The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-10-12

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William NJ. Graham was the only witness
before the war investigating commission
today. He was first in command at Camp
Alger, Va, at tna beginning of the war
and detailed the conditions which pre-
vailed at that camp. There was only one
railroad running to the camp and the
station was about one and half miles
distant No running stream WAS nearby
but there were many fine springs and
small brooks formed by the springs. He
thought the water supply was sufficient
when the camp numbered no more than
five regiments Of troops, but as ths troops
increased in number, it became necessary
to dig wells. There was delay In digging
the wells, forty of which were sunk, one
for each regiment. The supply was ample
for all purposes except bathing The
wells were we'll cased and there was no
surface pollution of them. Before the
wells were sunk General Graham SAID
there undoubtedly was some inconveni.
ence on account Of the necessity of going
q long distance for water. 1t was also
his impression that there had teen some
complaints of sickness on account of the
water famine which had continued from
the 29th of May until the 25th of June,
with varying degrees of intensity. He
had been through campaigns in which the
water supply was not equal to that at
Camp Alger.
GeneraE Graham did not believe that the
spring and we'll water had been respon-
sible for the sickness at Camp Alger, but
was inclined to attribute much of the
trouble to the fact that the soldiers in
sisted upon taking the water from the
little streams running through the camp.
There had been considerable typhoid fever
at the camp, but it, did not original
there and the first cases were Isolated
During the entire stay at the camp, less
than four per cent Of the command was
sick. There were 60 deaths, five being
those of officers. Much Of the sickness
was, in his opinion, due to delicacies sent
to the soldiers from home, and he issued
an order prohibiting the sale OF ice
cream, pies, etc., in the camp and all the
milk sold there was analysed. When ty-
phoid fever began to be considered an epi-
demic, he issued strict orders for the de-
failing of guards for the care of the sinks,
making any neglectan offense punishable
by arrest
Many other precautions were taken to
protect the men from contamination,
including the removal Of the sick to a
proper distance from the kitchens.
at this point the commission adjourned
for the day, General Graham not having
conc luded.
Washington, October 1.-THE war in
vestigating commission at its forenoon
session today examined Secretary AL
statement and the papers furnished by
him in reply to the commissions inquir-
les. The accompanying papers include
reports from various bureaus Of war de-
partment and various letters and tele-
grams bearing upon the conduct of the
war. Secretary Aiger in his report replies
to various questions propounded by the
commission but gives especial promi-
nencs to the plan.of campaign and to the
changes that were made in the original
plans. He states that Tampa was chosen
as the base of operations because of it's
proximity to Havana, at which point 1T
was originally intended the first attack
should be made. The determination to
make change was due to the develop
ments of southern coast OF Cuba and to
Cervera's course in locating his fleet in
the bay at Santiago. When 1t became
quite certain that he was securely en-
| trapped in the bay Admiral Sampson
wirsG the fn,t to the secretary of the navy
asking that troops be sent immediately.
The text of this message Is given as Is
the text of various other kilograms SNOW
Ing the CAUSE Of delay in getting tns OK
tperiulen sH-ths report that opanisA