Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1898-10-27
THE INQUIRY BOARD.
Quartermaster Creager Testifes to
a Complaint About Clothing.
SOME PHYSICIANS INCOMPETENT.
Dr. Frye Thinks Typhoid Fever In the Jack.
sonvIile Camp Was Due Largely to the
Men-tien. Wiiiiston Praises the
Administrative Oficers

Administrative Onicera
jacksonville, Fla, Oct 2O.-The war
investigating committee began its
work in its new quarters at the Jack
sonville city hall yesterday with Maj.
Noble II. Creager, quartermaster, on
the stand He said there never had
been any serious shortage Of supplies
In the Seventh corps and he was sure
there had been no suffering caused by
deficiency OF supplies. In the begin.
ming Of the history Of the camp there
had been some complaint as to the
quality Of clothing, but there had
been an improvement in this respect
in recent months He had also had
some little difficulty in securing
proper assortment OF sizes, but had
been able to meet the demands Of the
men In this respect
Maj. Creager was followed BY Con.
gresham J. R. Campbell, colonel Of
the Ninth Illinois volunteers, who was
questioned in regard to the general
treatment Of the troops In the field
and asked for suggestions for the ben :
eft Of the service. He spoke in corn.
plimentary terms Of the administra-
ton Of the officers Of the army, saying
that acquisitions Of all kinds had been
promptly filed and that the quality Of
the articles supplied was generally
good. There had been some com.
plants, however, as to the character
Of the refrigerator beef, but in.
vestigation had developed the fact
that while the meat had been re.
ceived in good order 1t had spoiled
because Of exposure In hot weather.
The difficulty was overcome by ex.
changing the beef for han, no fresh
beef being now taken by the regiment
Col. Campbell expressed the opinion
that the principal cause Of sickness in
the camp was the drilling in the early
morning when the dew was on the
ground. This was the mistake Of his
regiment, as the command had been
anxious to excel, but they now had Sc.
cured revocation OF the order for the
drill and had discontinued the prac-
tice. He said there were very few OF
his men who were now homesick He
did not believe that to exceed five
per cent OF the soldiers would return
home In preference to going to Cuba
II given an opportunity to do So He
had no suggestion to make beyond
request that his regiment be supplied
with Krag.Jorgensen rifles, as his regi-
ment had taken first place for marks.
manship He also complained Of the
red tape methods Of the army, but
made no specifications. Col. Campbell
said he had been liberal in granting
furloughs and he thought the system
had good influence in quoting the
apprehensions OF friends at home.
DR.. R. D. Frye, major and executive
officer Of the Third division hospital,
testified as to the management Of this
institution and also to the manage.
ment OF the Second division hospital
at Montauk point lie condemned
some OF the methods in vogue in the
hospital and said that in many cases
the contract physicians and members
Of the hospital corps were incompetent.
He spoke Of the causes for the preva-
lence Of typhoid fever in the Jackson.
vile camp. He attributed it largely
to the age Of the men, young people
being more susceptible than those
more advanced in age to this disease
He also thought much was due to the
carelessness Of the men themselves.
He said that, in all the hospitals which
he had been connected, there had been
deficiency of bed linen. This had
been especially true at Fort McPher-
son. He expressed the opinion that,
in several instances, convalescents had
been sent away from the hospitals
with which he was connected before
they were sufficiently advanced to per.
init them to 20 in safety.
Col. BOWS, Of the Forty-ninth Iowa
regiment followed DR., Frye. He said
there had been no deficiency in the
commissary supplies. "The men have
the regular army rations," he said
land If they have not had enough the
fault is theirs"
Gen. Il, B. Williston, in command OF
the First brigade Of the Seventh corps
speaking Of the condition at Jackson.
vile, said he did not see that any fault
could be found with either the admin.
istrativc officers or the service per.
formed by them in either the medical,
commissary or quartermaster's depart
ments He had found the troops in |
his command splendidly equipped and
had found the regimental officers es.
pecially Jealous to maintain the best |
sanitary conditions possible.
Gen. Williston has been at Montauk
from the 10th Of August TO the 18th OF
September and had superintendent the
debarkation Of the troops and the 10.
cation Of the infantry regiments In
camp. Never" said he, was pref.
tier camp pitched in the United States
than was that camp at Montauk." He
said there were tents erected for 10, 900
men before the men arrived, and all
they had to do was TO walk into them,
and so far as the men who were not
sick were concerned, they were we'll
provided for.