The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-08-27
ALGER AT CAMP WIKOFF.
Visits the Hospitals and Declines to
Talk About Miles.

From the New York SUMS Montauk Cor
respondenCe.
The next place visited was, the general
hospital, where there are now LOO sick
soldiers. Col. Forwood and Maj. Brown
welcomed the secretary. Mr.. Alger then
went into every ward and spoke to every
man. He spent nearly two hours in the
wards and was passing down the board
walk to his carriage, wheu he met fifty or
more sick men of the Second and TWen-
tieth Infantry, who had just been landed
from one of the transports Here the sec
rotary had a chance to see how our men
look when they first land from Cuba, and
he was shocked at the emaciated appear
ance of the men. He spoke TO a number of
them, and as he left them there were tears
in his eyes.
Outside of the hospital Mr.. Alger met
Mrs. Wilmerding. Benjamin f. Tracy's
daughter, and a Mrs Ruggles, who have
been doing work among the patients. Mrs.
Wimerdng told the secretary that in sew
eral of the wards the sick men had not
had any fresh bread in three days, and
Mr. Alger made a note OF il in Il book.
Before he left the hospital Gen. Alger
told Col. ForwoOd that he wanted hst
of all the men in the hospital and their
condition at once.
Gen. Alger was asked by a Sun reporter
IL he had anything TO say about Gen.
Miles reported criticism of him. He said:
"No criticisms of Gen. Miles has ever
emanated from the war office, and there
has never been any friction between Gen.
Miles and myself, or between Gen. Miles
and any one else in my department, so far
as know If Gen. Miles wants to make
accusations, why. l have nothing to say.
1 decline to enter into any controversy
with Gen. Miles
Secretary Alger, in consequence Of the
bad weather, abandoned the idea Of sleep.
ing in Gen. Wheeler's camp tonight, and
betook himself to President BaldWin's pri-
vate car. Seen this evening, after in
specting the camp, he said
Il am very agreeably surprised at the
conditions l find here. With such large
number Of men much confusion might
have been expected. 1t is estimated that
there are 100 men in the hospitals 10
day l find in the general hospital chat
the sinks need fixing up. A large detail
of men has been made and they will put
them all in perfect order tomorrow The
sick men seem to be very cheerful
saw some few who were very i'll. saw
and spoke to every man in the detention
hospital, and went through wards from
A TO d, of the general hospital l shan
finish my inspection there tomorrow.
II am very agreeaby surprised with the
whole situation, and think this air will
what has already been supplied and do
mated we have arranged for a daily sup
ply Of 1000 gallons of milk, which viii
come up every morning In refrigerator
cars If necessary we will increase or
double this amount. Whatever the sur
geons recommend for the i'll or well VIII
be ordered at once. 1t is true that the
hospitals are somewhat oyer-crowd I'd.
Some tents intended 70 hold five or six
have seven men in Them, but they are all
thoroughly ventilated, so that Is no great
hardship There has been some complaint
a bout inadequate food, soft bread par
ticularIy. That is due to the fact that
Saturday was an unexpected holiday in
New York and the condition has been
Aremedied Most OF the men 1 saw in the
hospitals to-day had bread and milk.
talked to 100 of them, asked them II they
needed anything or were dissatisfied. All
seemed pleased and cheerful and expressed
themselves as well satisfied with the
treat ment they were receiving
"All the sick VIII receive furloughs as
soon as they are able to leave In fact,
all the volunteers and as many regulars
as desire 1t win receive furloughs as soon
as they are out OF tho detention camps
and hospitals. a great many Of the reg
ulars say that they desire to get back inn
mediately 10 their regiments. When the
volunteers so on furlouehs they VIII not
return here. Each states quota viii De
assembled at some point within It's re-
spectivc state, and the men viii De mus
tered out. From the reports Of the news
papers ! expected TO find very much
worse condition Of affairs than / have
found. ] understood about the former in
adequacy Of transportation, but the qu1r-
termastcr gays he now has an the wagons
that he can use TO advantage. Certainly
to-day they got an the lumber az the sta-
tlon Up 90 the camps. ana got most ~
IL laid into floors into the hospitals Fresh
supplies ~ lumber Wil arrive every day
Until an needs are snlslcd.
~ tasted water from the wells and found