The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-11-02
SCENE SHIFTS TO
LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY.
War Investigntion Commission Lis
tens to Testimony Concerning
Sanitary Conditions Of Campo.

LEXINGTON. KY, Nov 1--Before the
war INVESTIGATION commission today Chief
denied the statement made by Lieut. Col
mitchell; OF the First Terriiorials,. last
night. He said every requisition had been
nonored from the Territorials.
The second witness WAS Gen. J. c. Bates
who testified as II the Santiago campaign,
said:
The day before we left Mobile we got
pretty well supplied with necessaries. All
Santiago We had bread and meat always.
Montauk point was not the proper place
AZ Montauk point learned that the Long
Island Railroad Company had an exclusive
contract to haul soldiers TO the city
Il issued orders to all the railroads to
come In and help take of the sick"
IN Cuba medical supplies were wofully
short. ! think the ambulances We took
Riders fight occurred on the oath Of June"
When asked what. in his opinion. was
the weakness In the medical department,
ne san ia me- ne saoaght great mistake was
ncient numbers with the regiments cAdered
to +. the field. Bates concluded by saying:
think there IS no. sufficient excuse
for medical supplies being short in Cuba.
Better provisions could have been made
for transporting. We had no way TO shoe
horses and mules. have no recommended
Tons 10 suggest as to the Improvement of
war department regulations. nor regarding
rations. These matters have been sub
Jected 10 the consideration OF boards OF Of
ficers and ! do not care TO offer an opin-
ion.''
DIR. Mearns ON Sanitation.
Dr; Edgar A. Mearns. surgeon in charge
OF Gibbs general hospital. Lexington. was
asked rsgarding the sanitary condition Of
Camp Thomas. where he was brigade sur
geon, He read a report on the condition
Of the sites there which showed they were
disease breeders. He thought the men de-
tailed to the division hospital were incom-
petent. Dr. Mcarns condemned the water
supply at Camp Thomas. because there
was typhoid fever there. The order 10 boil
Mearns said the men In charge should
have given what they were asked for as
charge there should be no waste and nota-
ing would be asked for that was not need
ed.
After luncheon Maj. John ]. Backman.
or the leoth Indiana. was the first witness
called by the commission. His testimony
indicates that his regiment had Jared wei
In every respect.
Mai. y. J. Glennan. who was cantain
and assistant surgeon In the regular army.
and vas made major and brigade surgeon
OF volunteers June I. was called Mai
Glennan was at Chickamauga and TAMPA
with the Sixth cavalry. He later returned
10 Disadvantage as brigade surgeon Third
division. First corps. He said that ne
found a much larger amount OF sickness
among volunteers than he had been used
TO seeing: that he found the sinks left open
and not dug deep enough to keen the camp
healthful; that the water supply was az
Maj Glennan said he reported on these
conditions both verbally and in writing.
and made certain recommendations, but
that no attention was ever paid 20 his re-
ports. He said he tried 20 get lime that
requisttton was made on the quartermas-
ter's department. and they said they did
not furnish it: that then the resIuis.tton was
made OF the medical department. and DIR.
Huidekorer. the corps surgeon. concerning
whom sensational charges have been made
since. disapprcved the use OF lime and re-
turned the requisttion.
Maj Glenaan states that he knew OF GER
tain regiments where the ssck were kept
for weeks because the division haspitat had
he believed the water in every well In
Ch!rkamauga park contained the colon
bacillus. which Indicated contamination by
sewage.
No matter how many chemical ard bae-
teriologica! examinations showed that the
water was not contar1lnat ted / should s;ni
maintain that II VAS net fl; for use" de-
ciarei Mai. Gisrnan.
Asked by Or. Conner whether the ten
Cieacy In the medical service, 81 the regular
army was no; 10 dsteriorale from the day
p mar went IN untE his retirement, Mai
Glearan said tbs hai been ms impression
until he saw the volunteer surgeons when
he had come 10 IRE conclusion that those
in the regular army were as good as those
In the volunteer service.
II have no doubt. said rr Conner that
the sorst 81 ne raGuar army are great
deal better tnan sSr'sc % The volunteers
Mnssachuse Regiment Neglected.
Mai William Cscgsweli slrxeor AZ the
Eighth Mssssch ,asetrs. said thar when hAS
regiment reached Chattanooga il vas kevt
in freight ya-as eighteen hours ans !. took
Them then feur hours 10 Re TRANSPORTED -
the mark. The 1en Went two weeks wffh.
osst fress, rsgSsts and their health Vas sssss
greatly IMPAIRED am a large rurnn~r wpre
taken sick
MAJ e-ogswsll attributed the t~r,h,sa =.
r.z
He said that the clothing ard blankets be-
to- gfng 10 men who died OF y@a-ow fevs-
were brought Rack wtfhaE. rsysss- nesr
washed Or hosfsd and ts~ss ~ 1ssser rs%s-