The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-10-20
THE WAR INQUIRY
CONTINUED From First Page.)

and were generally "a scabby looking
lot not mt to adorn any walk OF ne.
He also spoke deprecatingly of the con-
tract surgeons saying that he would not
be willing to trust his family or frlends
to fifty per cent of them.
"Many of Them he said, ARE recent
graduates from Medical institutions, ana
| do not consider the average medical
graduate capable of taking charge OF
from twenty-five to fifty typhoid FEVER
cases" There was, he said, no proper
opportunity for consultation with supe-
rior officers as the latter were as RUE
so generally occupied with their admins
trative duties as to prevent thelr giving
close attention to professional matters
unless especially called upon. lie con
sidered this system wrong and expressed
the opinion that there should be more SUI
pervision in serious cases in the hospital
on the part of experienced men. In re-
ply to a request from General Dodge,
Major Frye gave his opinion as to the
origin of the popular excitement concern
ing conditions at Montauk Point while
the troops were stationed there. lie
said that from fifty to seventy-hye per
cent of the men were sick when they
vision had been made for them. AS
consequence many were compelled to lie
upon the bare ground and they naturally
suffered from exposure. He also as
serted that reporters of the many news
papers had been sent to the camp under
instructions to find all that was bad and
nothing that was good.
SUPPLIES IN PLENTY.
'Do you know this of your own per-
sonal s,Inowc'l3e?' he was asked, aud
he replied, "No, but | was told it by men
who talked with the reporters"
Colonel BOWS, of the Forty-Ninth Iowa
regiment followed DR.. Frye and he wa
in turn followed by various members of
his regiment Colonel Bows said there
had been no deficiency in the commissary
supplies. 1.-THE men have the regular
army rations," he said, land if they have
not had enough the fault is theirs"
He had had some complaints against
the meat, and in all cases the undesirable
article was exchanged upon application
and without going through the form of
condemnation. Speaking of the medical
supplies, Colonel Bows said that ply
sician whom Governor Shaw had sent
to the camp had spoken with surprise
of the variety and quality OF the medi-
cines and medical appliances on hand.
General Il. Il. WillistoI., in command
of the First brigade of the Second divis-
ion of the Seventh corps was questioned
about various points, having been sta
toned at Camp Thomas, MontaGk Point,
Admission and other points before coming
to jacksonville. He said principal the OBJ
lection he had to Camp Thomas, was the
fact that it was impossible on account of
the formation of the ground to have
sinks more than two Or three fcet in
depth. There had also been an insuff-
cheney of water in the beginning Of the his
tory of the camp. The water was taken
from wells, and while he did not believe
the wells were contaminated from the
surface. he thought it had too Gluch mag
nesia in it to be wholesome. He had
found difficulty in getting sufficient
water for stock at that period bar Gen
eral Boynton had afterwards constructed
two wells in the vicinity of his camp thus
removing this objection.
WILLISTON PRAISES MONTAUK.
Speaking of the conditions at Jackson
fault could be found with either the adj
ministrative officers or the service per-
formed by them in either the medical,
commissary and quartermaster depart
ments. Most of his staff officers were
volunteers but he had found them very
efficient. He had also found the troops
in his command splendidly equipped and
the regimental officers especially zeal
Gus to maintain the best sanitary condi-
tons possible.
General WllistOn had been at Montauk
from the 10th of August to the 18th Of
September and had superintendent the de-
barkation of the troops and the location
of the infantry regiments in camp
Never" he said, was Il prettier camp
pitched in the United States than was
that camp at Montauk."
He said there were tents erected for
10000 men before any men arrived and
all they had to do was to walk into them
so that so far as the men who were not
sick were concerned, they were well pro-
vided for. He said the site was splendid
ly adopted to camp service and that the
camp was abundantly supplied with
stores of all kinds.
WORN OF THE SUB-COM MIL i E.
jacksonville, Fla. Oct. ia special
to the Times Union and Citizen from
Tampa says:
"rhe subcommittee of the war inves-
tigating commission began its work here
early this morning. Captain Brown,
acting quartermaster, took charge of the
committee and afforded them every
facility for doing business. All the
camp sites were visited and Colonel J..
b. Anderson, president of the board of
trade, was called upon. He told the
committee how the army business was
transacted here, giving them great deal
of information. The committee spent
this afternoon pushing its investigation
at Port Tampa. The work there was
completed and the party returned to this
city and were dined by Colonel Anderson