Evening star., 1918-02-03

The RemOunt Division is charged with
purchasing all animals for Army use,
and harness and
Army Remount Fehleies for 'he
: quart masters
O1V1Slou. department an d
for the engineers. Up to January 10
it had received 249,627 anmals-horses
and mules; and it would have delivered
more animals to ordnance but for the
ST ortage of artillery harness 1t is now
holding more than hundred thousand
animals in reserve for any emergency, and
is prepared to meet all further de-
maids that may be made upon it. even
if one of the calls should be for cav
airy horses of good grade.
1t has accomplished this undertaking
with the slight total loss OF per cent,
mostly through shipping fever and epi-
denies that attack horses and mules
brought together in large numbers.
The mortality rate in these camps Is
very favorable in comparison with the
losses among animals shlppeu py the
allies earlier in the war
This division has established through
out the country thirty-three remouht
stations where animals are gathered
and held upon their purchase. There
they remain sick report Tor tWehl!
days, anG none is allowed to leave Ii un-
der suspicion of any contagious us
ease.
This division has contracted for de-
livery before June 80 11,912 escort
wagons. 1908 limbered combat wagons,
sa7 ambulances. 545 sprinklers, ouo
mountain wagons, 160 buckboardS, 9lZ
drinking wagons. 7i0 ration carts, sol
drinking water carts. 446 dumpeafts,
a34 sanitary carts and zoo medicai
carts. All the work is strictly up 10
schedule although when the contracts
were given out most of the lumber go
ing into the vehicles was in the trees.
Contractors had to build kiins, "here
the green wood could undergo sea-
Soning process for three r'onths peioie
il was fit to be used.
All these vehicles are standardized.
not only between these OF the Same ~
class. but as far as poSSipie pe."eeh
the classes: thus making the parts IN
terchangeable and reducing the number
of spare parts to be sent abroad TO a
minimum.
This division had also, up to January
T. supplied l2S,SS0 sets OF Wheei ana
lead harness to the department, and the
contractors if the coal shortage does
not interfere with plans, Will denver
all the rest of the harness ordered on
time as. with the assistance OF the dlVl-
sion. they rave all the leather they re-
uui,e to keep up their deliveries The
division has also purchased almost as
much more harness for blackboard, cart
and engineer vehicles. and there is and
will he plenty of harness for escort
wagons, rolling kitchens and all other
vehicles for which this division pro-
vides.
In order to secure this amount of
harness it was necessary to contract
with sixty-two manufa cturers. all of
whom have made every effort to- as
sist the government by keeping up to
their agreements, especially in regard
to deliveries The division early noti-
fed the manufacturers to lay in a suf-
ficient supply of leather to meet the
demand it expected to make upon them.
and at times advanced the money to
enable them to secure the stock
The number N officers in the Wash
!nstcn Office of this division has been
small as they have reduced by their
methods the office details to simple
rroposition but it has required. Of
course, a large force in the field and in
the inspection section.