Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-11-16
cRlrlclzEs SKATER.
Continued from page ~

covered. The general replied that nee
essarily some of the sinks had been left
uncovered, that it was the difficulty af-
Ter q large army evacuating camp
He said that he had foreseen this and
had asked $500 from Washington for
the purpose of putting the sinks in
proper condition. This money had not
arrived before his departure, but he
supposed it had arrived later,
Capt. Robert w. Dowdy, who was
master of transportation at Montauk
stated that at the beginning of the his
tory OF the camp, the supply Of trans
portation facilities was inadequate,
though they were afterwards improved.
While there had been much criticism
of the railroad running to the camp, he
thought 1t had answered the demands
upon it very satisfactorily. He said
there was not a sufficiency of ambu-
lances, but that there were enough of
them to carry all sick soldiers who
were not able to walk. 1t was not true
that these vehicles had been used for
purposes other than those for which
they were intended.
DIR. L. A. Magruder, local physician,
testified to visiting Camp Alger on
ShACC ulilcIeilL oCCdSlOIS. Tie SAID ne
had found the tents too near together
and the sinks very near the kitchens in
many Instances. The surface water
was bad and he always thought the
presence of SO many hucksters about
the camp was responsible for about SO
per cent. of the sickness.
DR.. William G. Weaver of the 9th
pennsylvania Volunteers, testified at
the afternoon session AMI proved an
important witness, as he gave detailed
information concerning the conduct of
1egimental hospital at Camp Thorn
as. DR.. Weaver said that typhoid had
broken out about the 18th Of June and
that it had increased from that time
until the Goth of August. There had
been about 600 cases of this disease in
the regiment and IS or so deaths. The
doctor said there was an insufficient
supply of drugs and that at times he
failed to get what was needed. Qui-
nine was one of the articles of which
there had been a scarcity and 100, 900
pills were secured from home. He said
that at one time there We're IS typhoid
patients in the regimental hospital be-
cause there was no accommodation for
them in the division hospital. AT
another time there was 81 fever pa
tients in the company tents for whom
admission could not be secured in any
hospital, division or regimental.
In summing up the cause of disease
in the camp DR.. Weaver included
overworking the men as one. The
first reveille sounded at 430 and after
that time men We're kept quite con-
stantly engaged with drills and other
exercises until 6.15, Notwithstanding
the weather was intensely hot. He al
so expressed the opinion that the
water from Chickamauga creek was
polluted. He considered the water IN
this stream as hardly fit to battle in,
much less to drink. His information
was that there We're sources of con-
tamination above the intake pipe Of
the pipe line system. The doctor adj
mitted that he had never visited the
creek at the pumping station.
DIR. Weaver related his difficulties in
securing tents for the regimental hos
pital and he said that in one ease
Chief Quartermaster Lee had refused
to allow the regiment to have q tent
which was stored and which was ITS
property. Col. Lee said that the tent
could not be taken out except in the
proper military manner; but the regi-
ment had never been able to ascertain
what he required and had never Sc
cured the tent. The defect was sup
pliel by taking the officers mess tent
for hospital purposes.
Gov. Beaver, member of the com
mission, expressed the opinion that
this conduct on the part of Col. Lee
was an outrage and he said the only
mistake that the doctor and his col
onel had made was that they had not
taken the colonel by the nape of the
neck and kicked him out of the camp"
Continuing, DR.. Weaver said that he
had been the only surgeon on duty with
his regiment. the other two being detailed
to other service. He had been duty
as long as ~ hours at a time, but he had
never made any complaint, because II
was generally known that the surgeons
IN the headquarters We're oVerWorked.
The witness expressed the opinion thar
the hospital facilities should be furnished
article of property in the hospital had
been thus supplied, the citizens of Penn
sylvania buying beds. blankets. sheets
and all the food, ice and milk that had
been there. They had expended over $500
5 on the hospital alone
Major Louis a; La Garde, regular
division hospital at Siboney said the
transports taking troops to Cuba We're
. OvercrOWded and the air was very fetld
and hot. On his steamer, the Saratoga.
Is cases of fever had developed going
over. He had received his first patients,
July /, from Aguaderes and FL Caney.
and by July 1, 400 or 800 patients had been
received. The majority of them were
shipped north as rapidly as possible.
The men sent north were supplied with
all that could be spared. but the hospital
authorities felt that those who wenG
north, even though short in attendance
and in supplies We're taking fewer
chances than those who remained. as yell
low fever was even then beginning to
make its appearance. The orders Were To
send only such men as could depend
upon themselves. lie said he had oh-
tanned from the Red Cross Society all
that he had asked Tor. Miss Barton had
apologiZed for not being able 20 suDDly
more, saying that she had only expected
to be called upon to aid Cubans and nor
our troops. However, she said the North
ern soldiers should come first. Further
more, Miss Barton had supplied atteu-
dantS for one of the hospitals.
Dr. Lesser of the Red Cross was IN
Echarge. Here the physician and the
Fnurses had developed yellow fever, prov
fling that the house occupied had been i'll
fected. He had then had them removed
and the building burned. The patients
Ehad protested against the removal but he
kdid not believe the transfer had hurt
Them. The doctor said that as the pa
ents at the hospital increased he called
rom corps headquarters and also the aid
hn Hnnf ..f. . 10, ie.N