The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-10-23
INSPECTION OF CAMP Ship
WAR INVESTIGATORS INVADE
ALABAMA.
General Frank Declares Chickamauga
Unfit For Permanent Camp-Sur-
geons Were Competent.

Admission, Ala. Oct. 22-The war in
vestigating commission began its work
here today by making an inspection Of
the site of Camp Shipp in the forenoon,
and then devoting the afternoon to
questioning General Frank, command
ing officer of the camp, and his chief
surgeon, Major Henry F. Hoyt Both
were identified with Camp Thomas at
Chickamauga, General Frank having
been in command of the First division
of the Third corps at that point, and
Major Hoyt, his chief surgeon there, IS
here. 1t was made plain by the gen
eral trend of their examination that the
work done here would pertain more
largely to Camp Thomas than 10 the
camp here, as majority of the men
here were removed from ChichaInauSa-
There are, however, two regiments mere
which were in Cuba, and some OF their
represntatiVS will also be examined.
General Frank said he considered
Chickamauga a good site for teEl-
porary camp. but not for a permanent
camp for a. large army. The chief ar
ficulty was in putting sinks down deep
enough. Owing to the rock tormatlon
near the surface, sinks could only De
made two or three feet, and they were
frequently overfoTed. There was also
a general impression that the springs
in the locality were lmDregnated Dy
these sinks, and it was impossible 20
prevent the men from drinking from
the springs. He thought the camp
should have been moved as early as
July. He said he had heard no COM
D,aints from the men in regard to the
food received while at Chickamauga,
but because of the necessity o. getting
the First corps ready for foreign ser
vice there was a shortage in clothing
for a time There was, for time. also
difficulty in securing hospital room for
the men when sickness began TO IN
crease. but this deficiency was soon
remedied. There had been constant
Improvement in the command since Its
removal to Admission early in SeDtem-
Der. and General Frank thought the
improvement was due to the change of
site
Reverting to Chickamauga, he said
the hospital tents were not hoored
when ne went to the camp early in
July, though there had been suInclent
time to have furnished flooring for the
entire camp. General Frank said that
his corps commander had never made
an inspection of the camp with refer
ence to sinks, drains, etc
DR.. Henry F. Eoyr was also exam
ined. and especially with reference 10
Camp Thomas. Ee said the increase
IN SlCkneSS ABOVE lilS tOLii-dt lieO DC-
gun about the middle of July, and had
been rapid from that time forward un-
til there were $50 patients in the First
division hospital on the frs tot August.
At this time it was impossible TO re-
ceive new patients for period OF "A
hours. The increase in disease had be-
gun with the rainy season, and ne
thought much of the malaria had been
due 20 the fact thGt the men were in
fected. and to the carelessness of the
men. The command used water taken
through pipes from ChickamauSa river,
and the pipe was located only few
feet above the mouth of the stream
which drained the camp. The doctor
thought that some of the water from
this tributary stream had been forced
into the pipes by means of eddies.
DR.. Hoyt expressed the opinion that
the surgeons in the division hospital
had been competent. The nurses of the
hospital corps, While faithful. were. in
most cases. unskilled, and, therefore,
incompetent