Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1941-01-27
Army Defense Orders
Reported Boosted
ToS5,81o,000,00o
1otuI Covers Period
Through January 10,
Officials Soy
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
Large contracts for defense pro-
gram industrial. expansion have
boosted the Army's total award to
5,8l0. 000. 900, officials said today,
snd reduced its unobligated avail
able sums to approximately $7S2,-
1872 900.
That computation, officials ex-
planned, covers the period only
through January ID and since then
contracts totaling about $l03 ,237,-
900 have been signed for defense
plants. However, only q portion of
that sum will come from War De-
partment funds as the Reconstruct
ton Finance Corp. will provide a
large part and the Navy will share
in the costs.
Army contracts for the week end
ing January 10 amounted to $l15,-
266 900, which was almost identical
with the preceding weeks total.
OF that amount, S6,961 900 was for
the Air Corps, 79,487 900 for for
Ordnance and 25,360000 for the
Quartermaster Corps.
Navy Contracts Smaller.
Navy contracts for the week end
ing January "a were only s5.483 ,504,
decline of some S35 900 900 from
the preceding week.
The Navy awards did not include
its share of the costs of q SAT ,997 900
smokeless powder plant at Childers-
burg, Ala. The contract was
awarded by the War Department
which announced that the Navy
would pay about third of the
cost. since a portion of the plants
output would be used by the Navy.
Otherwise. the Nays largest
order was one for 1894 ,374 worth of
doors, matches and scuttles to be
used on warShips now being built
Other Navy purchases ranged
from $22,706 worth of copper nails
and tacks to $l04 $50 worth of lin
seed oil. Included were $l57,695
worth of soap powder, $76,472 worth
Of buckets. and an $8,3l5 pumping
fire engine.
The Army awarded large con-
strucuon contracts during the last
week, in addition to the sums it
obligated for expansion for plant
facilities.
Airports and cantonments in con-
tinental United States amounted to
1921 500 and another S4,763, $50
went for an airbase at Puerto Rico.
Airport construction was ordered IN
New Orleans, Jackson, Miss: Man
chester, N. H.. and Albuquerque,
N, Mex; airport cantonment build
ings and facilities we're contracted
for Boise, Idaho, and contracts were
signed for building cantonments at
Spokane and Everett, Wash
Plane Engines Ordered.
The Armys biggest order was for
sl0,7l50l9 worth of airplane en-
gines and spare parts and went to
Continental Motors Corp. of De-
troit
The Army ordered nearly Sill
100000 worth of tractor trucks,
trucks and ambulances. The num-
Der of vehicles was not disclosed.
1t also purchased nearly a million
dollars worth of trailers and
do,lieS.
The placing of orders for cloth
ing continued at the fast pace of
recent weeks. Ofhcials explained
that many of the supplies of this
nature now being ordered will be
used to clothe troops next fall and
winter, although delivery dates were
not disclosed in any instance.
Thirteen Eastern manufacturers
were signed to make 464 500 wool
service coats out of material to be
supplied by the Government. The
manufacturing cost will come to
slightly less than 81 garment
The Army also bought 100 900
yards of khaki cotton duck in
s479,476 order split among one Texas
and two Georgia mills.
A wide variety of industries shared
in the awards. One contract for
s5.550000 worth of fuses for use in
artillery ammunition was signed
with Chicago watch manufacturer;
lamp and stove manufacturers in
Chicago and Akron. Ohio. divided
an order for more than 5000 gaso-
line lanterns and an electrical firm
in the Panama Canal Zone obtained
an order for boundary lights for
France Field there.