The times., 1898-08-17

The military authorities concerned ad-
NIT that there was a degree of unprepar-
edness at the camp. owing 10 the lack of
time for the erection of buildings, but
that there has been no suffering in c0nse-
Quence.
Margaret Sumner Mclean. president of
the Womans War Relief Association, Wis
tied the camp last week at the request OF
the War Department A letter was re-
ceived from her yesterday by Surgeon
General Sternberg which gives very
complete story of the situation there The
letter was given TO the press last night
and is as follows:
Mrs NcLean's Letter.
-'Womens Natl War Relief Assn.
Windsor Hotel, Fifth Avenue,
New York. August Is. 1898
''Gen- George y. Sternberg:
Dear General: / delivered your letter
70 Col. Forwood in person at Montauk
Peinl, and l should Ike 10 tell You what
/ saw. and what did not see.
Il saw no men lying on the wet ground.
i saw no starving men. ! saw no men
in rage We took a carriage and drove
all over the camp. We talked with Off
GERS. non-commissioned officers and pri-
vates. white and black, whom We met
We did not hear a single complaint. We
Were struck with the cheerful, alert man.
ner and bearing Of the ment. most of
whom were dressed in brown canvas uni
forms Either the papers have misrepre-
sentod the conditions or the air OF that
place has worked wonders
when We reached the hospital. Col
Forweod met US. and showed us the
hospital 1ents. as far as arranged, and ex-
plained TO Us his plans for its compile
ton The situation is ideal. and / can
imagine nothing more life-giving than
rest in the well-equippad hospital tents.
looking out on tie broad Atlantic Be
tween each two hospital tents there is a
fly ten. which serves as a sitting-room
in the daytime for patients able TO leave
their beds, and "A sleeping place for the
nurses at night. There are 10 be long
wide, fiooreG and rooted alleys at right
angles. the aents opening on to them All
was well unde- way. and would have
been entirely completed. but the carpen-
ters refused 70 work in the rain although
paid experts wages
I'VE went into the hospital kitchen. saw
Immense kettles of boiling milk for the
very sick; and j saw and / tasted roast
beef. boiled Potatoes, good rice pudding
sno an excellent cup of coffee. There
were TWO large ranges in the kitchen. one
OF which is 10 be for the exclusive use of
our special diet" cooks, who went down
today.
We saw the very sick men being fen
DERBY moved from the tents first occupied
10 the hospital tents. in which were wire
cots and new bedding. / never saw such
busy place. All seemed animated by
one desire-to do all there was to be
done. and 10 do ii as quickly as possible.
The surgeon in charge, DR.. Brown,
al Tampa. but said he felt like an ath-
le1e- The poor young assistant quarter
master was crazy about the failure OF the
carpenters, and said he had slept right on
the spot where they Were to begin work
early in the morning. but when we let.
after i. no one had appeared. / asked
him for shelves in the kitchen, and he
gave me the only sickly smile / saw at
Camp Wikoff. assuring and convincing
me that barrels would do Just as well 10
pug the pans and dishes in for the pres
enL
u do hope when the President comes
narta he will visit Camp Wikoff, and if
Mrs Mckinley could take the drive l
did, all over those beautiful dunes" on
which dhe tents are pitched. she would
noc only feel braced by that delicious
ar but she would see our Government Is
doing all it can for our brave men, both
heart-sick from all / had heard. / came
home rejoicing in the truth as 1 bad seen
il with my Own eyes. and wishing 10
proclaim Il from the house tops.
The people in the village of East
Hampton where we passed the night,
laughed TO scOrn the notion that good wa
ter could not be procured al Montauk, but
coming up TO New York in the train, a
gentleman was debating an elaborate
aesl,.., liz,
ception TO everything in and about Mon
tauk Point. ! overheard his narrowing
account of the sufferings he had wit
messed. / take the liberty of telling you
what ] saw, and beg you viii excuse it
for our country Very truly.
MARGARET SUMNER TLEAN."
Il is the intention of the Administration
TO spare no expense in making Camp
wikon. as it is called. ideal camp
Everything that can be done for the he
roes of Santiago will be done They win
be treated rather as the guests of the
nation than as soldiers under military dis
eipline.
Some Complaining
There has been some complaint of the
superiority of the treatment accorded the
Spanish prisoners over that meted out to
American soldiers, but whatever ground
there may have been for such a COM
plant at other camps, ii is certain that
there will be none at Montauk Point. The
aim of the Administration is to build up
the soldiers of the army of invasion to
the condition OF health and strength
which they enjoyed before they went to
Cuba
Those who think they can be better
cared for at home and prefer to 20 will be
granted furioughs for thirty DAYS and be
granted transportation and rations by the
Government. President Mckinley desires
10 have the horrors of the campaign ef-
faced from the memory of the men by
good treatment, which they will receive
at the hands of their own Government.
now that they are home again. He hopes
TO send the volunteers TO their homes in
1od spirits and to show the regulars that
their Government is thoroughly appre-
ciative of their valor and devotion.
Leaves of Absence
Leaves Of absence to the soldiers to visit
New York and all places of interest near
around viii be given by the commanding
officers freely. The officials of the War
Department have received assurances
that the people of New York will enter
heartily into the governments plan of
giving the soldiers a good time. some of
the railroad corporations OF New York
city have already sent notices to the Of
ncers in charge Of Camp Wikoff that
passes Issued by them TO the soldiers will
be recognized. This viii enable the SOL
diers TO take the elevated trains and ca
bic cars in New York with the same free
dom as Tammany policemen. They viii
be shown courtesies on every hand