Abilene weekly reflector., 1898-09-29
COMMISSION MEETS.
Board to Investigate the Conduct Of
the War Holds q Session.
The SCOPE OF The EXAMINATION.
Letters Of Inquiry viii BE Addressed to the
Heads Of Departments Concsrnlng
Campa, Furnishing Supplies and
transportation OF Troops.

Washington, Sept 27.-The commits
sion selected by the president to in.
vestigate the conduct OF the war de.
partment held its first session yester.
day with all she members present
The meeting was in the room Of the
fortifcation and ordnance board Of the
army, but it was found to be too small
for the purpose of the board and it
was announced that future meetings
will be held in apartments secured in
the Lemon building on New York
avenue. The days meeting was strict
ly secret, no newspaper representa-
tives or others not connected with the
board being admitted. The days ses-
sion was confined TO meeting Of two
hours duration in the forenoon, after
which an adjournment was taken un-
til ten o'clock to-day. The pro-
ceedings were limited to the outlining
of general policy and the formula
tion Of letters of inquiry which will
be made public to-day.
The letters which have been decided
upon are to be addressed to the secre-
tary of war, the quartermaster gen.
eral, the commissary general, the SUR
geon general and the chief of the ord
nance department of the army. They
will consist in the main of inqui-
ries intended to bring out all the
facts that can be given relative to the
organization of the volunteer army.
These officials will be asked to give
specific information so as to cover each
of the departments in question, con-
cerning the condition of the army
both at the beginning and the close Of
the war. For this purpose a date in
April has been selected as the one for
the beginning of the preparation and
another in August for the close.
The questions are so formulated as
to call out answers covering the or.
ganization Of camps, the purchase Of
supplies and the making Of contracts
with the transportation companies,
and also to show the methods adopted
for furnishing supplies to the various
commands and for protecting the
health Of the soldiers. There will be
an especial effort to develop the mo-
tives that actuated the department in
the choice Of camp sites, as there have
been charges to the effect that they
were located as matter of favoritism
to railroad companies.
The commission also considered sew
eral letters Of complaint from persons
protesting to have information bear
ing upon the subject Of investigation,
and decided to address replies to the
writers OF each Of them, requiring
them to put their charges in specific
shape and informing them Of the scope
Of the inquiry. tits intended thatif the
replies received to these letters show
the writers to be in possession OF real
information to summon them before
the commission, when it is feasible to
do so, or otherwise to secure their affi-
davits. When, however, it becomes
evident that their accusations are
mere idle complaints with no informa-
tion back Of them, the writers will not
receive further attention.
The commission also expects to ex-
tend its inquiry before it closes its
work to the extent Of summoning be-
fore it the commanding officers Of the
various divisions and brigades and
probably extending it to the colonels
of regiments from which complaints
have emanated. They will be expected
to give full information as to the pains
they may have taken or failed to take
concerning the location Of their troops
and their general welfare.
The commission decided to hold two
sessions daily, one in the forenoon
from 10 to 1880 and the other in the
afternoon from two to four o'clock.
DIR. Phineas s. Conner sat with the
commission yesterday for the first time.