The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1918-09-17

conceivable nature.
1t is not only VIVA, . left by our
own troops. but what is left by the
enemy, often great stocks of arms.
ammunition. bayonets. and every
kind of fighting material
Even when there is no battle, the
mere shift of division of troops
leaves an enormous stock OF aban
doned goods Moved on short orders
the men pick up few lighting essen
tials-guns, blankets, emergency ra-
tions-and leave the rest behind.
books. extra clothes, shoes, etc. The
men arrive from America with an UNI
necessary amount of clothing; 1t is
trimmed down at the first camp;
again it is trimmed down as they go
to the front, and each new trimming
of thousands of men means another
huge stock for salvage.
In the main building, a quarter of a
mile long, there was the roar of cast
and diversified industry, with over
1000 women workers and a thousand
men, with long batteries of sewing
machines, shoe machines, rubber and
harness machines such as one sees In
the great factory districts; with the
same huge installation Of engines,
boilers, disinfecting plants, laundries,
and the whirl of big metal machines
for making over the many branches OF
, ordnance.
Hundreds OF women were sorting the
. uniforms ard underclothing just
come from the salvage processes
There were some 100000 blouses, on
/ these towering shelves, and as many
more of all the other articles of sol
: der wear. They were in bundles,
, looking very fresh and clean. quite
like the stock of a wellequipped cloth
ing establishment. The women were
arranging the garments in three
classes:
Glass A-Garments in good order
practically the same as new, 10 be
sent back TO the front as part OF the
supply for fighting troops
C,assB-Garments partly worn out
. but fully repaired, to be sent to the
= base ports on the coast, for labor
A troops and stevedOres.
= ClassC-Garments much worn but
: in fair state Of preservation, to be
> sent to prison camps for German sol
diers
= This was significant OF what the
!, German prisoners were getting; moi
. the best, to be sure, and not the same
!, goods as our own men, but worn
: goods in fair state of preservation
1. II seemed to be an answer to the out
: cry that the German prisoners were
!, getting the same as our men.
= One could follow the stages. of the
. huge stacks of hobnail army shoes
n from the time they arrived, covered
= with the mud and CRIME of the trenc
|. ches and the battlefield, through pro
:, cess after process of disinfection
u cleaning, repairing, grading, unit
y they finally emerged in stocks OF sub
~ stantial footwear Like the garments
= these ware classed to 90 back to thu
:, fighting troops, or to the stevedores
- or to the German prisoners.
=, II was the same with the infnit,
=, :. variety of army equipment goinI
- through the salvage process, rubbe
= boots and arctics, shelter tents. har
~ ~ ness for artillery, saddles. brides
y . stirrups. All of It was on prodie
" ious scale, $4,000 garments day
- 1000 pairs of rubber boots day
g The salvage of all kinds of rubbe
articles was 80 per cent, or almost
= complete saving OF everything re
ceived.
More than million dollars wort
OF clothing was saved last month, an
the magnitude of the work as a Who'll
4, can be judged from these figures {
ce the output Shoes. $325,120; clotl
as ing. $I,3O7.026; harness and leathe
n $4,000; rubber, 100000; canvas an
n webbing, $S5,OOO
on There are some odd things gathere
of up in this litter of the camps and bf
ng tledelds; for example, three. freles
we cookers. Enough books and mag
by zines are left behind to stock severi
libraries. Pictures and knicknach
~ with which the tents are decorate
x lefore the rush comes are ahundan
g Family pictures and belongings OF
nd personal character are carefully pr
We served in little bags to be returne
Jus 10 ihcir owner or his family If that
list possible.
Z. Besides restoring articles for us
~. every scrap Of wool cloth, leathe
st. metal, hatbands, is saved to I
turned into some other form OF usef
~ article, or is sold. The sale of Jun
tin cans and scraps last month nette
1900 francs.
= The women workers are chief
French and Belgian, many OF the
IN. refugees from The invaded district
ste so that the work has this further MS
on, full end for some 1000 women Thu
'n ns get from to Z francs a day workir
80 from Z to 1880, and from 1880 to
aid The wages paid last month we're n
ia 400 francs But all the cost OF wag,
ar and new material was less than
ks per cent OF the value Of the articl
'ry produced for army uses, totaling 5,
itil 100000 for the month, tribute to Il
iM ingenuity which has produced tn
ala unique establishment OF war econom
cir