Evening star., 1898-07-22
SIGNIFICANT ORDER
No More Buildings to Be Erected at
Camp Alger.
DECISION VARDUSLY INTERPRETED
Supposed That Early Change in
Location Is Contemplated.
NOTES OF THE CA NJ T

Special CORRESPONDENCE of The Evening Star.
CAMP ALGER, Va, July 30, 1898.
Word was received st corps headquarters
This morning from the War Department TO
the effect that an order was in course of
preparation directI that permanent
buildings of any Sc rt be erected either at
Camp Alger or at the ew camp at Dunn
Loring. The purpose of this letter was to
prevent the further construction Of store
houses. ordnance houses, stables, sheds and
similar buildings, which are put everywh re
as soon assurance is received that
camps to be made permanent. So far
but few such buildir gs have been built, be-
carse of the many changes CT location and
the prospect of ordt rs directing the various
regiments to break camp and go to the
front
There is, of course, much speculation as
to the full significance of the order indi-
Gated. 1t is thought to forecast one OF two
things either that many regiments are to
be Cldered to the front or. that the site of
Camp Alger is to be changed. The first
proposition is generally looked upon as
without foundation in fact. The only cX-
pediticn in which the troops now stationed
ere were likely to have taken part was
that to Porto Rico which seems 20 have
been started wei on its way without them.
Until some other campaign is contemplate
ed, therefore. the officers on DUTY here do
not expect any draft to be made on the
I'd Corps.
Possible Change of Site.
As to changing the site of the camp, that
is such an old story and has been told in
so many different forms that every is
reluctant to give it i hearing. But the con-
struction of stables, sheds and storehous=
for ordnance and quartermaster supplies
takes place invariably when troops are to
be retained in camp any time more than
two months. 1t is locked upon as meas
ure of economy. 1t would surely not have
been interrupted think most of the Officers
here. unless some radical change in the
conduct OF affairs at camp was given them
1t may be that the reasons which indu ,e
Lieut. Col Smart to recommend that the
lst Division mova to Dunn Loring apply
with equal force to the I'd Division, and
that typhoid fever is the occasion for the
communication which came this morning
from the Secretary of War.
kddftions to Sick List.
Yesterdays lull in the ravages of the
fever came to an end last night, when two
additional cases were reported to corps
headquarters. The sick men are Lieutenant
Jel nings of the Sd New York, who went
to Fort Myer yesterday as a suspect, and
Private Robert F. Johnson. Company B,
65th New York. In the latter case the
is said to be very seriously ILL., Other than
these t1'o instances no one is reported as
suffering any malady at all like typhoid,
except tie men already at Fort Myer. All
who are there are reported to be improv-
ing steadily, many of them having appar
emily passed the danger point. Until they
are all well. however, and back to their
quarters, and until no new cases have been
reported for several weeks, the epidemic
cannot be said to have terminated This
view of the case, which is the one most
generally accepted by the regimental sur
geons. seems to support in some measures
the story that Camp Alger is to be re-
me we'd from Falls Church. Many of those
living in Falls Church village, or nearer
the camp, feel that the prevalence Cf
typhoid fever in camp has been made to
reflect on the general kealthfulness of the
locality They desire that some one shall
point out that while all this typhoid fever
prevails in the camp Falls Church village
is altogether free from the disease.
Proposed Rifle Range.
Lumber is just now the article most need
ed at corps headquarters, as the construc-
ton of the new rifle range is dependent
chiefly on that. Col. j. A. Corby of the 4th
Missouri has had his construction gang or
ganized and in readiness since yesterday
morning but will not send it to Difficult
Run, where the range is to be built, until
corps headquarters are able to secure the
material necessary. The range will have
~ targets anu ~ IlIlflS SldllOUS So lidl ~
men may practice al the same time. Con-
trary to the plan usually adopted, the tar
gets are to be set along in line and the
firing points arranged en- echelon. This
makes 1t possible to limit entrance to and
exit from the pits to points on the extreme
fianks, a measure which is deemed neces-
sary in view of the inexperience of the
markers. There will thus be single trench
running the whole width of the range.
Notes of the Camp.
Lieut. NJ. c. Butler, jr., the son of Maj.
Gen. Butler, has been commissioned by the
President as inspector of ordnance with the
rank of major. He has since been assigned
to the I'd Division, relieving Lieut.. Alfred
Hampton, who has been temporarily as
signed for duty at Camp Alger.
First Sergeant A. o. Girard of Company
|. Roosevelts Rough Riders. reached camp
"Wednesday evening from Key West. He
had been there in charge of body of re-
cruits but resigned his sergeantcy to come
TO Camp Alger as a private in the hospital
corps. An entertainment is to be given to
the officers of the corps at Leesburg Mon
day night. All the field and staff officers
and two line officers from each regiment
are to be in attendance.
Private II. H. Davis, Company X Sd Mis-
souri,, has been discharged to permit his
enlistment in the signal service. A dis
charge has also been issued Capt. Charles
A Hall, Company d, 22d Kansas, in order
that he may go to his home. He has been
i'll for some time.
Private John Davis, Company K, 65th New
York, accepted pubic challenge last night
issued by one of the female wrestlers who
are in camp giving exhibitions. Much to
Davis surprise, however, he found that the
challenge was not intended seriously-ex-
cept on the bill boards.
Commissions are now en- their way to the
officers OF the 4th Missouri from Gov. l..
" Stevens letter announcing that fact
and full of good wishes for the regiment
came from the governor today. The 4th is
the first regiment from Missouri to receive
its commissions.
One of the men in the 65th New York re-
fused to work recently. When detailed for
fatigue duty 1t his custom to lie down
on the ground Col. Welch has at last
found the punishment TO fit the case. He
had blanket spread out on the parade
grounds, with another blanket rolled up for
a pillow, and then ordered the offender,
whose name is Hoffman, to loaf there three
whole days. He is not allowed to sit up or
to talk 10 any one, and he lives on glass
of water and q piece of bread issued to
him every three hours. Hoffman Is simply
wild to get back to work.