New-York tribune., 1898-12-03
THE ARMY INVES rIGATION,
SESSIONS IN WASHINGTON RESUMED 81
THE COMMISSION. ,',
EVIDENCE RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION oIvK,s
CAPTAIN MKAY DENIES CHARGES RE-

CAPTAIN MKAY DENIES CHARGES RE-
GARDlNG THE SANTIAGO TROOP SHIPS.
Washington. Dec 2-The War Department In
vestgating Commission resumed its sittings IN this
| city to-day. Colonel Charles Bird being the hrst
witness. He duty in the Quartermaster-
Generals office. having charge OF the transporta-
uoh DIVISION He had charge In the beginning Of
me war OF the purchase Of mules. and he believed
ihe prices paid TO have been reasonable He said
that contracts for railroad transportation were
made In Chicago. st. Paul and other centres be-
fore the beginning Of the movement Of troops
Inc prices secured were lower than ordinarily given
10 individuals. but 1t had been found impossible
10 get competitive rates from the railroad COM
panies. In some the officers IN the field
had not secured as low rates he had considered
possible. and In such instances he had interfered.
generally with the result Of getting better figures
THE TROUBLE AT TAMPA
In response to request from General Wilson,
| Colonel Bird explained the difficulty in getting
troops from Tampa TO Port Tampa which was he
said. due TO the fact that the Plant system which
controlled the only line from Tampa to Port
Tampa, wanted 10 prevent the Florida Central
road from carrying any troops supplies and in
order to accomplish this result had put high rate
on shipments between the two points. In
quence or this position taken by the railroad COM
pany orders had beer given that not a dollar
should be paid for Transportation over this road
until proper rate should be made and as a con-
sequence no payments had been made for this
service TIE congestion at Tampa due to the
| TACT that more supplies were sent TO that point
! than could be handled
Referring to the conditions at Montauk Colonel
Bird said n contract had been made with the Long
Island road to carry troops at 1 cent mite on
' the condition that all the Governments business
with the camp should be carried this road ex-
cept that by Government transports
General Dodge questioned Colonel Bird about tha
| ma of fFykt
the fact that he had suggested TO General Miles the
use OF pontoon trains When General Shafter
/ sailed he was supplied with six lighters but he
mad failed TO take more than two
,o Colonel Crosby T. Miller. also Of the Quarterma.-
coone Ts9 BrS HAT m Iy rail- and y water
saHu wagons nad been purchased for the usa ~
nr;a the Army an and it had oeen impossible at the be-
Of fact ali IN" he ~,,nan, orSsr, 'Se SaS Ss ds
osen n,lsd yet Even greater difficulty had been
eAPerlenceI IN getting ambulances. There had be<Y
h no material difculty In securing horses mules and
Colonel William s Patton in chars. Of N. ann.
Ply ana eGupase division OF the ouarermasePs
nepar'ment nodn me- was The first witness OF the after
noon re was questioned concerning a complaint
made by Knox. the hat manufacturer thar a
contract for hats had been awarded to
partment par as represented at Philadelphia was rot.
tss en ana rGsrup Colonel Patton said he had had
EEincers VINO had reached the conclusion that the
Knox. '''''o' u 'nose oHered oy
Colonel Patton said no outside influence had any
tracts for tents. clothing etc. and only on rsre
occasions had contracts been awarded except upon
| CAPTAIN MKAY'S TESTIMONY
Captain James Mckay. an old sea CAPTAIN IN
| Florida and Cuban waters who under Cener.I
Humphrey hal charge OF the details Of the trans
portation OF the troops to Santiago proved an In.
portant witness He said that complete ratfons
naa oeen put on each ship, and that the vessels
mad not been overloaded This contrary %
previous testimony. also later staten emit
that the vessel which each command was to oc-
cupy had been designated before embarkinr He
emphasized this fact saying the designation had
oeeh made by General Shafter. and the colonel Of
each OF the regiments informed In each case
ne said there was no confusion when the troops
Il say emphatically there was no disorder and
regiments found their quarters without trouble or
regiment" asked ex Governor Beaver
a iney were assigned to the Yucatan: and there
1T has been reported TO us" said ex x-Governor
Beaver. that they seized the vessel. Was that
mo. it not true" the witness replied Tho
9ucatan was placed in the canal and the Rough
sci according TO directions. They did seize tho
vessel; because there was no necessity that they
CAPTAIN Mckay also said there had been no con-
had been oaded in an orderly There Ws
list showing what articles were in each vessel.
and there had been no mixing OF the various kinds
OF the stores had been unloaded but
this due in tho main TO the fact that tho
stores wee not needed. The tents were not
loaded for lack Of storage room on shore. and be-
cause they could not be taken 10 the front
Captain Mckay said there had been no dispos-
ton the part Of the masters OF the transports
to dsobey orders or TO keep their vessels unneces-
sarily far out AT sea. as had been charged There
authority To do so, and who knew nothing OF the
the local conditions 1t was not safe 70 hold
the ships very close in. He also denied that there
had been any refusal TO land medical stores. ft
had been impossible 10 secure labor assistance in
Cuba, the natives refusing even to assist in land
ing food for themselves. He satisfied that am
! troops and supplies. and that there would have
been no difficulty II all the lighters had been avail
able AS II was. four lighters had reached Bal
quIri and not as had been reported.
Admiral Simpsons report TO what he called thu
wandering procvities Of the transports. As q.
matter OF Fact" he said. III the transports de-
veloped any, wandering proclvi,tes this fact Wa
vessel had made the rounds the first night after
arrival TO allow the officer In command TO Inform
the commanders Of the transports that change
had been made ir the directions for landing. He
thought Captain Hunker had given this information.
and he had stated that they were 10 pursue n
south southeast course. lie had saIu nothing as IN
course pursued indefinitely would carry them six
points of the coast This order led the transport
officers generally to conclude that they were 10
sail to Porto Rico and as a matter OF fact ths
lost twelve hours on account or the ORDER, only
coming back when she found that none or tho meet
were with her.
when the Commission adjourned for the day
>-
cTYTEES MILLS To RE CLOSED.