The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-10-11
RATIONS WE'RE SHORT
WAR DEPARTMENT INVESTIGA.
TION BOARD GETTING SOME
FACTS
DELAYS WERE DANGEROUS
Shortage of Supplies at Santiago
Might Have Proved Serious Had
Relief Been DeIayed-Better
Methods Might Be Applied in
Event of Another War-Wit-
nesses Catechi2ed More Closely.


nesses Catechized More Closely.
WASHINGTON, Oct 1O-The war
investigating commission had three
witnesses before 1t today, Capt. Culver
of the Grigsby rough riders; DR.. Hysell
chief surgeon Of the Second division
located at Camp Thomas, and Maj
Gallagher, who was in charge Of vari-
Gus commissary depots In the Santiago
campaign. DR.. HySelPs testimony
dealt with the sanitary and hospital
conditions at Camp Thomas. He said
that there was less typhoid fever in
the troops of the Second division than
in the other divisions, and stated that,
under his advice, the division had Sc
cure it's water from outside springs in
stead Of from the Chickamauga river
as he considered the river water liza
bic to be impure. DR.. Hysell said the
typhoid fever had been imported into
camp from the outside, and that the
increase had been due to the failure to
properly cover the sinks and to the
prevalence of flies. He did not think
it possible to effectually isolate typhoid
fever cases, as they proved so difficult
to detect in their early stages. All rea-
sonable precautions had been taken in
locating the camp to prevent the de-
Velopment of disease. He admitted that
in case of another war by the expert
ence of the past more effective means
could be provided.
conducted by DR.. Conner, of the COM
mission, and was very searching from
a medical standpoint.
AT the afternoon session the COM
mission examined Maj. Hugh J. Gal
lagher. He had served as depot COM
missary at Siboney, San Juan and
Santiago, and recently occupied that
position at Montauk Point. At Sfboney
the rations, he said, were forwarded
almost as rapidly as landed. Only small
quantities could be landed, but the
commissary, during the stay at ST.
blney, had been able to meet all requi-
sitions made for rations by the troops,
and no one was ever refused He
heard no complaint of lack of rations
to forward about 10000 rations per
day. From Siboney the depot was
moved to Ell Paso, seven miles inland.
At this point there were never enough
rations on hand for even a day ahead,
and 1t was impossible to fill all the ra-
tons. There was a shortage Of coffee
and sugar, which continued for two or
three days. because Of the high surf
at Siboney. All the rations were good,
but in some cases the hard bread
would be injured by sudden showers
When this happened the bread was
thrown aside and new issued. Some po-
tatoes, onions, tomatoes and canned
ago, being spoiled. Maj. Gallagher
said there was said to be a shortage
of lighters. but he was not able to say
whether this was true
SERIOUS SHORTAGE.
Col naobx, ,o,oc.oI o.. 4..e...-....
as to the reported shortage Of coffee,
and Maj. Gallagher said there were two
days when the men were without this
article. A storm was the immediate
cause of this deficiency, but if there
had been a sufficiency of lighters this
deficiency would not have occurred.
The major said that to his knowledge
there was not a shortage of any other
article OF food during the campaign.
MIR. DENLY told him there was a COM
plant Of a deficiency covering
months time. but Mr.. Gallagher said
he knew nothing of it.
Suppose" asked Gen. McCook, this
shortage of rations had lasted for seven
days instead of two, what would have
been the result ?"
I'VE would probably have had to
fall back" replied Mr. Gallagher.
Men cannot night on short rattonS.
Maj Gallagher said that Of the five
civilian assistants he had had, two
were inefficient and Indifferent to their
duties. They were Capt. Lord, of New
York. and Capt. Ryan, of Kansas. Maj.
Gallagher said the commissary supply
at Montauk was abundant and good,
while he was at that point.
Gen. Beaver today received a letter
from Mrs. Hugh Lang, Of Brooklyn,
who participated in the relief work at
Montauk Point, relating to her inter
views with President Mckinley when
lie visited Camp Wikoff She was re-
ported to have said that two mer
were carried out in dying condition,
in order to get rid of them" This, she
says, she did not say, but she asked
if in passing through the wards the
president did not notice the number Of