In addition, he is regarded as the hub of the Post’s social wheel. He initiates the public entertainments and authorizes the general social events of the officers and cadets. Naturally, he has nothing to do with functions of a private character, but for hops, dances, or other forms of distraction where one of the public buildings is used, he gives the authorization of the Superintendent. He makes it his duty to mingle freely with the officers of the command; at the dances he sees that visitors are introduced; when _very_ distinguished guests arrive at the Post, he puts on his full-dress uniform and goes to the station to meet them. If the guests are merely distinguished, he details some officer to act in his stead, and if they are plain sightseers with letters of introduction, a young subaltern gets the job. He is Adjutant of the Military Academy and of the Post of West Point. The duties of the former office pertain solely to cadets, their discipline and instruction, whereas the duties of the latter concern the officers, enlisted men, and other residents of the Post. A sort of Damon and Pythias are the Adjutant and Quartermaster: a mention of one suggests the other. The Quartermaster is in charge of the public lands and buildings; of the material for the erection of buildings, and for the repairs and improvements, and for all other public property for which no other person is especially responsible. Under the direction of the Superintendent, he enters into contracts and makes purchases for the Academy and prepares all accounts, returns, and rolls relative to the public property under his charge. He is also in control of the workmen employed in the erection or repairs of the public buildings, or in the improvement of the grounds. A Quartermaster is in reality a supply officer. Everything necessary for the up-keep of the Post and the command, come from his storehouses. Clothes, trucks, wagons, frying-pans, rakes, road-rollers, twine, furniture, garden hose are a few of the diverse articles that he must keep on hand. In his work at West Point he is assisted by several officers, among whom he distributes the various duties pertaining to the care of the property, purchase of supplies, pay of officers and enlisted men. The supply of the cadets, however, is not under his jurisdiction. [Illustration: Colonel John Biddle, Corps of Engineers Superintendent] The Quartermaster’s office is not entirely free from the official cumbersome machinery and red tape that clogs all Government branches. So efficiently does it check up upon all of its property, even to the most minute screw, that it has inspired great respect for its routine into those who borrow from its storehouse. Some years ago, one of the officers’ wives discovered the chimney of her house on fire. As she lived near the Hospital her first thought was to borrow one of the fire extinguishers. She rushed to the telephone: