Yerington times. [volume] (Yerington, Nev.) 1907-1932, 1918-04-13

"s'ed men, have been in attendance
Corps Of Engineers.
nj 'he beginning of the war tha on
sineer troops consisted of three root.
mehts OF pioneer engineers with
rams one mounted company, one en-
giheer detachment at West Point The
aseregate strength was approximate.
" flzo officers and enlisted men. Ar
present the aggregate authorized
strength Is over 100000, with an not
ual strength of approximately 100000
VI the special engineer units re-.
cruited for service on railways and in
the maintenance OF lines of conmuni-
catloh' many are already in France
ana others are awaiting recruitment
10 1uii strength In order to be ready
Tor overseas service. The first on.
gineer troops, LOO strong, to be sent
abroad, arrived In France about three
months after war was declared. Since
tnat time the number has been greatly
augmented. These troops have been
constantly engaged In general en-
gineering work including the con.
struction Of railways, docks, wharves.
environments. and hospitals for the use
OF the American expeditlonary forces.
Ihey nave. In some instances, In the
performance Of their duties, engaged
IN active combat with the enemy.
Ordnance Department.
since the outbreak of war the
commissioned personnel of the ord
nance department has expanded from
" officers, operating with yearly ap-
preparations of about S14,OOO,OoO and
with manufacture largely confined to
government arsenals, to 5000 officers
In this country and abroad, transacting
an unprecedented war program for the
supply Of ordnance, the total direct
appropriations and contract authorig 4
lions for one year having been 81
$500. 1856.
The ordnance storage properties
embrace separate warehouse buildings
and miles of railroad siding, all COM
pretended within the depot premises,
which are inclosed by electrically
charged wire barriers and lighted and
patrolled with unremitting vigilance.
One of these depots, now under con-
struction, will include 100 separate
buildings and 80 miles Of railroad spe-
cially built to serve the depot's needs
The supply division Of the ordnance
department handles material amount
Ing to approximately 10000 carloads a
month.
While building the foundation for
greater production, the ordnance de-
partment has provided 100000 rifles
has brought the rate of rife production
up to $1,000 per week, sufficient to
equip three army divisions; secured
deliveries on more than 1900 ma
chine guns; brought the rate Of pro-
duction of machine guns from 10000
to 225,000 per year; increased the rate
of production of 3h-inch to 9-inch cali
Der guns from 1900 to $4,000 per year
and has arranged for the manufacture
of some $4,000 motortrucks and trac
tors for hauling heavy guns and am
munition, which are being delivered
almost as fast as they can be shipped
One billion rounds OF ammunition
has been purchased for the traipin.
of troops in the environments alone.
An idea of the extent of the ord
nance program may be gained from
the following few items of purchase
Twenty-three million hand grenades
725,O00 automatic pistols, 100000 re
volvers. 23.0O00O0 projectiles for ali
calibers of heavy artillery. 427, 246,0 OC
pounds of explosives, 240, 600 machine
guns. and 2,4S4,0 900 rifles.
The ordnance problem, however, Is
no less one of quality than of quantity
production. The American soldier Is
being provided with weapons which
give him an additional safeguard tC
life and further guaranty of victory
Achievements of the ordnance de
partment include the Browning ma
chine rifle, model of 1918, and the
Browning machine gun. heavy type
model of 1918, production of the for
mer now being on n quantity basis b!
machine process, while similar produc
ton of the heavier type is imminent
The heavy Browning machine gun
water cooled, in government ties
fired 10000 shots in 4S minutes ant
10 seconds without malfunction.
ouartermaster Corps.
The magnitude of the work of tn
quartermaster corps is indicated b,
the operation of the subsistence divi
sion. which is charged with the re
sponsiblllty of seeing that food SUP
plies for the army are available at al
stations from the Philippines to Loi
raine. Purchases recently made In
cluded 100000 pounds dried beans
116,OO0,000 cans baked beans Of tn
1917 crop. 65,1s4.475 cans of tomatoes
81, 900 600 cans of condensed milk, an
20, 2S7 900 pounds Of prunes.
The establishment of the subsistence
division centralized the purchases o
foodstuffs for the army, previous t
which such products were distribute
through the depot quartermaster. III
| faotiya January the central cOntrC