The times., 1898-10-20
M. ALGER'S
Sweet Sounds Continue " csireet
the Commissions Ears.
TWO DISCORDANT NOTES
Major Fry Says the Hospital Corps
Is Not Only Inefficient. But Indif-
fercnt-A Contract Surgeon Could
Not Treat One of His FamiIy-Gen.
amauEa.

Jacksonville. Fla. Oct. 19-The exam
ination of witnesses by the Alger Relief
Commission progressed rapidly today.
Regimental officers were examined and,
as yesterday, the scope of the inquiry
WAS extensive. One of the principal Wit
nesses was Col. James r. Campbell, of
the Ninth Illinois Regiment. Col. Camp
bell Is a Democratic Congressman from
southern Illinois. and his testimony
showed his regiment BE- in excellent
condition and well officered. The men
had no complaints. were doing well, and
desired to be sent TO Cuba. Col. Camp
bel personally does not want to b. mus
tered out, and says he desires t. reInain
with his men. Major Fry, a brigade sur
geon. related conditions at Montauk, Nc
Phersons Island, ard Jacksonville, and
Col. Dows, of the Forty-ninth Iowa, tes-
titled TO the general satisfaction in lis
regiment.
Col. DENLY, of the Relief Commission,
has not been in the best OF health since
coming South, and decided this afternoon
TO return TO Washington, where he VIII
be in charge of the Office of the commits
sion.
Differs From DIR. kDeipp.
Col Campbell said his men were from
families all known TO him, and he ex-
planned that he looked after them care
fully. The food and supplies he pro-
nounced good, and he thought the men
had been well provided for. The SICK
ness. he did not attribute to either CT
mate or soil conditions, but believed 1t
was caused by early drilling in the morn
ing dews These drills were abandoned,
however, and the health OF the men I'M
proved.
Col. Campbell said mis- men should have
Krag-Jorsensen I!fes, as they were Tath-
er efficient marksmen- lie explained ti:a'
ne had requested the War Department fGr
that rifle, but found that, as co!ohe4 IN
the army, ne could not communicate 50
well with the department as IN the ca
pacity of a congressman. lie thought lheFe
was a little too much red tape in the
army. but he did not know of anyone
suffering because of it.
The Beef Had = Pee uiiar Odor-
Lieut.. Simeon Moore. regimental COM
missary of Col. Campbell's command, tes-
frigerated beef He could not say it was
spoiled. but it had peculiar odor due TO
the refrigerator cars. Some surprise
was caused when the witness said that,
by proper care, the regiment saved five
twelfth's OF its -four rations by running
d regimental bakery
John II. Tolliver, lieutenant and quar-
termaster of the Ninth Illinois. said his
department had little trouble with quar-
termaster's supplies.
Major Royce d. Fry. brigade surgeon
in the Third Division Hospital was called.
He came 10 jacksonville from Camp WI
kon MonIauk. Major Fry thought that
much sickness was caused by men not
caring for themselves. shortage OBJ
served by Major Fry was in bed linen.
which was deficient at first, but private
contributions furnished what was neces-
sary. The lantern and candle supply for
the hospitals was also small, and these
articles were procured from the Red
Cross. Major Fry told DR.. Connor that
the surgeons had the 60-cent cornmuta
tion and could have purchased such ar
ticles with money from that fund. He
thought that some convalescents had been
allowed TO go to their homes before they
Were sufficiently recovered to travel.
An Indifferent Hospital Corps.
''How is the hospital corps?' asked DR..
Connor.
''It is not efficient, and will not be
under the present system. The men are
not only inefficient, but are Indifferent"
Speaking of contract surgeons, he said
that they were not all efficient.
What percentage?" DIR. Connor asked.
There are" he replied, 80 per cent
that l would not trust to treat anyone
OF my family
The volunteer surgeons, he thought,
were good, so far as he had discovered
Major Fry desired to explain his re-
mark about the contract surgeons. He
did not believe that surgeons just gradu-
ated from college We're capable of treat
ing typhoid and, in his opinion, many
of the contract physicians were young
graduates.
There has not been" he asserted, the
proper supervision of the hospitals by
experienced men,
In his opinion, the administrative work
could well be transferred to a non-pro-
fessional man. leaving the chief surgeons
free for professional duties.
Col Dows. OF the Forty-ninth Iowa, fol-
lowed Major Fry. He regarded every
thing in his regiment as satisfactory, and
said all his acquisitions had been honored
for quartermaster's supplies and commits
sary stores. The food was also satisfac-
tory.
No whitewnsh for Chickamnugn.
Brig Gen. Williston, of the Seventh
Army Corps, testified that at Camp
Thomas he was in charge of the artillery
troops. At Chickamauga, he said. his
camp site was unsatisfactory. because of
the soil II was only by untiring energy
that he was able to maintain proper SAN
itary conditions. He tried as hard as pos
sible TO have the men drink only boiled
water but IL was useless.
What is your opinion about Chicka-
mauga as a camping ground for large
body of troops?" Gen. Beaver asked.
II am not in favor of it, he answered.
Concerning the Jacksonville camp, he
said he could not see that any fault could