Evening star., 1898-10-05
WHEELER ON CAMP WIkOFF
Conditions at Montauk Point Described bv
the General.
Some Delay in Transportation - Red
Tape He Says Was Not Observed
Things Needed Were Sent For.

| After the report iof The Star of the pro-
| ceedlnss or the war investigating COM
mission was closed yesterday afternoon
| General Wheeler continued to testify in ref
| erence to the conditions at Camp Wikoff
| Montauk Point, 4. l., after he arrived
| there.
In reply to question, he said the trans
| portation facilities at Camp Wikoff were
deficient. All transportation had to be ac-
complished over a one-track railroad, JIG
| miles long, and connecting with Long Is
land City. Transportation could have been
mad by the government transports but be-
cause Of provision In the contract r1ade
by the government with the Long Island
Railroad Company other means for trans
portat1on by sea could not be resorted to-
making of that eontract?'
That 1 do not know" replied General
Wheeler. -
In reply to questions by Ex-Governor
BeaVer General Wheeler said while at
Camp Wikof he had heard of shortage of
meolcines. and upon calling the attention
OF Colonel norwood, the chief surgeon 10
l. II ne was tod that If there was a shortage
IN any division all that was necessary was
1or the surgeon to send to the medical
storehouse in order to get what he needed.
put that 1t was not possible to give cut
large supplies at one time. that several
Gays supply only could be given out at a
| time o0' &.
Ex-Governor Beaver-"What was the
noSpltal capacity when you landed at Camp
General Wheeler-"About 900"
He thought that the hospital capacity of
lhe camp had been sufficient I'D to the time
he arrived. ~ - ~ lilly
Gen. Wheeler read paper that had been
prepared from data furnished him from tba
transports on their arrival at MontauL
showing s,'o.1 mat after he took command. Au-
this number 1882 We're reported as sicI 81
their arrival, and 81 soldiers had died en- tha
voyage from Santiago. Fully half of the
whole number, however were really sill
when they reached Montauk,
When ne arrived at Montauk there were
about twenty ambulances ready for servica
more. ~ 90 -itis
the camp. e'ei VI
Ex-Gov. Woodbury-"Whatw were the COM
plants received by you from parents or
ieldti'eS IN regard to cruel treatment?"
Pleased Parents.
Gen Wheeler replied that he knay of
many cases of parents coming there. and
they had on leaving expressed themselves
invariably as pleased with the treatment
hat was being given in the hospital
VI the 10000 people who had been at
camp "lkoH there were 216 deaths, some
OF these having died shipboard.
When Questioned regarding the reported
scenes at Montauk. sfn which men bad lefl
lot their homes *shsff unable to travel Gen
Wheeler said thats4tas one of me hardest
problems he ha1efad to deal with. PeopIe
would come to hinIrand beg to take SON
OF %, prother to heir"home, and he always
told them that when the surgeons said tbey
could go he would give his permission.
ihere We're cases in which the doctors
thousht the men should not be allowed 10
go, but the men theInBelyes and their friends
begged so hard ,fprapermission; saving they
knew they would get well if they could get
nome. that tthe surgeons would say 1t would
40 me men as much harm to stay as to go,
althoush still weak and sick from fever
IN thls way number of men did leave
camp when thsy..really were not strong
Altogether. he hszsi5 gastsEii5, he thought it was a
yHfonlderfully " good, 1Gea TO, select Nioptauk
aoint as capipv fRr the .n9aa returning
Witb trRR snba fsHer hgd Ras remarkabe that men
fever. -
In reply to questions by General Dodge,
General Wheeler said the difficulties that
had been experienced on the Long Island
railroad We're delays in the transportation
OF troops TO New York and in transnorta-
ton of some articles OF food. There had
been trouble in promptly getting milk from
New York. Two thousand gallons of milk
were received daily
DR.. Conner asked whether they could
not have obtained milk from nearby points
by sea.
General Wheeler replied that that matter
had been discussed, but it was found that
such places as New London, etc, could not
supply a large amount of surplus milk
Replylng to criticisms against the loca-
lon OF camp at Montauk Gen. Wheeler
said there had been great alarm over the
country because it was feared the troops
would bring back yellow fever with them
and that 1t would spread an epidemic
over the country For that reason an
1SOiated camp was needed.
ASKED II there was yellow fever at Mon
tauk he said there was great difference
in opinion among the surgeons on that |
point, SO that he could not reply salts
factorily to that question.
He said he thought it would have been
cruel to have shipped these sodiers to their |
homes four or five days after their arrival |
They needed medical care.
1t is no exaggeration to say 80 per cent |
OF these men had this poison in them" he |
said. when they got back to the United |
States"
Montauk Point, he said, was a necessity |
on account of quarantine regulations and |
also to prevent alarm of spread of con- |
tagion.
No Red Tape.
'There was no red tape in the matter of I
Issuing supplies" General Wheeler said |
When he told of any need he at once
telegraphed for supplies and received them |
promptly.
The charges made by the New York |
World We're gone over, and Gen. Wheeler |
made replies to them.
Speaking of the charge that men were |
hungry General Wheeler said there was an |
abundant supply of the fifteen or twenty |
articles OF luxury he had previously named |
on hand at the time this charge was made. |
He had instructed commissary officers that !
they could get these supplies.
At o'clock the commission adjourned |
for the day. 1t was arranged that General |
Wheeler res lme this morning, to be follow |
cd INV