The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-09-29
TRIP QUITE SATISFACTORY.
GCn. AIger Makes "a Verbal Report TO
President Mckinley.

Washington, Sept. 2S-secretry Alger
has returned to Washington He came to
the war department Immediately after
breakfast and was soon .besleged by
number of persons who have been waiting
for his return.
The secretary looked much improved by
his trip, although it was filled with hard
work after he left Detroit He said that
he had gained a great deal of informa-
ton as to conditions in the camps and
hospitals by his inspection, which might
take shape in official action soon.
He went to the White House and had
long talk with the President about army
conditions.
The secretary made a verbal report to
the President on the inspection OF the
army camps which he has Just concluded
During the interview Secretary Long
came over from the navy department with
friend and Joined the party in the cabi-
net room. On leaving the White House
Secretary Alger said he was much grati-
fed with the condition of the camps gen.
orally. He refrained from specifically
charging exaggerations of camp life con-
ditions, but said the results of the trip
of inspection were quite satisfactory. He
had visited, he said, every one of the
camps the hospitals and the sick He
was gratfied especially to find the men in
the hospitals steadily improving and that
there were so many convalescents where
the odds against them from their mala-
dies had been great Most Of the men In
the hospitals, he said, we're in good spirits,
cheerful and happy, and brightly looking
forward 70 the time when they would be
well again. In a general way the camps
were kept satisfactorily, but there we're,
he conceded, numerous things which
might be improved upon, citing especially
the unsatisfactory condition of the sinks
at some points. AT Jacksonville he said,
the troops seemed TO show fairly large
proportion Of sick, but he said the percent
age Of sickness was accounted for by the
fact that the men sick Of all the regiments
departing and mastering out were kept in
the camp.
.'The main trouble" said Secretary AL
ger (which found was perhaps the mat
ter of the troops taking care of them
selves. This was ore of the great diff
cultes encountered. At some points the
eating tents outside the camps conducted
by private enterprises proved too tempt
ing for soldiers and the results OF i'm
proper and injudicious taking Of food soon
manifested themselves in the general con-
dition of the men. These are things which
sometimes cannot be helped and where
there was most rigid discipline along
these lines, the improved state of affairs
was very evident"
Secretary Alger said the report OF a
scene in Gen. Breckinridge's headquarters
a. Lexington, when he was inspecting
that camp Is absolutely without founda-
ton. There was no scene, no high words
and no excited language. The secretary
says the story was made of whole cloth.
Secretary Alger and Gems. Ludington and
Sternberg each have letters from Gen.
Wiley, who was reported as having made
accusat tions against them, expressing his
regret than any such report was circulate
cd. That to Secretary Alger was as fol-
lows.
Headquarters First Brigade, Third Di-
vision, First Army Corps, Camp Hamilton,
Lexington, Ky, Sept. 22.-My Dear Gen.