Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-08-05
How the Artesian Wells to Obtain
Water Were Sunk.
CONVENIENCE ALONE CONSULTED
Some Were Placed in Close Prox-
unity to RegimentaI Sinks.
TYPHOID FEVER RAVAGES

| The location of Camp Alger was deter
mined by board of army officers, of which
| Capt. Martin of the quartermasters de-
p&rtment was one. Several sites on both
sides of the Potomac We're examined. and
| the ground owned by Mr. Campbell was
| finally selected. Even when the District
| regiment was at this camp 1t was dis
| covered that there was an insufficiency of
| water for the troops already on the ground
| and complaint made that it was an
error of judgment to establish a camp
which it was expected would contain
from 10000 to 10000 soldiers in a loca-
| ton where the natural water facilities
| were SO meager.
| AS eacn regiment entered camp and ire
ported to headquarters it was conducted
| to the ground previously picked upon for
| its Use. The assignment was made always
| by sort of board, consisting of Col. v.
S. Lusk, the engineering officer of the
corps; an aid from the Headquarters staff
and one of the officers of the medical de-
partment-three in number OF course this
board changed from time to time, but Col.
Lusk and Lieut.. Col A. C. Girard, the
chief surgeon, were almost always mem
bers. Col. Girard invariably inspected the
ground before approving the action of the
board. When the decision of this board
was announced the commander concerned
lad no choice. He simply directed to
proceed to the location indicated.
The Springs Condemned
Effort was made at first to provide each
regiment with water from the natural
springs about the camp, but as many of
these springs were soon condemned as I'M
healthful other water had to be obtained
For time 1t was drawn to camp from
wells two three miles distant This
method was only temporary, however, the
authorities having determined meanwhile
to bore an artesian well for each regiment.
IL was intended that these wells should all
be something over 100 feet deep because at
that depth, if there is any intervening rock
surface drainage is supposed to be without
effect. Colonel Girard fully concurred in
this supposition.
Drilling machines were obtained from
Washington, and work was begun about
two weeks after the camp was created.
There were but two machines, and they
Were kept going day and night. AS rapidly
a well was finished either Colonel Lusk
or one of his assistants would go to the
next regiment and ask the colonel to help
him select site for well. This might be
done independently of Me sinks, the engi-
peer officer alway9AexRlained, because the
water was to be drawtilfrom below ledge
of hard rock. u
Wells Near the Sinks.
Convenience was, accordingly, the only
thing considered. The@weTl sunk for the
Sth Ohio was within fifty yards of the reg-
mental sinks, and it was from this well
that the water supply of the LIST Division
hospital was obtained before it was moved
to Dunn Loring. The we'll of the Goth New
York is easily within stones throw of
the regimental kitchen sinks, and a place
in the woods used very generally as a uri-
nal. That used by the 9th Pennsylvania
when the regiment encamped near the
9th Illinois was afterward condemned as
full of organic matter in a state of
.ta
ter for more than 5000 men. In all the
camp not more than two or three wells
are a decent distance from the dumping
grounds into which goes all the refuse from
a camp of 1853 men.
CrOwding for Space. H-
In order to keep well within the ground
leased for occupation it became necessary
to crowd each regiment into the smallest
possible space. The effect of this was that
the tents Of the enlisted men were placed
close together instead of eight or more
feet apart, as provided in the regulations.
The men had hardly room to sleep. After
awhile even this space was lessened, the
| cause being the arrival of twenty-six re-
crults Tor each company. AS the camp
was already as large as 1t could be- it was
manifestly impossible to give these new
arrivals as much space they needed. In
some cases they were, made to double up',
d
tent.
Somewhere in the book of Army Regu-
iatlons is paragraph providing that while
IN the field no command shall stay longer
IN any one space than from three to five
weeks.
When General Butler came on the scene
his men had already outstayed their time
He at once set about hunting new ground
and found some hills near Dunn Lorng
that he thought would do very we'll
through some mistake his men were not
put on those Hills when they moved over
| but were stationed down in a valley in q
| place as bad as the old camp A statement
was issued by General Buffers adjutant
When the move began that the change of
quarters was due to a desire to get more
room, not to fear Of typhoid any other
disease.
Spread of Typhoid Fever.
Notwithstanding the statement indicated
typhoid fever began to spread at an alarm
ing rate before the first regiment had
broken camp. Previously-that is, until
about three weeks ago-the number of
cases reported each week did not exceed
twenty and was often less than ten. But
| 1T began to increase regularly about the
time General Butler determined to change
MS quarters and that increase has gone on
until during one day TUESDAY lasD fifty
TOUR new cases were sent to Fort Myer.
Out of this number three have been re-
turned to the division hospitals not af-
| fected with typhoid and about ten are reg
| istered as suffering from malaria some
| kindred ailment.
Explanations offered.
Explanations of the spread of the disease
are heard everywhere Some attribute 1t to
| drinking water not .boiled, some to the milk
sold the men. and some to the gases that
overhang much of the~low land in the coun-
| ty. Conservative opinion among the sur
SeonS inclineS to still another view. They
seem TO think thesVeyer traceable to two
| cause.-the long stay in one place ard the
| Juxtaposition of the sinks and the wells.
| The very ground HAS become inoculated.
they think, with the effuvia of the camp.
| In proof of this it may be noted that dis
| agreeable odors rise everywhere within the
picket limits after dark and that there are
| parts OF the camp where one can hardly
| walk because of the ever-prevalent bad
smells Ground and air alike are unhealth-
! rui and unpleasant to the senses. When 1t
rains the camp refuse is forced down to-
ward the source of water supply. 1t is said
that 1t can work its way seventy-f1ve feet
in three days During wet weather this
| rate Is, of course, accelerated. At any rate
4 A.