The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1918-02-01

gathered up. DUO; shells are eXplOd-
cd usually, because they are a con-
slant danger, and as matter of eco
nomy it rarely pays to unload them.
Emptied shells and shell fragments are
sent back to be melted down. Brass
powder cases are dispt ,ched to the
rear to be cleaned and reflled. The
odds and ends of a battlefield are
gathered up. All are sent to salvage
depot at one of the bases.
Work of Salvage Grows Fast.
In the particular salvage depot
which l have been privileged to exam
inc many people are employed. There
are hundreds of French men and Wom-
'en and some German prisoners and
some Chinese and sufficient number
of expert British workmen who have
been taken from the fighting line to
be placed where they can be more
useful. A few months ago, compara-
lively, it was housed in single shed.
Now it grows almost while you watch
it.
The most impressive feature Of the
establishment is precisely the feature
which l may only hint at, for it en-
ables one >fain1ly to comprehend the
gigantic character Of the business en-
terprise which we call war. In a single
month, for example, unservlceable
horseshoes by the hundreds Of tons
were assorted aid sent to England to
be reforged. Block tin weighing sew
eral hundred pounds was recovered
from unserviceable utensils. Hundred
weights of rusty horseshoe nails were
cleaned and made fit for issue. Thou
sands of mess tins which had been
thrown away were retinned so that
they are literally better than ever.
Hundreds Of thousands of pairs Of
boots were cleaned, oiled and repaired.
Tens of thousands of German pistols
were put in condition. Other tens of
thousands of water bottles were made
like new.
Making Over OLD Boots.
The net result is the practical elm
ination of waste. When Mr.. Atkins at
the front needs new boots now he
turns in his old ones and, if he is for
tunate, gets nice, well-broken in, COM
Portable old ones that have been fixed
up. If he is unlucky he is forced to
take new ones. If he goes to the hos
pital his old boots and his old clothes
are sent to the salvage works to be
cleaned and repaired. The army joke
is that the army head is of standard
size, SO that the army helmet is pre-
sumed to fit all comers. But the
wounded mans helmet is cleaned be-
fore it is reissued, lest the original
owner send on scalp disease to the
later wearer. Gas masks are cleaned
before reissue for the same reason.
Hundreds of French girls are en-
ployed in the boot shop. Here two or
three experts are seated in front OF
mountain of old boots matching them
in pairs. They go on by sort of an
endless chain TO the inspectors, VINO
decide upon the repairs to be made.
An enormous double bench is occupied
by girls who tear the old soles OH by
machinery. They are washed, new
soles stitched or nailed on, they are
dipped in an oil vat, and then trees
are inserted to keep them in shape.
A shoe does not stop moving from one
end of the shop until it goes to the
storehouse at the other.
Here is loft where old tents are
inspected and either repaired or con-
demned. Next to it army wagons and
ammunition limbers are being made
over. Leather and web equipment is
actually better than new when it has
been through the shop, because 1t is
more pliable. Waste paper is baled'
So that finally one gets to the engine
room, where the chief marvel Of ali
is in being. The big boilers that fur
nish power for a factory fed entirely
by the old shoes and other absolutely
inuti1izable waste Of the works. One
had never suspected that an old shoe
is as good as steam coal in Z fire box.
But it is.
"No doubt" said cheerily, for am
a humorous soul at times, you save
the nails from these old shoes.
The joke fell fiat. They do save the
nails. Each day the ashes are slfted.