El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1918-09-11

AL
n Tours, France. Sept. IL-CCorre
spondence Of the Associated Press.)-
Two carloads Of hair brushes. aban.
doned by American soldiers in camp.
were among the wreckage Of BATH,
brought today 10 the great salvage
depot OF the American army here
This was only one little item in the
grist Of debris and litter from the
lighting zone which has been care
fully gathered up and sent here for
restoration
Five thousand persons are employed
in rcnovating and repairing this
Wreckage. The material thus saved
and restored TO use or sold amounted
in value last month TO S2,50O.OO0.
Gather Up Abandoned Material.
In the big battle around Chateau
Thierry, as our fighting men went
over the top they were followed
closely by attachments Of non com
batant troops 10 ErOpe amid the
WTeckage and debris and save IL from
complete abandonment and loss. Each
detachment comprised % enlisted men
and an officer They had trucks and
derricks and all the paraphernalia for
gathering broken down cannon, rifles.
cartridge belts. helmets. clothing and
the vast stores Of abandoned arms
e.
contest, and TO send it back 20 the
salvage depot here
Strange things have come out Of
this war. but none stranger than this
gigantic salvage plant At first peo-
pie looked at 30 as a freak. There was
nothing like it in the civil war or the
more recent modern wars. It started
on a small scale with 200 hands.
Saves $4,000 900 n Year.
But now, after a few months. &c IS
a monster industry, with huge build
ings and towering stacks. It viii
save the government S35, 600. 600 the
first year. and may reach $4,000. 900.
This is no freak: It IS cold, hard saw
ing OF millions OF dollars, at a time
when material is scarce and shipping
difficult
Men Throw Aside Everything.
Going over the plant today there
was an opportunity to see the re-
markable details Of this salvage. The
wreckage OF the battlefield is only
one Of the sources of this salvage,
explained our escort. but It IS the
greatest source As men spring into
action, they throw aside everything
not absolutely essential
It is not only what is 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
Leave America With Too Much.
Even when there is 10 battle the
mere shift OF a division Of troops
leaves an enormous stock Of aban-
doned goods. Moved on short orders
the men pick uu q few fighting es-
sentials-guns, blankets, emergency
rations-and leave the rest behind.
books, extra clothes, shoes, etc. The
men arrive from America with an IN
due amount Of clothinsg il is trimmed
down at the first training camp;
gain ii is trimmed down as they 90
10 the front. and each new trimming I
OF thousands Of men means another [
huge stock for salvage.
Great Clothing Factory
IN the main building a quarter Of !
a mile long, there was the roar OF a
vast and diversified industry. with
over 1000 women korkers and 1000 !
men. with long batteries Of sewing
machines, shoe machines. rubber and 7
harness machines such as one sees in
the great factory districts. with the
same huge installation OF engines.
boilers, disinfecting plantsf laundries.
and the whirr Of big metal machines
for making over the many branches &
OF ordnance.
Hundreds OF women we're sorting
the uniforms and underclothing just I:
come from the salvage processes. E
There were some 200, 600 blouses. on I
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 wen equipped
establishment The women
we're arranging the garments in three
classes;
Class A-Garments in good order.
practically the same as new. 10 be
sent back 70 the front as part OF the
supply for fighting troops
Class B-Garments partly worn out
but fully repaired, 10 be sent 70 the
base ports on the coast. for labor
troops and stevedores-
Class Garments much worn but
In q fair state OF preservation, 10 be
sent to prison camps for German pris-
lners-
Germans Don't Get the Rest.
This was significant Of what the
German prisoners were getting; not
he best, 10 be sure, and not the same
goods as our own men, bit worn goods
IN a fair state OF preservation It
seemed to be an answer 10 the cutlery
hat the German prisoners were get
ing the same as our men.
One could follow the stages OF the
luge stacks Of hObnail army shoes
rom the time they arrived, covered
with the mud and Crime Of the
renches and the battlefield, through
process after process Of disinfection,
leaning repairing. grading, until
hey finally emerged in stocks Of sub
itantiaI footwear Like the garments.
hese were classed TO 20 back 10 the