The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-10-02
Some of the Hardships Endured by
inexperienced Omcers.
SITES FOR NEW WINTER CAMPS
PLACES RECOMMENDED BY GEN,
sCHWAN AND HIS COLLEAGUES.
Augusta, Atlanta, Athens, Macon, Co
bia, GrecnvilIe and Spnrtansburg.

WASHINGTON, Oct. 1.-The war investi-
eating commission devoted its time to-day
largely to the consideration of statement
filed by Mr.. Nelson Hersh on behalf of the
New York World, giving what he styles "A
record Of facts concerning the establishment
of Camp Wikoff and its management, to-
gether with specific instructions of abuses
charged to have existed, dates number oe
sick in hospitals, deaths, etc." The state
ment was made in response to the general
invitation from the commission. The speci-
fications cover twenty-one pages of type
written matter, taking up the movement of
the Santiago troops after the surrender of
the Spanish at that place and before the
breaking out of yellow fever there in July.
1t is asserted that at the time Montauk
Point was selected as the site for the camp
1t was "a barren waste" The details of the
selection of the camp site are given. as are
also those of Tie transportation of troops,
and 1t is asserted that when the first de-
tachment of 275 troops arrived on the Sth
OF August the camp was not ready to re-
ceive them, and they slept under their
blankets and in the open air, as no tents
had arrived. This it is added, was eleven
days after it had been decided to establish
the camp"
Continuing, the assertion is made that by
the 10th of August the sick were reported
suffering from want of proper accommo-
dations and food; that their tents were
without floors and with only their blankets
between the sick men and the ground, and
that a glass of sour milk apiece was the
only nourishment they received in twen-
ty-four hours. The War Department is
charged with frequent changes of plans,
and it is asserted that General Young was
given only six days for the preparation of
the camp before the arrival of troops, when
two weeks time was necessary, which
caused great confusion
On the 14th of August, DR.. Edison visited
the camp and found that the 1,4OO troops
there were almost wholly dependent upon
a body of water without Inlet or outlet and
known as Fort pond, for their drinking
water This pond received the drainage
from the camp and the doctor found the
water to contain ninety grains of salt TO
the gallon. This condition, he said, caused
disease and rendered the pond a constant
menace to the men. BY the 30th of August
there were twenty thousand men in camp
and 1860 in the hospital. with many unable
to secure admission from the transports.
The regulars were reported to be suffering
no pay for three months Contract surgeons
were reported living at the expense of pa
tients. after the doctors had lunched,"
says the account, twenty-five apollinaris
bottles were counted on the table, said to
have been diverted from hospital stores"
Particulars are given of the death, in his
tent, of Private Hugh Parrett, on Aug 2S,
and it is asserted that DR.. Tabor refused
him permission to enter the hospital on the
ground that he was not sick.
The assertion is made that when on the
5th of September, DR.. Lee went to Camp
Wikoff with a special train to take sick
soldiers to the Brooklyn hospitals ''he was
unable to get more than fifteen men to the
train on account of lack of ambulances,
which were being used TO carry sightseers
around the camp. While hundreds of sick
soldiers were waiting to be transferred to
boats and trains, dozen ambulances stood
at the depot filled with laughing men and
women who were seeing the camp with Off
GERS and friends" After this incident Cen
eral Young gave orders that the ambulances
were to be used only for the transportation
of the sick.
A list of witnesses forwarded is as fol-
lows: General Joseph Wheeler. General
Young, Colonel Forwood, Major Brown,
Surgeon, Chief Surgeon Sem, from the Red
Cross; Miss Helen Gould, Mrs. Walworth,
DR.. Cyrus Edison, DR.. S. II. Doty, health Of
f1cer, New York city; DR.. w. T. Jenkins.
health commissioner, New York. William
Smith, banker; Surgeon Linn, Thirteenth
Infantry Surgeon Ames Tenth Infantry.
A large number of names of witnesses is
also suggested in the Parrett case, and
there is a general request that correspond
ents and reporters of the World shall be
called.
The commission directed that reply be
forwarded to Mr.. Hersh informing him that
the communication should have careful con-
sideration.