The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-09-29

Washington, Sept 2S-Secretary Al
ger has returned to Washington. He
came TO the war department immedi-
ately after breakfast and was soon be-
seiged by number of parsons who had
been waiting for his return. The secre-
tary looked improved in health by his
trip, although it was filed with hard
work after he left Detroit. Later he
made a verbal report TO the president
on the inspection CT the army camps,
which he had just concluded. He was
occupied with the president for two
and a half hours. During the inter
view Secretary Long came over from
the navy department and joined the
party in the cabinet room.
On leaving the White House Secre-
tary Alger sand he was much gratlf1ed
with the conditions of the camps gen
orally. He refrained from specifically
charging eXaggeration of conditions OF
camp life, but said the results OF the
trip of inspection were quite satisfac-
tory. He had visited. he said, every
one of the camps, the hospitals and the
sick. He was gratified especially TO
find the men in the hospitals steadily
improving and that there were so many
convaleScent where the ODDS against
them from their maladies had been
great. Most of the men in the hospitals.
he said, were in good spirits, cheerful
and happy and brightly looking for
ward to the time when they will be
well again.
In a general way the camps were kept
satisfactorily, but there were, he con-
cluded. points which might have been
improved upon, citing particularly the
unsatisfactory condition of The sinks at
some places.
AT Jacksonville. he said, the reports
seemed TO show a fairly large propor-
tion of sick, but he said this percent
age was to be accounted for by the fact
that the sick OF all the regiments de-
parting and mustered out We're kept in
the camp.
1.-The main trouble I found said Sec
retary Alger, was perhaps the lack of
care the troops took of themselves. This
was one of the great difficulties en-
countered Tents outside the camps,
y conducted by private enterprise, proved
too tempting for the soldiers and the
results of improper and injLdicioilS eat
ing soon manifested themselves in the
general condition of the men. These
were things which sometimes could not
be helped and where there was a most
rigid discipline along these lines, the
improved state of affairs vas evident. P"
The secretary said the reforms or
changes which might result from his
inspection would be discussed.
WAS NOT ROASTED.
Secretary Alger says the report of a
scene il General Breckenridge head
quarters at Lexington when he vas in
specting that camp is absolutely with
out foundation. There was no scene.
no high words and no excited Ian
guaee. The secretary says the story
was made out of whole cloth Secre-
tary Aiger and Generals Ludington and
Sternberg each have letters from Cen
eral Wiley, who was reported as hav-
ing made accusations against them, ex-
pressing his regret that any such re
port was circulated. That to Secretary
Alger follows:
My Dear Geraral AIger: I Hear
that some of the northern papers are
making a great display of headlines
showing how I pitched into Generals
Alger, Ludington and Sternberg at
General Brecidnridge's headquarters on
the 20th inst-"hOw. I called you down.
etc. "a lot of untruthful trash. Every
word I said was directed to you per
sonally, and we were within four or
five feet of each other and you no
doubt heard every word of it. Not a
word or sentence was uttered at that,
or any other time, with reference to
yourself. General Ludingtcn or General
Sternberg, except in expression of the
highest regard and respect for your
successful and faithful performance of
a great task.
ent servant. JOHN WILEY"