The Portland daily press., 1898-08-22
ALGER'S EXPLANATION.
Addresses Letter to Country Through
Chauneey DepeW.
THINKS MUCH SICKNESS DUE TO
MEMS CARELESSN ESS.

Cites Regiment Where Sanitary Rules were
Enforced Which is Comparatively
Healthy-Failure to Land Supplies at
Santiago Due to wrecklng of Lighters.
New York, August 21.-Hon. Chauncey
M. Depew gives out letter from Secre-
tary Alger regarding the work accom-
plished by his department, the condltion
of the troops and the cause therefor. In
regard to the sickness among the men
Mr.. Alger says:
"Of course gathering this vast number
of men together, (26s, 500, volunteers and
regulars, )untrained regimentals, company
commanders-I mean in actual field duty
the lack of knowledge as to sanitary
conditions to be observed, the careless
ness in not observing instructions which
were furnished as to proper care Of the
men, has added greatly to the work of the
medical department.. Thus from the
homes of 216.OO0 volunteers has been
constant and great anxiety as to what
might happen to their soldiers, and hun
dreds Of inquiries made by letters and
kilograms have been received every day
concerning individual soldiers. The feel
ing on the part of these individuals that
the war department is responsible for the
care of their men individually has
naturally aroused sympathy in case OF
sickness and death and created much sor-
row. There is nothing young men in
robust health are SO prodigal Of as their
health. until it is gone. Men go into
camp feeling that they can stand any
thing and everything and cannot be
made to believe to the contrary until
stricken with disease. Every effort has
been made from the beginning to furnish
every camp with all appliances asked for,
but of course the commanding officers in
the field are the ones who have the direct
charge of these men. For instance, one
army corps commander has given orders
and enforced them, respecting sanitary
affairs, and he has today but a fraction
over two per cent on the siok list. Others
have been less successful and the conse.
quenca is typhoid and other fevers have
been spread and spread to considerable
extent. One regiment in the Chicka-
mauga camp has colonel who enforces
sanitary rules in his regiment, obliging
the men to boil all the water they drink,
keeping the camp cleanly and the result
is less than twenty-five sick, and his
camp. too, in as unfavorable a place as
any in the command. Others more favor
ably situated have ten times that number
on the sick list. One of the regiments of
the last call, not yet removed from its
state, sends bitter complaints Of typhoid
fever.
The Secretary explains the failure to
land supplies in Santiago to the fact that
two fotil1as Of lighters were wrecked. and
that the storms made it impossible to
use small boats. He adds:
"However, the result and the subse-
ouent sickness that has broken out in the
army showed the great wisdom OF General
Shafter in moving forward to make the
attack whiles.his men where in vigor. 1t
was a movement bordering on audacity.
but it succeeded and the persistence OF the
attack, have no doubt, greatly dis
heartened the Spaniards. The result was
one OF the greatest victories for the men
engaged Of modern warfare.
He says that when 1t WAS learned that
there was comparatively little yellow
fever among the troops at Santiago every
effort possible to bring the troops homs,
was made He contiaues:
"That some men have been negl ected
on transports coming home is no doubt,
all against positive orders, due perhaps
to carelessness and neelige noe, but large
" on account of not having the medical
force to spare (many of whom were SICK
from the camp at Santiago. Many
medical officers sent with transports were
taken i'll on the return home.
The letter closes with recapitulation
OF the enormous amount OF work which
the different deparGments OF the army had
to accomplish. The oommissary general
had purchased and distributed up to Au-
gust 1st, ITO, 307, ,235 pounds of rations.
The quartermaster general has transported
and returned to the West Indies and
Philippines 2,63S men. By rail In this
country there have been transported 300
officers, 233, ,e62 enlisted men, also 40, 5ss
animals, besides thousands of wagons,
artillery and other quartermaster. COM
missary, ordnance, medical and signal
service stores. The total number OF
articles of clothing and camp equipment
distributed to the army by the quarter
masters department has been 6,274, 4S3, in
Guiding: Blankets, 2ss, ,739; blouses, SSS'
1852; trousers, 4o6, 423; hats, 33a, 1O6; canvas
field uniforms, $4,000; shoes, pairs. 5ll,-
37s; undershirts, 7aS, ,965; tents, 1912
etc., eto. The total weight OF food and
forage distributed daily to the army is
approximately 900 tons.
D1RECT NEWS FROM MANILA NOW.
Manila, August 21.-The American
transports Peru and Puebla. having on
hoard General Otis and General Hughes,
arrived here at eight O'Clock this morn
ing. There was no serious illness on board
either of the vessels.