The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-10-08
How 0pusf 0foo oldors Noop ion Sympathy with She OPP

was next examined. He said the men
were generally in good health at San
Antonio as they were also in the main
at Tampa, which was the next stopping
place
He complained, however, that at the
latter place the camp was low and flat,
and toward the close of his stay there IN
July there was an increase of fever and
kindred diseases. The troops were, he
said, well supplied from the commissafy
and other departments, but there were
some complaint against the physician
who was left with the squadron at this
point. The chief cause OF criticism ap-
peared to be the bearing of the man
toward the men.
DIFFICULTY ABOUT RATES.
At the afternoon session Major Herscy
related his experience and observations
at Montauk Point He had come north
on the Miami, which was considered one
Of thc worst of the transports. Still the
voyage was not characterized by any
special discomforts. He considered Camp
Wikoff the most perfect camp he hal
ever seen.
This witness was followed by Colonel
james G. Lee, who was chief quarter
master at Camp Thomas during the his
tory Of that camp He said that ncith
er the regulars nor the volunteers had
sufficient transportation facilities when
they came in, and their wants in this re-
spect were supplied He had immediate
~ made estimates for supplies, and all
had been met with remarkable degree
of promptitude.
Colonel Lee dweIt upon the natural diff
ficulties of supplying an army of fifty
six thousand men. They were inpatient
rs rule and seemed to expect to be
anle to turn faucet and get everything
they wanted upon the spur Of the mo-
ment There were some articles of which
they were never able to get a sufficient
supply. army trousers for instance. He
remembered one case in which there APP
pearcd likely to be clash in the making
Of contracts with the railroads for the
transportation Of troops, in which men
who were his juniors in the Washington
Headquarters were manifesting Il dispo-
sition to interfere with him by prescrib-
ing conditions with which it was inn
possible to comply. He had protested in
sharp and vigorous language and there
after there was no trouble, as the Wash
ington office receded from its position.
General McCook asked for the names
OF those VINO had lnteffered ana insisted
upon having them. After hesitating
somewhat Colonel lee said the difficult
ty arose in the transportation branch cf
the Department in charge of Coloncls
Hecker and Bird.
Pressed to enter into particulars Col
Lee said that his contention was that he
should he allowed to make all the
rates. He found that the passenger
rates had heen made at Washington, and
while these were very low. he found
when he came to getting freight rates
they were too high. He did not be-
lieve that any actual suffering had arisen
on account of the inefficiency of Officers.
He thought, on the other hand. that the
suffering had been caused by the fail
ure Of the men to control themselves.
He thought the beer drinking in the
camp and the whiskey drinking outside
had much to do in causing distress aad
disease
In conclusion Colonel Lee said he DO.
lieyed that the Department should have
credit for what it had done ana not be
blamed for what it had not done. and he
thought the accomplishments of the past
five months were simply marvellous.