El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1917-12-10
MUCH ORDNANCE
IS HELD HERE
Large Supply Depot ofLit-
tie Known Department
Operated in FL Paso.

Few III PaSOanS are acquainted
with the military forces here, either
as TO numbers or the range and ex-
tent Of the army's business activities
here. They know there are troops at
Fort Bliss, for they see them at the
fort and on the streets, but there the
knowledge OF them nearly ends
It is not permitted 70 state how
many troops are stationed here, for
that would come under the forbidden
military information. but the state
ment Of some other facts connected
with the army here IS permissible.
Few FL Pasoans know, for instance,
that Ell Paso has one OF the largest,
If not the largest, ordnance depots IN
the United States.
It was established in July. 1916,
when the national guard was mobil-
lied on the border. At the same time
other depOts were established at
other places on the border. The
others have gradually been discon-
ttnued. but the one which has sup
piled the troops OF the FL Paso dis
trict from last summer UP to the
present time still is supplying a large
number Of troops It has supplied as
many as $1,000 at one tine.
army Behind the Army
The ordnance department is one Of
which the public knows less. perhaps,
than any other It IS the army be-
hind the army" It is under command
OF MAJ. Cen william Crozier, chief OF
ordnance, at Washington, D. c. It's
Job is TO supply all cannon, artillery
vehicles and equipments. apparatus
and machines for the service and
maneuver Of artillery; all small arms.
ammunition and Announcements horse
equipments and harness for field ar
tillery; horse equipment for cavalry
and other mounted men: tools, ma
chinery and other materials for ord
nance service; armored trucks, motor
cycles, and railroad cars and many
other things.
The department also distributes
stores in time OF peace and war;
equips organizations and individuals,
and maintains equipments by issu- !
ance Of personalities. repair parts,
and by operating mobile repair shops
at depOts. It salFases equipment
which has Become unserviceabIe and I
that which has baen captured; manu-
features and purchases material /
keeps M ammunition supplies ana 7
maintains schools FOR instruction in !
machine guns.
Not So Wen Known.
one reason the ordnance depot here
is not as vel known to FL PasOans !
as some other branches OF army ser 1
vice-the quarteru1aster corps, for IN ]
stances the fact that the ordnance !
depot has not contracted for its sup l
plies from local firms. but gets them
from the san Antonio arsenal and ]
other arsenals where supplies are I
either manufactured or purchased.
The ordnance depot here has five /
large storehouses &nd handles 4 /
great deal OF property. The first /
commanding officer OF the depot was .
capt Kenneth B. Harmon. who was
succeeded by Capt. R. n BOdine. and !
he by Lieut. Col Kenneth Morton.
Col Morton now IS the department
ordnance officer.
The depot commander here now is
Lieut.. Otis L Winter, ordnance de-
partment. Z. s. P, who has been in
command since August, when he came
from duty as ordnance officer OF the
Arizona district He has seen Is
years service. mostly as non-coHnis-
stoned officer, and vas commissioned
last Nay
Two Il PHsOaRs Assistants.
Two FL Pasoans. Lieut.. John ".
Moss and Lieut.. Joseph 2. De Roulac-
ordnance department, rational army,
are assistants % LIEUT.. 1Linter. They
are both graduates Of fhe first train
ing camp at Icon SPRINGS and were
returned TO their home city for duty
though all three Of Elese officers are
subject TO duty abroad.
OF the enlisted men. the majority
are from the regular army and in all
grades Of the ordna7ce department
-Four national army men also are on
duty at the de1ot Of these. Sergts-
s. Cooke and Adolph A. stoy
are Fl PasOans- Ordnance Sergt A. :
X. Wuerlzer and Sergt 1st class Ray
". Wilson are University Of Illinois
students who came into the service (
Tor the var