The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-08-31
GOV. BLACK SAW FOR HIMSELF.
Believes Camp Thomas should Have
Been Moved Long Ago.

CHICkAMAUGA PARK, Aug. 30.-Gov.
Black, of New York, who arrived last night
to-day visited Chickamauga Park, in com
pany with DIR. Alva II. Doty, health officer
of the port of New York city, and Colonel
Treadway, his secretary. He visited the
camp of the Eighth, Ninth and Fourteenth
New York regiments and carefully inspect
ed each. He also visited the division and
Sternberg hospitals. Governor Black was
seen tonight by an Associated Press re-
porter and was asked as to the conditions
as he found them III the camps of the New
York regiments. as well as those at division
hospitals. Governor Black said there ap-
peared to be "a perfect hydrophobia' among
newspapers over the condition of the SOL
diers; that the press bristled with such
phrases as "hollow-eyed" and starving
in articles descriptive of the troops He
gave it as his opinion that the matter was
exaggerated, manufactured in newspaper
Offices and the outcome and result of
journalistic knavery.
When assured that his views would be
printed verbatim and not withheld because
they failed to concur with the present
newspaper craze his Excellency gave the
following interview
MY impression said Governor Black.
'of the camp of the New York troops at
Chickamauga Park is not half as bad as
had expected it would be. The unfavorable
condition OF the camp and hospitals has, be-
yond doubt, been very greatly exaggerated
by the press The division hospital in which
the sick soldiers of the Ninth New York
Infantry are quartered is certainly in very
bad condition. The present state of this
hospital ought never to have been permitted
to exist. and should be corrected at once.
1 think that the troops at Chickamauga
Park should have been moved long before
any sickness broke out in the ranks. The
Sternberg hospital is in excellent condition
1 do not see that it could be made any bet
ter. 1t is admirable. both in plan and man
agement.
'As to the New York troops at Chicka-
mauga, l mean to take as many home to
New York as I can. 1 shall also endeavor
to have as many mustered out as possible,
and those that l cannot have mustered out
will employ every endeavor to have moved
to northern camps az the earliest possible
date. The hospitals of the Eighth and
Fourteenth New York regiments are much
better in every particular than the one in
which the sick of the Ninth New York In
fantry are quartered"
The case of Private Dunn, of the ambu-
lance company, who was transferred from
the Ninth New York. was reported to the
Governor by Captain O'Connor, Of Com
pany A, Ninth New York, and was reported
by the Governor to Washington for lnves-
tigation. Captain OConnor's statement
was that he had found the body of Num-
lying naked in division hospital two days
after DEATH infested by maggots; that an
autopsy had been held, and that no prepara-
ton had been made for the care or inter-
ment of the body up to the time found by
O'Connor The affair has created great
stir. and 1t will result in the trial of Cap
tain O'Connor by court-martial.
Governor Black and rarity leave for Hunts
vile at o'clock tomorrow morning, and
then they will go to Lexington.
Owing to the hitch in the transportation
arrangements no regiments left the park
to-day. The Second Nebraska expected to
move tomorrow, but they will not get away
before Thursday; the First Missouri was
also under orders to move tomorrow, but
they will not get away until after the Sec
ond Nebraska. The orders for the Eighth
New York to proceed to Hampstead to be
mustered out were modified to-day, and the
regiment has been ordered to New York city
to be mustered out at their armory there
At the present rate of movement it will
be the middle of next week before all the
regiments left here will get away.
The batteries of artillery to-day COM
pleted the transfer of all their arms and
equipments to the mastering office, and as
soon as the rolls are completed these bat
teries seven in number-four from Ohio
the Twenty-eighth from Indiana and A and
B Of Georgia-wil be ready to return to
their homes to be mustered out. Colonel
Grigsbys Rough Riders, the Third United
States Volunteer Cavalry, to-day turned
over their stock and will load at Lytle for
their homes just as soon as the transporta-
ton can be had.