The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1917-05-24
How Railroads Will Move
Armies

Detailed instructions to railroads for the
transport of troops and munitions have been
issued by the American Railway association.
Copies of routing plans were sent to each of
the $50 railroad systems of the country.
Fairfax Harrison, president of tn e
Southern railway and general chairman of
the special committee on national defense,
said that the instructions had been drawn
up jointly by the government authorities
and the railroad officials covering military
operations. These are the instructions in
part:
"The routing of troops from home
stations to mobilization camps will be in
| the hands of the quartermaster general of
the army. Routing schedules will be
furnished promptly by or through the
department of Quartermaster to the camp
quartermaster, showing the route to be used
by each organization from the mobilization
camp to concentration point or other
destinations. Where movements are en-
tirely within the territory of the department,
routings will lie in the hands of the depart.
ment quartermaster. Owing to the limited
amount of tourist equipment the assignment
and distribution of tourist equipment will
be in the hands of tie Office of the quarter.
| master general.
Scamp quartermasters will make direct
| requests on the quartermaster general for
equipment as far in advance as possible
when it is definitely known troops are ready
to move, giving name of organization,
number of officers and men to move, route
and approximate time of departure. The
American Railway association repre-
sentatives at each camp will telegraph daily
to the American Railway association COM
mittee central bureau at Washington depar-
lures for the preceding twenty-four hours,
organizations with strength) to move in
next twenty-four hours and strength still in
camp, with such other information as may
be necessary for their records. The camp
quartermaster will assist the American
Railway association representative in
securing this information.
''As soon as the railway equipment is
received the American Railway association
representative, or some competent person
designated by him, will make preliminary
inspection of the sam. with a view to
ascertaining Immediately and correcting
any defect. If necessary he will at once
reject any unsuitable equipment aud secure
other equipment in its place. Before the
troops are entrained joint inspection Of
the equipment should be made by the
American Railway association representative
and the train commander or his repre-
sentative.
! "The camp quartermaster, after con-
sultation with the train commander, should
advise the American Railway association
representative as to the exact makeup of
each train, showing the order in which the
cars should be placed in the train. Trains
should go through to destination intact
unless there is some exceptionally good rea-
son to the contrary. Under no circum-
stances will troops be separated from their
rations and messing facilities or animals
from their forage.
particular attention should be paid to
the supply of water for drinking purposes.
The facilities that are sufficient for normal
travel are usually inadequate for troop
movements over long distances, and a
supplementary supply will be provided by
placing a 5arrel filled with water on the
platform of every coach or every second
Pullman or tourist car."-En.