The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-10-02
FIRST ARRIVALS THERE
SLEPT UNDER THEIR BLANKETS
IN THE OPEN AIR.
DRINKING WATER FROM STAGNANT POND
One Glass Of Sour Milk in "a Hours, Surgeons
Living on Patients Food. AmbuIa ceS
Needed by Sick Filled with
Sight seerS.

Washington. Oct. 1.-The War In
vestigating Committee devoted its time
today largely to the consideration of a
statement filed by Mr.. Nelson Hersh on
behalf of the New York World, giving
what he styles Il record of facts CON
corning the establishment of Camp
Wikoff and its management, together
with specific instances of abuses
charged to have existed, dates, number
of sick in hospitals, deaths, etc. 1t is
asserted that at the time MOntauk
Point was selected as the site for the
camp it was "a barren waste" 1t is
charged that when the first detachment
of 215 troops arrived, August Sth, THE
camp was not ready to receive them,
and they slept under their blankets
and IN the open air, as no tents had
arrived" This, it is added, was eleven
days since it had been decided to es-
tablish the camp. Continuing the as
sertion is made that the sick were re-
ported suffering from want of proper
accommodations and food: that their
tents were without floors and with only
their blankets between the sick men
and the ground, and that a glass of
sour milk apiece was the only nourish-
ment they received i'll twenty-four
hours.
The War Department is charged with
frequent changes of plans, and it is
asserted that General Young was given
only six days for the preparation Of the
camp before the arrival OF troops. when
,af-s F1
great confusion On the 14th Of
August DIR. Edison visited the camp ane
found that the 1.400 troops there were
almost wholly dependent for drinking
pnrposes upon body of water without
inlet or outlet, known as Fort Pond.
This pond received the drainage from
the camp, and the doctor found the
water to contain 90 grains Of salt IL
the gallon. This condition, he saii,
caused disease, and rendered the pond
a constant menace to the men.
By August 80 there were 10000 men
in camp. and 1900 in the hospital, with
many unable to secure admission from
the transports. The regulars were re
ported to be suffering for the necessarleS
of life, and had received no pay fol
three months Contract surgeons were
reported 10 Ue living dL lit '-AINiA2N -
patients. After the doctors hat
lunched,' says the account,
twenty-five empty Appollnaris bottles
were counted on the table, said to have
been diverted from hospital stores.
Particulars are given Of the death II
his tent of Private Hugh Parrett, OF
August Is, and it is asserted that Or
Tabor refused him permission to entei
the hospital ON the ground that he wa:
not sick.
The assertion is made thac when, OF
the 9th of September, DIR. Lee went t
Camp Wikoff with a special train (
take sick soldiers to the Br0ollyn hes
pitfalls. ''he was unable to get more thal
fifteen men to the train on account @
the lack of ambulances, which were be
ing used to carry sightseers around th
camp While hundreds of sick soldier
We're waiting to he transferred 10 boat
and trains. Il dozen ambul1nce3 were n
the depot filed with laughing rIen ant
women who were seeing the camp witt
officers friends. After this nciden
General Young gave ordets that the am
balances We're to be usel only for tn
transportation Of the sick.
4 long list of witnesses names wer
forwarded, and there was a general re
quest that correspondents and reporter
of the World be called.
The Commission directed that repl
be forwarded to Mr.. H"csh infonnin
him that the statement should hav
careful considerations