Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-09-29
BACK IN WASHINGTON AFTER HIS
TRIP OF INSPECTION.
REPORTS TO THE PRESIDENT
SAYS HE FOUND CONDITIONS GEN.
ERALLY SATISFACTORY.
some Matters Might Be Improved
Upon. HOwever-GreatestT Trouble
Due to the Lack of Care
Volunteer Soldiers Take
of Themselves.

WASHINGTON, Sept. 2S-Secretary AL
ger has returned to Washington. He came
TO the war department Immediately after
breakfast and was soon beseGed by num-
ber of persons who had been waiting for
his return. The secretary looked much
improved by his trip, although it was filed
with hard work after lie left Detroit.
Later he made verbal report TO the
president on the inspection OF the army
camps which he has just concluded. He was
occupied with the president for two and
half hours. During the interview Sec
retary Long came over from the navy de-
partment and joined the party in the cab
met room.
On leaving the White House, Secretary
Aiger said he was much gratifed with the
conditions of the camps generally. He re-
Trained from specifically charging exag-
geration of conditions of camp life, but
said the results of the trip of inspection
were quite satisfactory. He had visited,
he said, every one of the camps, the hos
pitals and the sick. He was gratified es-
pecially to find the men in the hospitals
steadily improving. and that there were so
many convalescent, where the odds against
them from their maladies had been great.
Most of the men in the hospitals, he said,
were in good spirits, cheerful and happy
and brightly looking forward to the time
when they would be well again.
| In a general way the camps were kept
satisfactorily, but there were, he conceded,
points which might have been improved
upon, citing particularly the unsatisfactory
condition of the sinks at some places.
At Jacksonville, he said the reports
seemed to show fairly large proportion
of sick. but he said this percentage was
to be accounted for by the fact that the
| II
mustered out were kept in the camp. ''The
main trouble I found" said Secretary Al
ger, was perhaps the lack of care the
troops took OF themselves. This was one
of the great difficulties encountered. Tents
| outside the camps conducted by private
enterprise proved too tempting for the SOL
diers. and the results of improper and in
judicious eating soon manifested them
selves in the general condition of the men
These were things which sometimes could
not be helped and where there was a most
rigid discipline along these lines the i'm
proved state of affairs was evident
The secretary said the reforms or changes
which might result from his inspection
would be discussed later
Secretary Alger says the report of n
scene in General Breckenridge's headQuar-
ters at Lexington, when he was inspecting
that camp, is absolutely without funda-
ton. There were no high words and no
excited language and no scene. The sec
retary says the story was made out of
whole cloth. Secretary Alger and Generals
. Ludington and Sternberg each have letters
from General Wiley. who was reported
as having made accusations against them
expressing his regret that any such report
was circulated. That to Secretary Alger
follows:
Headquarters First Brigade Third Divis-
ion, First Army Corps, Camp Hamilton,
| KY, Sept. %. 1898.
My Dear General Alger:-I hear that
some of the Northern papers are making
: a great display of headlines showing how i
pitched into Generals Alger. Huntington
l and Sternberg at General breckenridge
headquarters on the 20th inst.-'How
= called you down., etc.-a lot of untruthful
9 trash. Every word l said was directed to
] you personally, and We were within four
or five feet of each other, and you nc
doubt heard every word of 1t. Not word
or sentence was uttered at that or any
other time with reference to yourself, Gen.
eral Ludington or General Sternberg. ex-
cept in expression of the highest regard
and respect for your successful and faith
full performance of great task. l an
very respectfully your obedient servant,
JOHN A WILEY
"Brigadier General, Volunteers"