The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-09-02
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE TELE
GRAPHS THE PRESIDENT.
The Friends Of the Regiment Ar<
Now Making Every Possible
Effort to Have the Men
Mustered Out. !


and a partial sanitary inspection OF the
camp at the Preside, the hospital tent
and the post hospital. The facts Will not
be given to the public until after they
have been reported to General Miller.
The principal interest of the investiga-
ton centers in the condition of the Sew
enth California Regiment, which, 1t Is
said, will be made the subject of a special
inquiry Of the most rigid character, owing
to the alleged concealment Of numerous
cases Of typhoid fever for a length of
time altogether unwarranted by a sur
geon supposed to have the requisite
knowledge for the prompt and correct
diagnosis Of such well-deflned disease
as typhoid. The charge is made against
DR.. Choate, the surgeon of the regiment,
late on his hands before he made the fact
known that typhoid was prevalent in the
command. Several times the fact that
time DR.. Choate and Colonel Berry came
out with statement that typhoid was
not epidemic in that regiment, the infer
ence being that If typhoid existed at all 1T
was only in isolated cases. 1t was also
given out that the percentage of sickness
greater than in other regiments. This.
however, was soon shown not to be In
accord with the facts. and 1t is now
known that no regiment has had any
where near the number of sick men and
deaths as the Seventh California.
Owing to the alarming increase OF sick
sent to Manila, the discomfort among the
men of the Seventh California Is increas-
ing from day to day. The general senti--
an amin Immediate lat mustering o out The officers
who are drawing large salaries are nat
urally opposed to the movement. Colonel
considerable severe criticism by his oppo-
sition to the well-known wishes Of his
men, whose complaints are we'll grounded
published estimate. of the Secretary Of
War, whom he calls "a = small man."
and at all the friends Of the Seventh who
out he has fred a broadside in the shape
of a pronunciamento warning them to
keep their hands off, as he and his his fellow,
medders to show us the way to be mus
tered out.
So the merry war goes on between
Colonel Berry and his officers on the one
hand, and the enlisted men and their
friends on the other. ::
1t is safe to say that over 80 per cent OF
the enlisted men are DESTROYS or returning
to their homes; and although mastering
fear of the signers being punished, pc
tition circulated to-day would be signed
by nearly every man in the regiment
However their friends are now at work
more vigorously than ever as result OF
Colonel Berry's administering out pro-
clamation, and no one need be surprised
at the early discharge of the regiment
from the service. Hugh Craig, president
of the Chamber Of Commerce, has tele-
graphed to the President in regard to the
troops at the Preside as follows:
| Neglect has caused much unnecessary suffer
| Ing and death among their ranks. which Will
probably continue unless they are housed in
Comfortable barracks before winter. Many Of
| that an early peace is assured desire to re-
turn to their homes as soon as the country
| ments, we are informed. a respectful petition
! from privates requesting early discharge has
been DESTROYED by officers ana the men eat
] the wishes of the private soldiers in the regi-
ments be first considered. and that those who
| lowed to do as soon as public safety will
permit.
The people of Southern California are
| Indignant at the treatment received by
the Seventh Regiment, and 1T has been
| suggested that mass-meetng be held
at Los Angeles to give expression to their
sentiments and to take some action look
ing toward the relief of the men. One
| of the newspapers Of Los Angeles ex-
presses the opinion that whether or not
| Colonel Berry is court-martialed for his
profane criticism Of his superior officer
il is probable that he will be subjected to
an official investigation to determine what
! share of responsibility rests upon him for
the miserable condition ,S Of his ao, men, "a AT
The complete isolation OF the Seventh
Regiment is now under consideration and
| II NAV be moved over to Oakland in the
an end to the typhoid fever and otherwise
generally improve the health or the com
mand
The regimental officers, who seem &c
have formed themselves into mutual
| protective association, held a. secret
| meeting yesterday morning and discussed
the situation, but to what conclusion they
came as to the mastering out question
| &c or known outsiders
j. r. Newberry. chairman OF the Los
Angeles war board left for Washing
of securing the mastering out of the reg
iment, as he has been assured that such
is the desire Of the men.
General Miller yesterday received dis
Ing that report be immediately obtained
as to the condition Of the Seventh Cali
fornia, and that every possible remedy ne,
order, for such 1t really is, was caused
by an appeal from Senator White thai
the regiment be either mustered out OF
General Miller at once personally inspect.
ed the regiment, and called upon Colone
| Berry for an immediate report, which
was furnished, giving the following
facts:
Number of men sick with typhoid fe
yer on August 3d. Is; suspected cases, II
number Of sick, 49, Number of sick will
typhoid fever on September l. II; mum
Number of deaths during the month
of August, 6. from the following causes
Typhoid fever, 8; pneumonia, 2; hemor
Total number Of deaths since May
The condition as to daily increase o
sickness during the last seven days Il
indicated by the following data:
Number on sick roll August rs. IT. 18th
8; 9th, A; 28th, 3; 2eth, 4; Both, 8; 31st, 3
September 1. 2.
The report goes on to say that "a de
crease in the sickness from this time OF
is apprehended. This apprehension i
based upon the history Of the past week
and upon the fact that the condition o
the men in camp. has been improved. b,
way of explanation it should be statet
that the regiment moved from Camp Mer
rift to Camp Merriam on the 24th. an,
that Of the seventeen which appear Oh
the hospital record on the 18th. nine wer
convalescents, and were only put in tn
hospital for care during the night. Eigh
Of the seventeen returned to their quar-
Il