him promptly in a steady and constant
stream and in the order required.
When the European war broke out
correspondents of American news
papers in Berlin marveled at the sys-
tenn OF the German army which per-
mitted each man to report to his ar
mory, open a locker marked with his
name and take therefrom a complete
equipment, and at the rapidity with
which the camp equipage was as
sembled and dispatched. each lot to
Its own regiment and destination. But
the German system eXcels in no way
except in extent that of the National
Guard of Pennsylvania.
The State arsenal in this city, which
attained high state of organization
under the late Col. Richardson, has
been greatly improved under the ad-
ministration of Col. RaGIS There is
no guesswork and no hunting in time
of haste. System supplemented by a
well-trained and efficient corps of en-
ployes leaves nothing to chance. With
in an hour after an order to entrain
is given the wagons are moving in a
steady stream from the arsenal
grounds to the freight sidings of the
pennsylvania railroad, eight or ten
squares distant. When the new ground
lie a1 n 1a1 % H.
mor1es and an arsenal will be located
directly on a railroad siding, but in the
meantime a well organized wagon
train force loses little time in hand
ling the equipage
In new building, now nearing
completion, most of the infantry can
vas is stored, the remainder in large
tents pending the finishing touches
now being put upon the new structure
The tents and poles are kept in mois-
ture proof, concrete bins, each bin of
sufflcient size to accommodate the
tentage of regiment and each COM
panys equipment assembled so that at
1t may be detached at a moments no
tice for separate shipment. Each bin
is numbered and when the tentage of
any regiment or fraction of a regiment
is desired an army wagon is brought
up in front of the bin and loaded. This
is followed by another and another in
long line unit lall is on its way to the
cars A regiments tents can be loaded
without difficulty in an hour.
Much of the smaller .equipage is
stored in the main building nearby.
Here. as CAREFUL cataloged and as
easy to reach and separate as the
tents, are field ranges, rifle, uniforms
in large quantity, cavalry equipment
of all sorts, raw materials, camp sup
plies and soap, in boxes of fifty and
bearing the brand of the State service.
The first floor of this building re-
sembles nothing so much as great
store. Here in few minutes may be
assem- bled anything from a campaign
hat and trousers to complete equip
ment for a company or a regiment,
stored according to size and arranged
for quick handling. Broken lots are
kept in stock to fill emergency needs
such as companies in the field may re-
quire in the regular wear and tear of
camp life, but there are also huge
quantities of supplies of all kinds in
bulk. the boxes marked with black
paint as to contents, set away as pre-
cisely as card index systems will per-
init and even marked with their
weight as to permit of weigh-bills be-
ing issued by the railroads without
the time usually required for weighing
shipments.
william L. Hicks, foreman in charge
in the absence of Col. Raush- said in
commenting on the system in use:
I'VE never hunt for anything here
We know where it is without asking
and we know the quantity and how
to get 1t to the desired point in the
least possible time"
This is verified by the fact that there
has been no hurry at the arsenal
since the troops were ordered out.
How soon can you begin to ship
asked an anxious Guard officer over
the phone last Sunday night.
within an hour, If you need the
stuff" came back the reply.
And when the Guardsmen reach
camp on Saturday they will find Col
Rauch there before them with thell
camp equipage all on hand and ready
to be set in place.
Regular army men attached to tho
State Guard have agreed that there is
no more complete nor better equipped
armory even in the United States ser.
vice than that of the Pennsylvania
militia at Harrisburg. Preparedness
efficiency and system are COR Raunh',
watchwords.