Evening star., 1898-12-02

W ~
been in Tampa l would have regarded it
| as my busine neSS''
Then il was the business of ;ba r,Daral
| in commando
We think so in the army ,onliel co1
Bird. ~
The witness went on to saw that ,be
/ quartermasters department thought that
| me vessels were only going to Havana and
| they lay a long time AT Tampa before II
suddenly became known that they were
| TO go to Santiago. He spoke of heiny ham,
perez ny the lack of vessels of American
! registry. There Were great many foreign
vessels. but they could not be chartered
without special act of Congress.
| Inc frst order received by the quarter
masters department was to provide
transportation for 5000 men to go
,, 10 cuba. This was proposed re-
| connaisance party. The next order was
| TO get ready for the army OF 2oato men fo
! be landed at Marel | supposed tnat the
men needed facilities for landing and sug-
sested to Gen. Miles that pontoon trains
| %e, Ce taken. The transports had surf boats
Col. Humphreys told me there We're enomeb
| surf boats to land all the men. When The
nhatter expedition left it had three steam
lishters two ordinary lighters and one
ocean ocean tug, but they did not all reach Santi-
Commissioner Woodbury. drew from, col
tlrd a statement with regard to Col Ham
phrey. who was sent to Cuba by Gen Nfilee
IT,, ne asked what Col. Humphrey would have
done In case Gems. Miles and Shafter ha1
given conflicting orders
| suppose he would have oheyed the
man with the greater rank | should"
the commissioners - H~
II was a mOoted question which had tho
srrater rank. interjected Capt Howell.
rms concluded the witness evidence and
he withdrew. ''''"
wagon Transportation
Coionel Crosby p. Miller of the quarter
master generals department was next
placed under oath and testified Former
Governor Beaver opened the examination.
The witness explained that his duties re-
lated wholly to wagon and horse transpor-
tation. He had nothing whatever to do
with that by rail or water In all AO0J
wagons We're purchased.
The department was not able Immediately
to supply all the ambulances called FOR by
the regulations, but the number WAS suffi-
cient for pressing needs.
Col Miller told of his trip July 20 to Mon
tauk to prepare for building Camp Wikon.
large quantity of lumber had been order
ed, but there was difficulty in providing
supplies for laborers. Nothing could be
hred for purposes of transportation, and
mules had to be sent from St. Asaph's, in
Virginia. Lumber was ordered as it was
needed.
Then You don't agree with the gentle
man who testified before us in New York
that houses could have been built for all
the troops in two days?" qusried Gov.
Beaver.
Hardly" replied Col Miller. "Of course
1t would have been very different if / had
been given two days notice of what was 70
be DONE
Alleged Defective Transportatfon
Mr.. Woodbury. then arose and informed
the witness that the testimony before the
commission is all one way. and that il has
been charged al
at Camp Wikoff were caused by lack of
wagons and transportation
How do you account for that he asked
We sent all that was asked for" said
witness.
Gen Dodge explained that the report of
tn" quartermaster general shows that
everything like tents and clothing was sent
to Montauk for 10000 men. Nov" he
continued, "how is 1t that transportation
was not sent there for 10000 men?''
cannot answer that" responded Col
onel Miller.
Did the quartermaster general look to
you to furnish the transportation"
Yes, sir
Then, if it was not furnished it was not
the fault Of the quartermaster general bur
your fault, or that of somebody eIse?''
sent all the transportation We had at
st ASaph s. said witness.
Gould you not get transporta ton else
w!2ere?'
No, sir
iit SOIIIHutu, saying that II is the duty
OF the quartermaster generals department
TO furnish all supplies without waiting for
speclhc instructions and to report to the
secretary of War the progress made. TIe
tnouSht the department had done its duty
W hen he came back from Montauk he re-
ported the conditions there to the Secretary
IL War. There had been DELAYS in the
|rk, he said, occasioned by having 10
wait Tor decisions by the qudrtermaster
general. To some extent these. caused en-
| harrassment, but he WAS not interfer,.,l
with by his superior officers in making his
contracts.
Recess was ordered here
Clothing and Equipment
The first witness after recess today was
Col William S. Patten, in charge of the
supply Of clothing and equipage in the
quartermaster's department.
Gen Beaver conducted the examination.
witness described the articles included in
the term equipage furnished by this bureau
SlatlhS that tents and such camp appli-
ances We're included
IN reply to question as to how MANY
tents were on hand at the beginning of
,he war ne SAID that tabulated statement
had been submitted to the commission in
answer to the questions submitted TO the
war Department at the beginning OF the
inquiry. lie had assisted in Drepa rincr II
and it was correct.
Witness said there had been no difficulty
IN supplying the demands of the army for
mess pans and other utensils Witness de-
scfloed the manner in which contracts for
supplies were made. Almost without eS-
cepnon during the summer contracts were
awarded after advertising