Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1898-09-09
PRESIDENT AT wIKoFF.
Cheered the Sick Heroes OF the San
tiagO Campaign.

Camp Wikoff, Montauk Point, N.
Y, Sept. 6.-President Mckinley spent
five hours in the camp today. bare
headed most of the time, visiting the
sick in the hospitals and inspecting
the we'll in their cantonments. He
made a speech to the assembled in
fantrymen, reviewed the cavalrymen,
expressed his opinion of the camp to
the reporters, and issued an order di-
recting the regiments to return to
their stations east of the Mississippi.
With the president were Vice-Presi-
dent Hobart, Secretary of War Alger,
Acknowledgement Griggs, Senator Red
field Proctor, Brigadier-General Egan,
commissary of the army; General Lud-
ington, quartermaster of the army;
Colonel Henry Hecker, and Secretaries
to the President Porter and Cortelyou.
The ladies of the party were Mrs. AL
ger and Miss Hecker, a daughter Of
Colonel Hecker.
General Wheeler, his staff, and
nearly every officer of prominence in
the camp met the president at the sta
ton, except General Shafter, who is
still in bed, and General Young, who
fell and broke his arm last night.
After greetings and introductions on
the railway platform, the president
took General Wheeler's arm and went
to a carriage.
Colonel Theodore Roosevelt, of the
~ nf
horsemen nearby. Mr.. Mckinley saw
him and got out of the carriage to
speak to him. Colonel Roosevelt has
tily dismounted and tusseled with a
gauntlet for 15 seconds, so that un-
gloved he might shake hands.
The column of carriages wound up a
hill, escorted by the Third cavalry reg
iment, and the mounted band of the
Sixth cavalry. The party paused a
moment on the hill, and the president
looked out on the wide, undulating
camp, water bounding each side and
whitened on the levels and hilltops by
the tents of $4,000 men, laid out in
geometric lines. .S-'
Mr.. Mckinley drove to General
Skaters tent in the detention camp.
The general. who was flushed and
weak from a mild case of malarial
fever, was in full uniform, sitting in
chair at the door of the tent. He tried
to rise, but President Mckinley said:
"Stay where you are, general; you
are entitled to rest"
The president congratulated General
Shafter on the Santiago victory, and
after few minutes rest, proceeded to
the general hospital. The soldiers re-
Gently arrived on the transports and
detained in the detention section of
the camp lined up irregularly on each
side of the road and cheered. The
president took off his straw hat then,
and scarcely more than put it on for
more than minute or two at a time
during the remainder of his progress
through the camp.
Miss Wheeler, daughter OF the gen.
eral, happened to be in the first row of
the hospital tents, and she showed the
president through her division.
General Wheeler announced in each
ward: boys, the president has come
to see YOU" or, "Soldiers, the presi-
dent of the United States.'
Some of the soldiers slept uncon-
scious, some listlessly raised upon their
elbows, Others feebly clapped their
hands. Mr.. Mckinley gently shook
hands with many, and at every cot he
paused an instant. and if he saw the
sick man looking at him he bowed in a
direct and personal way.
In the second ward the president en-
tered, Sergeant John A. Alexander,
company d, First Illinois, who has
fever, was rather startled to hear Cen
eral Wheeler announce the president.
The sergeant half raised upon his cot.
Mr.. Mckinley, attracted by the move
ment, took Alexander's hands and
said
l am sorry to see you SO sick. I
hope that you are getting better"
THANK you; think | shall get
we'll"
"Do you wish for anythingG" asked
General Wheeler.
No, have everything good for me,
guess" Alexander replied wearily
but | wish were home"
Il hope that we may soon get you
there" said Mr.. Mckinley.
lie had many such bits OF talk with
the men, and seemed to be in no
hurry. He almost outwore the pa.
thence OF all his party by his slow.
going through ward after ward.
Ambushed by Indians.
Tacoma, WASH, Sept. 6.-The