Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-07-19
Uncle Samuel
Saving Things
ny Frederic J. Haskin

hhtiob Htch needed lesson IN economy,
, and an impressive demonstration Of how
, srnall savings may be made to count.
Through tho Reclamation Division of
the Quartermaster's Corps Uncle Sam il
/, saving millions Of dollars by gathering
, old shoes and clothing, dead horses,
, manure broken machinery, and a variety
of other things that IN all former wars
have been thrown away.
The chief Job of this division in 10 eee
that no part ~ the clothing and enuir,-
nent issued 10 our soldiers is wasted or
lost. That the Division has made good
by the fact that in six months Of It's ex.
istence il has reduced the issues of now
clothing from forty TO fifty per cent, there
by cffecting q saving Of many hundreds Of
thousands of dollars for the government
But, more than that it has achieved an
invaluable conservation Of wool, leather.
metal, chemical products and foodstufs -
all so badly needed by the nation jist now.
vERY VARIED JUNK sHors.
Tho Reclamation Division is at once
Junk shop, an old clothes repair establish
ment, and n wholesale establishment.
It's business is 10 pick UP thread here, a
button there, and bit Of cloth somewhere
else and convert them into thoroughly
| serviceable whole. On the ride IL operates
| farms, steam laundries, fertilizer plants
and tailoring shops, conducts a traffic in
| dead animals, and cornpetcs with city
markets for the trade Of commissary
/ offcers
II is altogether probable that when the
recruits OF the new draft reach their can
tonments they will be given uniforms
| which bearing all the earmarks Of new
| mess will have seen extended service
| in many places Perhaps one pair of
-. q 4
fuss Of 1916. and another will have known
the soft sands Of Philippine beaches
Troops destined for service overseas
are given completely new equipment
What 70 do with the old clothing was the
problem which the government placed
IN the hands Of the Reclamation Division
reclamation company was organized |
IN each of the camps to take care Of the |
clothing returned by the company quar-
termastcr sergeants Uniforms IN reason /
ably good condition were sterilzed, mend |
ed and pressed and in some cases, almost |
immediately reisaued Other uniforms t
badly torn, after sterilization, were parked /
and shipped to the division factories to /
be picccd together Half dozen n these
factories are located at JefTcrsonville.
Engiewood, Hoboken New York, Phil
adelphia and Fort Sam Houston
Old SHOES ETILt4 GOOD.
The reclamation Of shoes is another
important work Weekly inspections Of
shoes arc ordered and all footgear showing
signs q strenuous wear are collected for
repair In most cases tho shoes are re-
turned 20 their original wearers, but the
shoes turned in by troops about TO 20
abroad are being repaired and refined
and doubtless will be reIssled
II Is safe 70 estimate that year Of this
work will have saved for the government |
many millions Of dollars In the old
days condemned shoes were sold to Job
bers in lots for trifling nims New
shoes were issued freely Such methods |
lre now manlfestly impossible With i
eatbcr at It's present price ne. shoes are
'ostIng the government from SIX TO seven II
ioliars a pair.
Hats are another expensive item. The II
.rade Of felt used in the regulation hat II
las almost doubled in price The Rec II
lnation Division has offset this disad- II
antage considerably by stitching new III
rowns 10 brims still serviceable and new III
rims 20 hats whose crowns are still good III
In the case Of hats so badly worn as 70 | III
make this impossible, the felt Is put to II
ther uses III
The scope Of the Reclamation Division II
rs extended gradually. Good-sized gar IL
ems have been planted in all Of the camps III
nd cultivated BY detachments from the II
>clamation companies. This affords the ii
,ldiers supply Of fresh vegetables in II
lmmer and of reasonably fresh vege- II
.bies IN winter The produce Of the gar II
Ems Is sold 70 commlssary officers at the II
lrlOus camps 81 ten per cent under the II
arket price The sales are made by II
le Camp Quartermaster who returns II
-
rves the rest for the use OF his depart II
ent. II
Manure is collected and sold BY the II
clamation companies 10 various con- II
actors The contracts are made at 50 II
uch per animal, avoiding adroitlv pos II
Jle dissatisfaction The loading Of the ii
aaure at the remount stations and its
IS up 10 the contractor II
ead knin as are removed from the stables. II
rrals and veterinary hospitals BY the II
sclamatlon Division and sold II
GARBAGE USEFUL, EVEN.
Mess sergeants have been given careful
stuctlons regarding the disposal of II
cir garbage Food refuse of various II
rts IS placed IN different receptacIes. II
leSe are collected and put 10 use in many II
lys. The bones are ground and sold II
fertilizers, mesi garbage is saved and II
oils and fats extracted The national II
pply of glycerine, SO essential to the II
snufacture of munitions, is consider II
" increased in this wav
Another aspect of the reclamation con-
ny is the opportunity for vocational II
.ining offered TO its members. As the II
rsonnel of reclamation company can II
made up only of men unfit for service II
Ia line regiments, it is impossible 10 II
SIX killpd workers in all of tho Ii,a. ~, Ill
lced in the activities 1t has, there II
e, become necessary to train appren- II
es In the various crafts A great many u
diers viii graduate from the reclama-
n companies as perfectly competen =-~
IorS hatters laundcrers farriers fnrnn