Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-11-01

ern tour mere to-day, anu 1T " WIN
tonight left for Washington. expecting
10 arrive there about II o'clock to-mor-
row.
II is the present intention that the COM
mission shall go to Camp Meade soon
after their arrival in Washington, and
Ex-Governor Woodbury. will proceed to
Vermont, as a subcommittee. TO take
testimony there.
The commission devoted the forenoon
TO inspecting the camps and the AFTER
noon 10 taking testimony. They found
a division OF troops here under the COM
mand OF Colonel Kurtz, OF the SECOND
Ohio. and while they had no personal
criticism 10 express against him. some
of the commissioners expressed the opln-
ion that the command was too large 10
be entrusted TO an officer below the rank
OF brigadier. The transfer Of Colonel
Kurtz 10 the command Of the division
leaves the brigade 10 which PTS regiment
is a part in command Of Colonel Young
the colored colonel Of the Third North
Carolina.
FACTS SUPPRESSED.
The first witness before the commits
sion was DR.. j. F.. Martin, contract
physician from Ohio, who was at ChlcKa-
manga. He repeated his expression OF
opinion that the water in the pipeline
system at Chickamauga was oontami-
mated by the water from Cave Spring
creek. He said that after he had first
expressed the opinion. saying that at the
same time the facts in regard to the ex-
istence of typhoid was being suppressed,
he had been summoned by General Sheri-
dan and told that he must retract imme-
diateIy or submit TO q court-martial, but
he declared that he had done this to pro-
mote discipline, and not because he mad
changed his opinion as to the pollution OF
the water.
He read a statement from the pumping
station engineer to tns erect that the
new channel of Cave creek was not COM
pleted until August 9Th, and that previous
10 this time the cree, emptied into Chick
amauga river just above the mouth of the
take-in pipe of ,-.e pipeline system. lie
also expressed the opinion that the Jay
Mill spring at Chickamauga was also con-
taminated from the surrounding sinks.
DISEASE DUE TO WATER SUPPLY.
Dr. Park Myers, a contract surgeon
from Ohio who was engaged in the hos
pital of the Second Division Of the First
Corps at Chickamauga, differed from most
of the physicians In his estimate OF
typhoid. He said that while many believe
that 80 per cent. Of the sickness at the
camp was typhoid. he did not believe that
more than 50 per cent. was of that char
acter. He also took issue w4,n those who
charged that IL was due TO the flies, at
tributing it TO the water. He thought
most OF the diseases at Chickamauga
Park were miasmatic. He said ii was
true that on some occasions it was neces-
sary to have patients in his hospital lie
on the ground for as long as ten hours
at a time until provision could be made
for them.
Colonel G. Hughes, division superintend-
ent Of the Southern railway, testified to
tue troubles encountered in moving troops.
The soldiers had genera--y co-operated in
the work Of the railway companies, but
there had been some disoruer at times
He mentioned one instance in which Com
pany L. Of the fifth Pennsylvania, had
broken up all the furniture of two cars
near Lexington, Ky. on the plea that
the cars were not fit for the soldiers to
travel in.
ENQUIRY AT LEXINGTON
LEXINGTON, KY, October 31.-General
Dodge, General Sexton, and DR.. Conner,
of the War Investigating Commission, ar
rived here from Chicksmauga at 1G o'clock
in General Dodge's car Ambuiances were
summoned from Camp Hamilton, and the
commission started for the camp at ii
o'clock Returning to town about 3
o'clock the commission vert into SEES
sion at their rooms at the Phoenix Hotel,
and began the hearing of testimony.
Major-General James IL. Wilson, now
commanding the First Army Corps, was
with the First Division, First Army
Corps, at Chickamauga. He left there
with his command about July list, bound
for Porto Rico. At Charleston he was
kept some two weeks or more, and did
not know whether it was on account OF
q lack Of transports or what. Here the
typhoid-fever broke out, and when ne did
get off he had TO leave seventy cases OF II
behind. The Decentralization at Porto
Rico, he said. took eleven days, when 1t
should have been accomplished in two.
This, he claimed, was on account of not
having steam launches, for which he mad
asked the department in vain.
SICKNESS THE MEMS OWN FAULT.
General Wilson said he had found the
government rations good and sufhcient.
The most of the sickness among the
troops was caused by the mems eating
fruit and trash.
81 consider Chickamauga Park one OF
the finest camps in the world" said Gen
eral Wilson. II never saw its superior,
unless it is Camp Hamilton, here at Lex
ington."
CAPTAIN Charles w. Golden, commissary
of the Second Brigade, Third Division
First Corps. testified that on nearly all
occasions he had found the rations good
and in sufficient quantities, and that all
reduisitions made had, he thought, been
honored as promptly as possible. He said
at one time lot of bacon was found that
had become infested with maggots, but
that as soon as it was brought to the at
tenton of the authorities 1t was promptly
condemned.
HOSPITALS ALI BAD.
Lleutenant-Colonel Frank d. Baldwin,
inspector-ge on General Wilson's
stan. and who was on General Wades
staff at Chickamauga. gave some sensa-
tional testimony concerning the condi-
tions there.
when the camp was first established
there" ne said, IT did not inspect a sin
gle hospital but that / found 1t In a
filthy condition. Reports were made or
this 10 the commanding general, and i'm
provements could be observed for few
days. but in a short time matters were
Just as bad as ever. About the time the
camp was broken up this had been cor
rected to a large extent"
Colonel Baldwin further said that he
had known acquisitions to be made fire.
quently and not 90 be honored. This was
especially true in regard to the Second
Division. Third Corps.
DISGRACE TO THE SERVICE.
DR. Conner. OF the commission. said:
"Thcre has been more disgrace brought
ta1 fof al