Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-10-05
DAILY KENNEBEC JOURNXI. WEDNESDAY. OCTOBER 5 1898

especially In transporting troops and IN
securing supplies but on this latter
point there was no very serious trouble.
The railroad officials mad used every
effort to meet the demands upon the
road when complaint was made to the
management
Replying to DR.. Jenkins, as quoted in
the New York Worlds specifications.
Gen.A Wheeler said that IL the soldiers
had not been landed at some isolated
place such as Montauk Point, the fear of
yellow fever would have caused gen.
eral cutlery. The experts had differed In
opinion as to whether there had been any
yellow fever at Camp Wikoff Even at
Santiago he had found that the experts
were unable to determine whether pa
tient had yellow fever. He thought 1t
would have been cruel to send the men
home within five days after their landing,
as DIR. Jenkins had suggested.
AS matter of fact, many Of them We're
sick men and needed attention in the hos
pitfalls. They would have fallen sick on
trains and attracted general attention to
the situation. The distress was due to
the condition of the men and not to the
Typographical or climatic conditions
Ninety per cent. had the fever In. them
ard the officers suffered as much as the
men. Montauk Point. he thought. was
necessary for quarantine purposes to pre-
vent the spread of fear, If for no other
purpose
Replying to other allegations made by
the World, Gen. Wheeler gave details of
the arrival of the troops from Cuba. He
did not think the hospitals were crowded.
If the sick men were without blankets or
adequate shelter he would have known
the fact and if he had known such a
want he would have supplied it. No
effort was made to furnish cots to the
soldiers. but as soon as possible floors
were put in the tents and they were all
given straw beds. but in the beginning
there were many tents without floors. II
the men had no blankets. the fault must
have been either that of the men or their
commanding officers. In such cases as
this last named there was no red tape;
the men were Immediately supplied. He
mentioned one case in which he had tele-
graphed to New York for four carloads OF
medicine and it had arrived on the even
ing of the next day. If there had been
any complaints about blankets, the wants
could have been almost Immediately sup
piled.
He had read to the regular soldiers the
assertion that they had been in an almost
starving condition. and they laughed at
the report. the men asserted that the
only trouble was that they had too much.
and as a matter of fact no soldiers had
ever been so well supplied.
Gen. Wheeler asserted that it was true
some of the employees had used articles
intended for the sick. and he had been
told by some ladies that physicians had
used some of the articles. including
ApolliLars water provided for the hos
pital. He had issued an order for the
arrest of those engaged in such prac
tice. There were he said "undoubt-
edly individual cases of suffering and
of neglect, but they were the exception.
He had Investigated the charge that the
hospitals were overcrowded. and he was
satisfied that such was not the case. He
made almost daily trips to the hospitals
and if he had found them overcrowded
the deficiency would have been immedi-
ately made good.
1--WE had no red tape about this or any
other matter" said the general ''but we
ordered a thing done and it was DONE
Our aim at Wikoff was to supply the
necessities of the men. and we attempted
to do so without resorting to the formali-
ties necessary in times of peace
Gen. Wheeler stated that previous TO
the capitulation of Santiago Gen
Shafter had written him asking his
views in regard to changing base and
attacking the forts in front of Santi-
ago. but he said he had advised strong
ly against this course as it would have
left San Juan hill, which he considered
invunerable, to be re-taken by the
Spanards. Gen. Wheeler denied that
there had been any ambuscade ut
Quasima.
At o'clock. the commission adjourned
until tomorrow.
Gen. Wheeler will resume his testimony,
at 1890 tomorrow, and will probably be
followed by Gen. II. V. Boynton. Gen.
FitZhugh Lee has notified the commission
that he will not be able to appear before
them.