Owingsville outlook. [volume] (Owingsville, Ky.) 1879-192?, 1898-09-08
INSPECT CAMP.
secretary Algcr and President Mckin.
ley Visit Camp Wikoh.
After "a Careful Examination the President
L"ft Camp satisfied That the = &c Are
a. We'll Cared for IA They Could
lie In n firid Hospital.

| NAsHISGruN. Aug i. --.ccrctarv Al.
| ger, WI o returned late Saturday nigh,
from New York after his insrcction
tour through Camp Nikoff AT Montaub
Point with President Mckinley and
several of the bureau officials of the
war department, commented sunday
night upon the conditions of the camr
and stated the results of his visit The
secretary said:
Il feel certain, after a care full exam.
nation OF Camp Wikofr and a thor
| nugh investigation of its conditions
that everything possible is being done
for the men, both sick and well, who
are detained there. The camp is an
admirable onr--the best, | think.
ever snE The site is ideal 1t i,
beautiful without being picturesque
and is certainly as hcalthful cam
location As could bc found in the east
ern country.
while the conditions are as good
as could reasonably bc expected in the
circumStanccs-cvcn better than ever
knew them To bc in a camp-a shade %
gloom i cast over the cncampmcnt by
the physical condition of the men
Sickness, suffering and death MAJ
what would otherwise I've maguifi
cent military picture. These condi
ion>, however, are not the result ot
the situation of the Camp itself
| hut of the terrib bile campaign
through which the troops have jus'
passed. That campaign of Santiago
will be memora BILE in the mi litary his
tory of tine world. 1t was wonderful
both in its conduct and in the results
accomplished. Few military expert,
expected when the campaign was
inauguratcd that such a ucccss coult
lie achieved in 50 short time. Il
was "A tremendous undertaking to be
gin campaign in a tropical country
during the rain season against posi-
tlon naturally so strong and SO wei
defended as was Santiago. That sue
cess was achieved SO soon and with &
loss comparatively so small is due tC
the energy and ability of Gen. Shaftei
ANA his commanding officers and the
dash, bravery and splendid fighting
qualities of the men of Gen. Shafter'.
corps.
The president was particularly So
licitouS about the condition of the
men who are i'll. lie went to Camp
Wikoff to ascertain for himself whe TIL
err the men in the ranks needed any
thing they were not getting. His or
ders were that they should want for
nothing, but he desired personally to
know whether these orders were be
ing carried out After several hours
of patient investigation and care,
full examination he left the
camp satisfied that the men were
as well cared for as they could be in a
field hospital. He took no officials
word for anything. lie had come tc
the camp to see for himself and his
conviction as to the conditions was
reached only after he had come in per
sonal contact with those conditions
In the hospitals he went from ward tc
ward, almost from cot to cot, stopping
every few seconds to talk to the SICK
men and cheer them with a kind cx
preston or a grasp of the hand. Ii
was an experience not soon to be
forgotten. Success of the visi,
as President Mckinley made to Camp
Wikoff Saturday is almost uuiI ne IN
the military annals. lie went to the
camp equipped with knowledge, judg
ment and experience to make an inves
tigation. He had served in the camp
and in the field himself and he knew
just what ought to be expected in the
circumstances. That he was reason,
a IDLY well satisfied with the conditions
as he found them is in itself a guaran,
tee that they are not far wrong.