Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1898-09-01
WHO'S TO BLAME?
Stories of Neglect in Camps
Stir Up Officials.
TALK OF INVESTIGATION.
War Department Bureau Chiefs
Say Inquiry is COurted.
ALGER CORRECTS ABUSES.
His Visit to Camp Wikofr Has Resulted in
Much Good-He Calls to Account Men
Responsible for Neglect of the Sick Sol
diers.

| Washington, Aug. 27.-Gen. Corbin,
| adJutant general of the army, SAYS no
| complaint has reached the war depart
| ment from any major general, briga-
| dier general, colonel or men of the
army, regarding want, destitution or
lack of supplies for the care of the
troops. No demand has been made
for supplies other than the regular
| requisitions for troops which come in
| the ordinary routine way. Gen. Cor
| bin declines to be interviewed on the
| subject of the many stories afioat re-
| garding destitution and mismanage-
ment of the war, saying that the facts
| will come out in due time.
The whole department is greatly
| stirred over the many newspaper ac-
counts of what has been going on. and
| it is the subject of discussion every
| where about the war department, but
| apparently each head of a bureau be-
| lieves that an investigation of the sub
! iect will vindiCate him and his depart
ment. The officers in Washington say
| that the accounts of suffering have
| been exaggerated, but if there has
been suffering further than war natur-
| ally would bring, the fault has not
been with the officers in the depart
ment here. Each officer processes to
be willing that there should be an in
vestigation. Some officers say that it
will be necessary and that they will
welcome a complete congressional in
quiry which will bring out all the
facts.
There seems to have been neglect
in carrying out the order of the de-
partment which allowed 90 cents
| day to all soldiers in hospitals. the
amount to be "A general fund from
which could be drawn money to pur-
chase delicacies and neceSSares for
sick soldiers. This order is dated Au-
gust 10.
According to the records of the sur
geon generals othce it was received
there on the 18th and sent out to the
various officers on the 18th. 1t should
have reached these offices on the 18th,
especially those along the Atlantic
seaboard 1t seems, however, that if
it did reach them it was disregarded
by many surgeons. The surgeon gen
erals office complains that other or
ders sent out have not received the at
tentiOn which should have been given
them.
Officers at the war department dep
recatc the manner in which com
plants have been made. on the ground
that the whole matter will discredit
the American army and have bad
effect on discipline.
The president has received the fol-
lowing letter from Gen. Joe Wheeler
at Camp Wikoff:
81 was very glad to hear that you
would visit Montauk Point very soon.
The visit of the secretary of war has
accomplished more than | can express.
He has promptly corrected evils, made
valuable suggestions and given direc-
tions regarding administration. In ad-
dition his personal visit to 800 sick
soldiers in the hospitals has cheered
them up and it is difficult to adequate
ly convey to you the change for the
better since the secretary's arrival.
The announcement that you will visit
the soldiers has already added to this
Improvement and your presence here
for even single day will accomplish
good, the great extent of which you
can only realize after you have made
your visit
New York, Aug. 27.-Secretary Alger
yesterday resumed his work of invcs-
tigation of affairs at Camp Wikoff.
He gave first attention to granting 30
days furloughs to the men of the
Seyenty-firSt New York volunteers and
the Second Massachusetts. Gen. Alger
told the commanders of these regi-
ments to make out the list of all men
who were able to leave camp so they
can depart for their homes as soon
as possible. The Rough Riders are
also to be granted furloughs; so win
the Michigan volunteers.
At the expiration of their furloughs
the Seventy-frst's men will not return
to Camp Wil>off. but to Camp Black to
be formally mustered out. The Sec
ond Massachusetts men VIVA report at
South Pennington for mastering out
after their furloughs.
Gen. Alger has given notice that
sick regulars will also be allowed to
90 home on furloughs, so that within
a few days thousands of the men who
are now in camp will be away to make
room for those now transports in
the bav waiting to come ashore and
those expected on transports yet to
come from Santiago, including Gen.
Smarter ana MS SldH. tcH. AlPtT Salu
he did not know when he should leave,
as he wanted to see things in better
shape before he went away.
Gen. Alger while making his rounds
made a careful inquiry on routine
affairs and whether a sufficient sup
ply of ice and milk had been received
at the hospitals. When he found what
he considered neglect anywhere he
plainly called to account those respon-
sible.
Another transport reached the camp
Friday. 1t was the ID. II. Miller and |
she has the men of the First regular |
infantry, 376 in all, on board. Twenty
of them are sick, but there were no
deaths during the voyage. neither are |
there any of the sick men down with
contagious disease. There were two
deaths in camp yesterday.