The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-07-19
THEY ARE BADLY SITUATED.
TYPHOID FEVER AMONG THE
TROOPS STATIONED AT TAMPA.

InceEsaut Rains Make the Camp Site
of the Second Georgia Regiment
Almost UntenabIe-Sand piles in
the Tents 20 Keep the Men Dry-A
Bridge 40 BE Built From the Colo
nei's Tent TO That of the Adjutant.
Lieut.. West Explains why He Did
Not Sooner Resign as Commits
sioner.
Lieut.. T. Newell West of the Savannah
Volunteer Guards arrived In the city from
Tampa On his first furlough yesterday.
Lieut. West was looking well, and from
all appearances camp life is thoroughly
agreeing with him. He was busy all day
shaking hands with his friends who were
glad to welcome him back if only for a
week.
According to Lieut.. West the situation
at Tampa is getting quite serious. The
troops. as is wei known, are camped near
Port Tampa, some ten miles from Tampa,
and in one respect the Second Georgia
Regiment finds that it has a disagreeable,
if not a rather dangerous, camping
ground.
There have been twenty cases of typhoid
fever in the division hospital, Lieut. West
said, and the patients all had 70 be sent
to Fort Mcpherson. There were cases in
the other hospitals, but he did not have
definite information about these. There
have already been two deaths from this
disease, one in the Sixty-ninth New York
and one in the First Florida Regiment
If something is not done pretty SOON"
Lieut.. West said, Il am afraid we will
have a good many more cases of typhoid
fever The trouble is with the sanitary
conditions around the place and the fact
that it is almost impossible to keep the
water from the heavy rains drained off
from or camp ground, makes 1t exceed
ingly dangerous for the Georgia regiment.
We are located in slight depression. and
the drainage of the place is a most difficult
problem.
1T rains there sometimes ten times a
day, and we are preparing now to build
pohtoon bridges from the adJutants tent
20 the coionePs headquarters so that COM
munlcation will not be interfered with
AS il is now there are times when the men
nave TO wade around IN water above their
compelled to pile sand up in their tents to
a hight of about two feet in order to keen
themselves from getting soaked at night
Then they dig trenches around their tents
outside to take the water off.
regard the place as one of the ilthiest
and most unhealthy that could be found
anywhere. and am afraid there will be a
good deal more sickness if we are NOT
moved soon. Efforts are being made In
that direction, but what will be done I do
not know now"
Lieut.. West was asked about his resig-
nation as member of the Board of
County Commissioners. He had very lit
tie 10 say on the subject except in expla-
nation Of why he did not tender his resIg
nation before.
Il received letter from one Of the com
missioners,' he said, Suggesting that I
resign as County Commissioner. and fllU
ly intended to do so. We were quite busy
al the time, and l was under the impress
sion that no action was to be taken until
the July meeting of the board. BY that
time l expected to be in Savannah on a
furlough, and il was my intention to at
tend to the matter then
what was my surprise a few days later
TO read in the Morning News that Commits
sioner Vests position on the board had
been declared vacant and another appoint
ment made. After that / paid no more
attention to the matter until 1t was taken
up by the Governor and he refused to al
low the place to be declared vacant, and
declined to issue the commission / did
not care to embarrass the board and so
sent my resignation to Gov Atkinson. I
regarded the Governor as the proper Off
c3al to receive my resignation, since my
commission came from him."
Lieut. West will remain in Savannah
about a week, unless ordered back to the
regiment before his time expires. Lieut.
West, it is said, is one of the most popu-
lar officers in camp, and knows more of
The officers of other commands than any
other lieutenant in Tampa. His friends
were all glad to see him here.