The age-herald., 1898-10-21
COL. BRYAN
 WAS EXCUSED VIII Not Testify Before the InVes-
 tigating Commission MORE WH|TEWASH APPLIED Witnesses Reluctantly Admitted Governments Shortcomings. TAINTED MEAT WAS FURNISHED Red Cross Society AIIeviated Much of
 the Suffering in Camps. THE MEDICAL STAFF EFFICIENT
Red Cross Society AIIeyated Much of
 the Suffering in Camps.
THE MEDICAL STAFF EFFICIENT
Although Many of the Surgeons Were Not Supplied With the Admins trative Ability Necessary to
 Their Important Position.

JackS0nVllle, Fla, october 20-General Wilson and Captain Howell, constituting the subcommittee appointed to visit and report upon the conditions of the camp at Fernandina made their report to the full commission today. The following Is the important part of the document: We carefully examined the site of the camp of Pennsylvania volunteers, which it has bsen reported was a tropical jungle worth less land, uncleared and upon clearing which the troops are said to have worked like slaves until 1t was fit for a camp. While your committee cannot state the condition of this land when the troops rived, it found no appearance of tropical jungle here or in the vicinity. There were no evidences of there having been serious work in preparing the camps, although, as Is usual, there were small bushes, vines,
 low palms, and scattered here and there and all over the camp adjacent Altogeth- CT the committee was favorably impressed with the character of the site selected.
 "The land occupied by the Third Penn sylvania at Fernandina as a camp is at the present time the property of the state of Florida.
 "The water was piped without expense to the camp at Fernandina and from an artesian well about 600 feet deep, the SUD- ply was unlimited. The water had slight sulphur taste, which, 1t is said, some of the troops disllked and occasionally used surface water The location of the hos pitals as pointed out to us were on high ground, well drained and apparently well settled. The mayor of Fernandina inform ed us that Major Hendley, the surgeon in charge of the camp, had stated to him just before the troops left that the number of sick was $40.
 Was Well Selected
 .'Your committed therefore, has the honor to report that in its opinion the camp was well selected, that probably the site was equal in all respects to any other that could have been found on the Florida coast that from the information they ob- tained and what they saw, 1t was far from being tropical jungle, and that the cer- tifcate of the county clerk indicates that no government official was interested in the land: that the amount of work done in clearing the underbrush was no greater than might have been expected at almost any locality in the south selected for camp ing purposes; that the site was well drain- ed the water for drinking and cooking pur- roscs good and the bathing facilities at the sea beach excellent
 Major James E. Pitcher, regular army depot surgeon for the Seventh army corps, said that since the early days of the camp there had been no dlinculty in securing abundance of medical supplies, and that they were much more plentiful, and even In greater variety, than usual in the regular army In the first history of the camp sup plies were ordered from Tampa and 1t was difficult sometimes to secure supplies. lie thought the medical staff here was efficient as physicians, but they were without ad- ministrative ability. Many of them knew nothing Of formulating acquisitions, and were not disposed to learn. To this, pr. Pitcher attributed the fact that so much relief society supplies were asked for in preference to those furnished by the gov ernment He thought that if the physicians mad understood this line of their business they need not have called upon the re- lief associations to such an extent Still tho relief associations were supplied with ready money and could supply all articles required immediately. Furthermore, there was no responsibility on the part of sur geons for the articles secured from out side sources as there was for government supplies.
 Pitcher Closely Questioned
 Dr. Conner questioned the doctor closely on this point, saying to him that the coun- try had been told that the medical depart ment was not capable of meeting the de- mands made upon 1t. and but for the re- lief of such societies there would have been actual suffering To this Dr. Pitcher re- piled that such was not the case and main- tained the ability of the government to take care of itself.
 Captain John M. Swatak, of Company L., Second Illinois. complained that on two or three occasions the fresh meat furnished half the men had been poor but on all ott- CT occasions had been good and ample
 General Dodge told the captain that there had been complaint from almost every man in the company in regard to their break lasts and suppers. Captain Swatak renlied that he had eaten the same food given the men, and that 1t was satisfactory to him. He said. however that he did not ordfnart- y inspect the meats Of the men. Sergeant A. F. Lorenzo of the same company ad- mitted tiiet there was some complaint of the mer but that the complaints were due to the fact that half the men were home- sick.
 Colonel Taylor, of the Fourth Virginia regiment was the first witness before the commission at the afternoon session. He said he had no complaint whatever to make concsr:lng any department of the govern