Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1898-09-07
STORES LEFT TO ROT.
Effort to Fix Blame for the Failure
to Unload Supplies from La
Grando DuCheSS0.

New York. Sept. AT the beginning
of the war the steamship La Grande
Duchesse was chartered as government
transport from the Plant steamship line.
She took on troops at Port Tampa, ard
was one of the fleet that carried Shat
ter's army to Cuba. Some time before
she sailed she also took on u large guam
tity of subsistence stores.
Since then the vessel has been con-
stantly in the government service. A Few
days ago she arrived at MOntauk Point
with troops from Santiago. Later she re-
ported for orders at this port to Col.
Amos S. Kimball, deputy quartermaster-
general. AS the government mao no fur-
Their use for her, Col. Eimbal was or
dered to return the ship to her owners.
By the terms of the charter she was to
be discharged from the service at Sava2-
nah. The captain was ordered, therefore,
10 take her 20 that port. On Saturday
the captain walked into the office of Maj
Summerhayes, QuartermaSter, L. ). A,
one of Col. KimbalIs assistants, and is
reported to have remarked:
I'm ready to sail, but | thought I'd
tell you that there's a lot of provisions on
board my ship belonging to the govern
ment. Perhaps the government would
like to take them off
A smile went around the Office, and
the same old story. First it was 4 trans
port that returned to Tampa with mule
shoes for mules that the vessel had taken
tG Cuba. Then it was the Alamo return
ing here with the two pOntoon trains that
were said to be absolutely indispensa Bile
to the successful landing of the troops at
Santiago. The pOntOOns had never left
the Aamo's hold. Then the Breakwater
came along with lot of provisions in her
hC1l In bn1 nrho ciI
they were put aboard for MasSa chusetts
regiment early in May. The Vigilancia
next reported with q hold full of stores
that were intended for Cuba. but which
she had been carrying around since the
early days of the war. Now comes Ia
Grande DucheSse. What'u be the next:
If this keeps on we'll have fine lot Of
secondhand groceries on our hands,
The case CT La Grande Duchesse was
reported to Col kimball and he reported
the facts to the quartermaster- genera! at
Washington. recommending that Il board
of survey be appointed to find out why
the stores had not been unloaded in Cuba.
Brighten. George l.. Gillespie, com
manding the department of the East.
was ordered to appoint such 4 board. and
in his special order for doing this it was
specified that the appointees were ":1 de-
termine when and where the stores were
loaded. to whom or to what port they
were shipped. and fix the responsibility
for their condition and non-delivery"
The board is constituted as follows:
Capt. Henry l.. Harris First artillery;
First Lieut. Herman G. Schumm. Second
artillery: First Lieut. B. Frank Packard.
First Massachusetts Heavy artillery
The board convened with Capt Harris
as chairman. and paid visit to the ship,
which is lying at Pier IS North river.
1t was reported in the afternoon that
between 100 and 1900 tons of all kinds
of subsistence stores were slowed away
in her hold. There were hard bread and
bacon. canned meats. canned vegetables
and what not that should have been re-
tired On pension q long time ago.
After looking over the stuff the board
took the affidavit of the captain in which
the time and place of loading the stores
were given as we'll as the name of the CT
fcer to whom they were consigned and
the port Of consignment The board Will
conclude its Investigations today and
make report TO Gen. Gillespie Until then
no official statement about the inquiry
can be obtained. 1t was learned. how
ever, that the captain of the steamer
stated in his affidavit that the stores mad
been aboard the ship for about four
months