El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1916-03-27
HEADQUARTERS
MAY CONE HERE
Gen. Funston May Bring
Staff to Fl. Bliss, if Rail
road is Opened.

Fort Bliss may become the head
quarters Of the southern department
Of the United States army. The trans
fer OF the department headquarters
from San Antonio to FL Paso is said to
be under serious consideration by Gen.
Frederick Funston, department com
mander. san Antonio is too far away
from the scene OF operations in Mexico
to be OF military value as a base, army
men declare, and IL Is probable that
Gen. Funston and his entire staff viii
come to Fort Bliss this week.
Headquarters Here.
The transfer Of the headquarters is
said to depend upon the outcome OF
the negotiations with the Carranza
government for opening the Mexico
North Western railroad south Of Juarez
for the transportation of supplies for
the American army. The request for
this privilege has again been made to
The Carranza government, IL is under
stood, and IL is hoped to have the per
mission given during the present week.
The motor trucks are failing TO get
supplies TO the front fast enough for
the troops quartermaster corps Of
ficers returning from Columbus de-
clare Tho roads have been so badly
cut up by the heavy trucks and
wagons that they a.e now little more
than dust holes and the big trucks sink
TO their hubs and get little traction I'm
the soft, powdery dust which is as fine
as flour
Trucks Fail Down.
Quartcrmaster sergeant who re-
turned Sunday from the front declared
that IL was now difficult for the trucks
to carry their own weight through this
heavy dust and that they were unable
20 keep the food supplies going to the
'front.' fast enough TO supply the troops.
The advance columns are being forced
10 live OFF OF the country through
which they are going, he says. This
condition has made 1t imperative that
the railroad be placed at the disposal
Of the army, military men say. and
this must be done at once II the troops
are 60 be supplied with food from the
border.
RemOunt station.
A remount station Tor the cavalry
and pack trains is 10 be established at
Fort Bliss I'm charge of Capt. Ben
Lear. He has returned 10 the fort from
a tri.' through Arizona to bL.- remounts
for the cavalry, as -aanv Of the horses
which were ridden into Mexico have
either died or have been sent back to
Columbus unfit for further service in
the field. The army viii buy all Of the
available horses in the southwest for
remounts. Mules for the Jack trains,
wagon trains and water wagons are
also being purchased here. The water
wagons are being used TO haul water
into the desert part Of the road south
OF Colum huE, where water Is scarce
and where guards are stationed to pro-
tect the transports
Want OIL Burners.
Another conference between Gen.
George Bell and the local railroad Of
ficlals is said TO have been held Satur-
day afternoon at which the possibility
Of getting the use of a large number OF
oil burning locomotives for use on the
Mexico North Western railroad. in the
event that this road was available for
American supply movements was dis
cussed These oil burners are said to
be lighter and more serFicable in a
mountain country than the coal burners
and the fuel iE easier TO transport. All
freight, stock and passenger coaches IN
FL PaHO have been listed and the train
crews for the trains have been listed
with the brigade headquarters 20 man
the trains should the road be opened to
American upply trains.
While nothing new developed Mon I
day regarding the matter Of opening
the railroad to the use Of the American +
army, Mexican consul Andres Garcia 4
+ lated that he thought the matter I
would be amicably settled as soon a.
the protocol now being analysed by .
Mexico and digeted by Washington had
been accepted by both republics.