The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-08-11

occupancy of 1900 men. some 5000 of
! whom are expected to arrive here IN a
condition of illness, day and night work,
I urged with uncommon energy, will be
! necessary.
Thousands of tents muct be provided,
for it is impossible that Major-General
Skaters corps may not bring Its tents,
infected as the medical officers may deem
! them to be; and, at any rate, the tents
for the immense field hospital, which is
/ to be established. Will be entirely pro-
vided here from mostly new material.
and II is to be wholly ready to the last
detail, if possible, upon the arrival of the
first troops. for 1t is taken for granted
that the first to be sent from Santiago
will be those VINO need it most, that is,
the men who are not too i'll to be moved
nor well enough 10 stay longer than they
can be embarked. In addition TO procur-
ing the tents, which may not be easy to
do-the government demands having all
ready, 1t is understood, gone far TO ex-
| haust the available stock of canvas in
the hands Of the manufacturers, and, in
addition, transporting and erecting them,
there will devolve upon the depot quarter
master, the depot commisary, and the de-
pot medical supply officer, the task OF
providing and transporting to the camp
ground. immense stores of rations, or
clothing-of which the army, it is expected
will be found to be in considerable need
and of hospital and medical supplies. After
all these things are on the spot will come
the labor of ordering and disposing them
in word. the task of con-
structing a hospital of the capacity
and of a character to render 1t habitabIe
for what may prove TO be a considerable
period. Just how well prepared the depot
officers at this point may be to meet the
demands thus suddenly and overwhelm-
ingly thrust upon them, is difficult to as
certain. but all these officers are believed
to be highly capable, and have had an
experience, and an opportunity to accu-
mulate material, which ought, 1t is said,
to place them abreast of the emergency.
One thing has been settled, namely the
mode of transportation from these waters
to the camp ground. 1t has been definitely
ascertained that, from a point of view
of place suitable for the landing of
troops, the selection of Montauk Point is
unfortunate. 1t was thought that the
4ANli uONh4llS IdCliilIeS-SCNeTdl miles away
there might be found adequate with the
transports arriving one at time but they
may possibly arrive several at a time
and it has been determined not to keep the
soldiers on shipboard one minute longer
than is necessary. the long confinement
and all-too-possible crowding being con-
sidered almost as detrimental to health
as camping in Cuba But even the trans
ports should come singly, the landing
facilities would prove totally inadequate,
for the facilities consist of nothing more
than one small and rickety pier at Fort
Pond Bay, just sufficient for the accom-
mediation of fishing smacks. and therefore
ludricously unequal to serving the re-
Guirements Of an ocean steamer. AS an
alternative it was suggested to the de-
partment that the troops should be de-
barked directly opposite the camp-ground
where there are no piers or docks what
ever-lighters being used to convey the
troops from the anchorage of the steamers
But this suggestion was discarded as
being slow and difficult. and involving IN
necessary hardships upon soldiers who
have already endured more than their
due share; landing IN boats and lighters,
II was concluded, should be left for hos
tile .and semi-civilized shores, and should
~ be attempted so near the port OF
- chief city Of the United States. There
debark the troops al this port and trans
port them TO the camp over the rails Of
the Long Island Railway company. This
plan has been officially adopted. So to-
day declared Col. Amos S. KimbaI, de-
pot quartermaster.
The agreement which has peen entered
into by the government and the Long
Island Railway company provides that the
latter shall furnish transportation for
loops from Long Island City TO the sta
ton al Fort Pond Bay az the rate OF one
cent per mile for each individual. and shall
furnish transportation for all manner OF
freight which II may be necessary or de-
sira5,e 20 despatch al discount OF 8