The age-herald., 1898-10-18
THE COMMISSION
 IN JACKSONVILLE Inspected Camp Cuba LibT0 During a
 Heavy Rain. THINGS IN GOOD CONDITION Sick Occupied Gear Feds and Seemed to Be Comfortable.
THINGS IN GOOD CONDITION
COL. JONES OBJECTED TO CLIMATE
The Only Complaint Heard Was Not Maae in a Spirit of Fault Finding Men to Be Exam
 ined Under Oath.

Jacksonville, Fla, October 1.-The war Investigating commission spent the after noon inspecting the camps in the immediate vicinity of Jacksonville. A heavy ram was falling during a part of the tour, but the commissioners conformed their self-ap- pointed task of going through the camp from one end to the other. They took car riages from the depot immediately after the arrival of the train at 1920, and did not return until after nightfal The com mission separated into divisions of three members each, but the carriages Kept pretty close together, in the main. They were escorted from point to point by Gen eral A K. Arnold who in the absence or General Lee, is in command of the corps, while Colonel Guild, Jr, inspector-general, led d cavalry detachment which accom- panied them on their rounds.
 The party drove first to the headquarters of the first division, Commander General Lloyd Wheaton, and after leaving this point. made quiet, though thorough in spection, of the camp of the first brigade of this division, including the First Texas, Second Louisiana and Third Nebraska regiments.
 Call on Bryan
 While here the members of the commls- sion made a call on Colonel Bryan, who IS personally acquainted with most of them. They found him almost completely recov- cred from his recent illness, but very much occupied in arranging for the mastering out of the men in his regiment, relieved by the order of the war department reducing the size of the companies of his regiment to the minimum of eighty men. He said he was making an especial effort to relieve the men who had families dependent upon them. A portion of the commission also made a special inspection of the Forty ninth Iowa regiment, on complaint to General Dodge, who found in it's colonel, w. c. Dows, an old friend. A third regi- ment which received particular attention was the Second South Carolina, because it was the newest regiment in camp. The commissioners interviewed officers and pri- yates alike, and made personal visits to the quarters of both the men and their conn manders. They lifted the covers from com missary stores, went through the kitchens, visited the drug stores, inspected the ap- paratae, talked with physicians and nurses and mad especial inquiry in the method of conducting the hospitals.
 Many of the sick men were reading books and magazines. but in a number of cases the men either held before their eyes or clasped closely in their arms, letters which had evidently been received from home. The patients were all found occupying clean-loo&ing beds or cots, and In no in stance was a hospital tent or pavilion found to be without a floor. Indeed, almost all the tents in the camp were floored. In many cases the hospital tents were effec- tually screened against flies and mos quitos.
 Only One Complaint
 | But one complaint was heard in the en- | tire round, and this was evidently not made l in spirit of fault-flnding. Colonel Jones, | of South Carolina, found fault with the cli- mate, saying that fully 20 per cent of his men were i'll and largely on this account. He also said some rations of refrigerator beef had been received in bad condition, which was due to the weather.
 Summing up the results of the inspection, General Dodge, chairman of the commits sion. said
 We have compared notes after the days work and find that complaint was made from but one regiment during the day. This was the objection made to the climate | by Colonel Jones. We saw both officers and | men, sick and well, and we gave all an | opportunity to be heard, asking the men in the absence of their officers, if they had any criticism to make. We shall tomorrow I begin the inquiry by examining men under I oath, and we hope that if there are any | shortcomings, to thus uncover them" This statement was made in the presence | of the other members of the commission, | and was endorsed by them