The herald., 1898-09-06
CONCERNING A REPORT FROM
CAMP wIKoFF
IF MEN ARE NEGLECTED.
The Secretary Of War Wants to Know
the Reason Why and That
at Once
Associated Press Special Wire.

| WASHINGTON, Sept. b.-Secretary Al
ger sent the following order to Montaul
Point today:
WASHINGTON, Sept. s, 1898.
"The Commanding General, Montaul
Point: The New York World Of about tn,
2S;h ult. published statement Of the death
Of Private Hugh Parrett Of the Eight
regulars, in which 1t is charged that wher
he begged of DR.. - to take him to The
hospital, the doctor notified him that the
hospital was for sick men, and 1t Is re-
ported that Parrett died that night. This
account is sent me by Representative Gros.
venor of Ohio. who says that there is great
Indignation in his community over the case
and, II II Is as represented, there should be-
I wish an inquiry Immediately isntituted
TO find out about this matter and to be re-
ported to me. understand one Sergt. Rich
CT the same company or regiment is unde,
arrest for having complained OF this mat
ter. I have heard much Of the neglect of
the men, much Of which, no doubt. IS ic-
titious, but II there is any foundation for
this statement, or II there are any men III
among the regulars in their tents that are
not provided for. I wish to know the rea-
son why; also the names in command of the
regiment and company In each case.
"R. A. ALGER. Secretary Of War"
Shafter in Command
MONTAUK POINT, Sept. 6.-Gen. Shat
ter came out of the detention camp today.
He Is somewhat improved in health. He
said that Camp Wikoff would be continued
for some time, and although many of the
troops here were to be sent away, the camp
would be fitted up with barracks for the
accommodation Of several thousand men
curing inclement weather. Advices from
Washington today say that 1900 recruits
will be sent from Southern posts to join
the Fifth Army Corps here.
Gen. Wheeler has resumed command of
the cavalry and Gen. Young will perform
executive duties about the camp. Gen.
Wikoff.
Wheeler's Report
WASHINGTON, Sept. 5.-Secretary Al
ger today received the following:
CAMP WIKOFF, Montauk Point,
Sept. 8, 1885,
Secretary of War: have made thor
ough inspection of the camp today. The
seNuAA 80 uANAy AOA AOsPItdiS - III Opcl-
alton. The waterworks are again working
satisfactorily. The health of the troops is
improving. Visit Of the president was very
beneficial. WHEELER. Commanding"
More Patients Coming
CAMP WIKOFF, N. Y, Sept. 5-The
transport Roumania. which arrived yester-
day morning with GOO troops from Santiago
Q m of nd1
capacity Of the hospital in the detention
camp.
OF the 600 men on the Roumania about
200 were SO sick that they had to be put in
.he hospital. The authorities Of the deten-
ton hospital. although they knew OF the
transports arrival. had received no notice
as to the number of sick men they would
be expected to care for.
About o'clock the ambuances with the
sick men began to arrive at the hospital. !
The detention hospital will accommodate
450 men, with eight cots TO a tent which is |
the normal capacity. BY putting ten cots
in each tent $50 patients can be taken
care of, but with corresponding decrease
Of comfort.
AT the time of the arrival OF the sick |
men from the Roumania, the hospital al |
ready had nearly 600 patients, and these |
200 additional ones swelled the number to |
about 500, 24O more than the hospital COM |
fortably can hold. Although there were
enough cots for the 800 sick soldiers, there |
was not the space under canvas to place
them. Therefore. as a mattress on the floor |
takes up less space than a cot, a number |
Of patients were taken from cots and placed |
he ~.
removed. Mattresses were also placed |
between cots on the floor Consequently |
his morning about $50 men are lying on |
on the floor because of the lack |
Of tent space. The detention hospital needs |
about fifty more tents. 1t does not look as |
though the Construction Department can |
put up more than ten or fifteen tents day, |
II is probable that some men |
will have to lie on the floor for several |
days. While the sick men were being taken |
from the Roumania 70 the detention hospi- |
tai two Of them died.
Sternberg's Report
CAMP WIKOFF, Montauk Point. Sept. |
5.-Surgeon General Sternberg arrived here |
today from Washington 20 see for himself |
how the camp looked and 10 inquire into the |
sanitary arrange ments. General Stern |
berg tonight stated that he had visited the |
hospitals and that he had found their |
condition excellent. He considered that |
The camp site had been we'll chosen He !
was gratiiied by all he had seen. He said !
he had not come on a special mission, but |
simply on visit Of ordinary inspection |
When he returns to Washington he will |
make verbal report to Secretary Alger. |
a heavy fog covers the camp tonight |
and cold wind Is driving Che moisture into |
the airy tents, where there are 1900 sick |
men.
Three additional deaths were reported at |
the detention hospital this evening.