The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-10-14
HUGE RESERVE
OF SUPPLIES ARE.
KEPT INTACT FOR.
YANKS IN FRANCE
Enough On Hand For
Three Months Siege
Quartermasters Say.

Tours, Central France. Sept. 30
Correspondence of The Associated
Press)-The American army in
Europe could be fed and clothed and
all its creature comforts looked af-
ter for three months il not another
pound Of supplies was secured. This
was the statement made here by Of
ficers Of the army quartermaster's
department which directs this mann
moth work of supplies.
It gives an idea of the vast stock
Of reserve resources stored in the
miles Of warehouses stretching from
the coast inland to the fighting line,
and it is comforting assurance too
that this huge reserve will be kept UP
through the coming winter period so
that the American soldiers warmth.
as well as his food and clothing, will
be fully looked after.
1t is a huge undertaking to feed
a million men even for a single day
"a million men scattered to a
thousand points. an trenches, on
baftlefields and camps, along 300
miles of front and for a depth of 500
miles. And when are added housing
and clothing, and the period is ex-
tended through the winter months
Of cold and FROST with the pros
pect that another million or two men
may be headed this way before long
with these elements one gets some
idea Of the magnitude of the supply
problem for a million or more men.
Here at the center of the system,
where the receipts are regulated and
the distribution made, there was an
opportunity of learning some of the
details of how the system operates
Great Quantity of Food.
In the food branch alone, it takes
over 100000 pounds of food every
day to feed the army. This prodig-
ious daily consumption of food en-
braces a million pounds of flour
baked into a million pounds of bread
every day, $4,000 pounds Of fresh
beef, $4,000 pounds of potatoes.
100000 pounds of sugar and $4,000
pounds of tomatoes. The pepper
and salt for single day is 42,500 |
pounds.
Army coffee is roasted at the rate
of 10000 pounds a day, and it takes
10000 pounds soiidified alcohol to
cook this coffee through the month.
The beef is the bulkiest product |
used each day, and occupies a daily
space of $4,000 cubic feet. or about |
the dimensions of a business block, |
of solid meat. Flour comes next, re-
quiring $4,000 cubic feet of daily |
space, and potatoes about the same.
These are only a few Of the main |
items. But the list runs all through |
the many requirements of the over
sea army ration, with vast quantities |
in each case. Here are some of the |
other daily items:
Bacon. 225,000 pounds; beans, U.s. |
900 pounds; rice, $4,000 pounds; milk, |
81, 500 pounds; vinegar 10000 |
pounds; lard, 10000 pounds; butter, !
$1,000 pounds; strip, 10000 pounds. |
Full Allowance for Men.
These. being included in the over
sea ration, everyone of the million
men is entitled to his full allowance
wherever he is. So that besides the
vast daily stock there is the ques-
ton of unfailing daily delivery first |
by railways and canton trains, and |
then to the individual soldier.
Often on the field or in the trenches |
he is supplied from marmites, or
huge thermos bottles carrying hot |
food for eight men. and often too
the delivery. in the trenches is by |
the Yukon pack used in Alaska and |
by the Hudson Bay voyagers and In
dams.
Besides this four million pounds Of |
food moving forward daily to the |
troops, each man carries with him |
two days emergency ration, five |
pounds to the man. or an additional |
five million pounds or food for an
army of million men. OF the emer- |
gency ration carried on the back |
there is outstanding every day two |
million pounds of corned beef and |
two million pounds of bareback, 300,-
900 pounds of sugar, $500 pounds of |
coffee, 10000 pounds Of salt and $780, |
600 pounds of solicited alcohol for |
heating and cooking while on march. |