The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1898-08-28
go into the camp and thoroughly investi-

go into the camp and thoroughly investi-
| gate
| Here Major Bell produced from his
| pocket this official communication, writ
ten under a War Department heading
and signed by Adjt. Gen. H. c. Corbin:
ITO the Commanding General, Montauk
Point, L. l.:
General: Maj. Bell. DR.. Johnson, Capt.
| Johnson, Major Neumeyer and Capt. Ex-
ley are a committee on the part OF the
people of the District of Columbia who
| desire to meet the First District of Co
| lumbia Volunteers as soon after their ar
rival as possible The Secretary Of War
,directs that you extend to them all the
courtesies and consideration shown the
most favored under these conditions.
Major Neumeyer left for New York at
| 1915 o'clock yesterday afternoon and
| Capt Swagart quartermaster of the
| Fifth Battalion, District of Columbia Ma
! tional Guard, followed at 3:15 O'Clock
| Their purpose is to purchase some imme-
! date supplies which are to be taken TO
| Montauk Point on the first train TINS
| morning, after Major Neumeyer ana
| Capt Swagart have met the commiless
| at the Holland House.
1t is the opinion of the committee that
| the sick soldiers have been furnished
with too many pajamas and powder puiis
| and too little ice-cream and other hour-
| ishing refreshments. 1t is their purpose
after consulting the army physicians, 10
provide the sick boys and convalescents
with whatever may be pleasant ana pehe-
| fetal to their fevered and wasted iorHis.
Deaths In the Ranks.
| Referring to the deaths IN the ranks
! of the First District Regiment Major
! Bell remarked last night that the per-
| centage was small when the fact is con-
| sdered that the regiment left Washing
| ton about $50 strong. There have been
| but six deaths up TO this time-one died
after the regiment left Chickamauga; !;
another in the general hospital at Tam
pa; two died in Cuba and two other poor
| fellows passed away at sea and their
| bodies were consigned to old Atlantic
The forthcoming demonstration. Major
| Bell said, would be exclusively reception
| TO the First District Regiment. When
| cheer upon cheer greets the boys as they
! march along Pennsylvania Avenue, and
| there is a blare Of brass and blaze OF
| light. while sympathetic hearts sob with
! sympathy for the heroes who suffered IN
| Cuba, there win be two District of Col
| umbia military organizations absent.
! These are the engineer company and sig
nal corps of the District National Guard.
| Both of these organizations are now at
! the front doing good service and endur-
| ing the heat and hardships incident 10 a
| tropical climate.
The signal company is commanded by
] Capt. Lamar, and is considered one of
the finest detachments in the United
! States Volunteer Signal Corps. This de-
tachment is engaged in constructing and
operating military telegraph and tele-
/ phone lines in Cuba in and ah0nt Sam
| tiago.
In Porto Rico
The District engineer company is doing
excellent service in Porto Rico. When
! the American troops were quartered at
/ Tampa and the War Department realized
! the necessity for engineer soldiers, at
tentiOn turned to the District regi-
ment. Capt. II. B. LOCKER commanding
| Company II. was formerly surveyor of
/ the District. and he was selected to form
! an engineer company. He chose the one
under his command. They were sent to
a separate camp and trained for their
special service. Then they were sent to
Porto Rico and arrived with Gen. Miies's
command.
They were with the marines on the
:
when dispatched to the assistance of the
sailor boys. Later they constructed pom
toon bridges at Guanica, where they were
| left on guard duty and win not return to
| the United States in time for the grand
! ovation to be accorded their comrades
| who were with them when at Camp Aiger
and Tampa. The latest reports from Por
to Rico. however. show that they are in
excellent health and have had very lit
tie sickness
Commissioner Ross is aware that fever
and suffering have enervated nearly the
entire District regiment and in addition
to medical attention they viii require
nourishment and comfort.
He said last evening TO The Times rep
resentative; Il am not informed just ex-
! aeuy what our boys Will need, If any,
| thing, but arrangement has been made
to meet any demand whatever. I do not
! anticipate, however. that much will be
needed, but of course we do not know"
Gave Up His Vacation
DR.. H. L. q. Johnson, who went to New
! York last night with the committee in
his professional capacity, is one of the
best-known and most popular physicians
in Washington. DR.. Johnson had lust
| completed arrangements for a trip to
! his vacation, when he was asked to
serve on the visiting committee Without
/ the slightest hesitation or thought for his
/ own comfort he promptly consented to go
/ and do what he could to make the suf-
/ fering District soldiers comfortable. When
! seen last night by a reporter for The
! Times he was very busy arranging his
! affairs in order to be able to leave the
! city with other members of the COM
mittee.
Il do not know just what we will do
yet he said in answer to a question
! from the reporter ITO tell the truth,
! have not had time to think about it, as
! / did not know we would leave the city
so soon and am, consequently, rushed
completing arrangements to have my pa
tients attended to- l expect. though,
that we will make thorough investiga-
ton of the transports on which the troops
are quartered and I will examine the
men professionally and determine what
they need.
.'If the reports are true which we have
about the scarcity of the food we will
have to be very careful how We feed the
men, as too much to eat in case of this
kind would be as fatal as no food at all.
Rev Samuel Domer, one Of the most
untiring and Jealous members of the re-
lief association was seen by Times rep
resentative last night. He said the mat
ter of furnishing nourishment and dell
cacies for the sick members Of the Dis
trict regiment had been considered by his
organization. but they had deferred to
the citizens committee, of which Major
Sylvester is chairman.
major Bell and the select committee on
the condition of the regiment are doing