Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-12-03
TRANSPORTATION
Contracts Explained to the
War Investigation.
Railroad Rates Were Lower Than Or.
dinariIy Given to individuals.
Trouble in slowing Troops to Port Tampa
Caused by Plant System.

Washington, Dec. 2-The war an
yestirating commission resumed its
sittings in this city, today, Col. Charles
Bird being on the stand. During the
war he was on duty in the quarter
master generals office, having charge
of the transportation division. lie mao
charge in the beginning of the war OF
the purchase of mules and he beleved
the prices paid to have been reason
able. He said that contracts for rail-
road transportation We're mace in
Chicago. ST. Paul and other centers.
The prices secured We're lower than
ordinarily given to individuals, but
it had been found impossible to get
competitive rates from the railroad
companies. AS a rule the railroad
companies had been prompt in re-
spending to the terms Of contract,
but in some instances in the South
there had been some delay in the mat
ter of equipment.
In response to a request from Gen.
Wilson, Col. Bird explained the dlfil-
Guilty 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 TO cut
out the Florida Central Road from
carrying any of the government troops
or supplies and in order to accomplish
this result had put very high rate
on shipments between the two points
The congestion at Tampa was due &c
the fact that more supplies were SEM
to that point than could be handled
The rental paid for the chartered YES
sells for transportation were consider
ed very low.
Col. Bird also said that the trans
ports used between Tampa and San.
tiago had been fitted up only to carry
men and supplies to Havana, and this
was the reason they proved made
quate for trip of much long duration
Referring to the conditions at Montauk
Col Bird said that when Gen. Shaftel
sailed he was supplied with six lighters
but he had failed to take more than two
Col. C. T. Miller said difficulty had beer
experienced in getting ambulances. Ther'
had been no material difficulty in secur
ing horses, mules and harness. So fal
as he knew, there had never been an.
private influence in operation to contro
contracts in the interest of individuals.
Col. VIM. S. Patton, in charge of thu
supply and equipage division of the quar-
termaster's department was the next wit
ness. He was questioned concerning {
complaint made by Knox, the hat manu-
facturer, that a fraudulent contract fol
hats had been awarded to a Philadelphi;
firm and asserting that the department
as represented at Philadelphia was rot
ten and corrupt"
Col. Patton said he had this complain
thoroughly investigated by several Off
GERS, who had reached the conclusion tina
the hats accepted were superior to thos
offered by Knox. He said all the tent
had been bought that could be secured
regardless of quality. as poor tents wer'
better than none. He was satisfied ther'
had been no intentional fraud.
Capt. James Mckay, who had charge o
the details of the transportation of th'
troops to Santiago, said that complete ra
lions had been put on each ship and tina
the vessels mad not been overloaded. Thi
was contrary to previous testimony.
1t was true, as had been charged, tina
some of the stores had never been un
loaded, but this was due in the main t,
the fact that the stores were not needed
Inc lcHlS were HOT uIllOdueu LOT lack .
storage room on shore and because the.
could not be gotten to the front.
Capt. Mckay said there had been n
disposition on the part of the masters o
the transports to disobey orders or t
keep their vessels unnecessarily far GU
at sea, as had been charged. 1t was no
safe to hold the ships very close in. H
also denied that there had been any re
fusal to land medical stores. 1t had bee
impossible to secure labor assistance il
Cuba. the natives refusing even to assis
in landing food for themselves.
Capt. Mckay took exception to a refer
ence in Admiral Simpsons report as t
what he called the wandering proclivi
ties of the transports LAS a matter o
fact" he said, IF the transports devel
oped any wandering proclivities this fac
was due to the naval ORDERS
Capt. Mckay had not completed hi
testimony when the commission ad
journed for the day.