The times., 1898-10-11
THE MONOTONY OF WORDS.
The Aiger Relief Workers Hear an
Old story Repeatcd

Old story Repeated.
| The Alger Relief Commission examined
three witnesses yesterday and incident
| ally presented Secretary AIger with an
extra large consignment of whi.ewasn.
III Is more than probable, however, that
secretary Alger will mildly chide the
commission for permitting the introduc-
tion of little alloy in the whitewash
sent him yesterday. One OF the witnesses
for the defense, Major Hysen. so far
forgot himself as TO criticise the medi .il
branch of the service at Camp Thomas
Major Hysell is a division surgeon. He
admitted that he saw many things that
were not as they should be- such as the
location OF sinks in close proximity to the
Kitchens of number of regiments; also
that the water of Chickamauga River
which Gen. Boynton praised so highly the
other day, was actually unfit TO drink
Major Hysell was positive on one point:
Everything under his immediate supervi-
sion was all right. 1t may be said, paren-
thetically, that a popularity observed in
all of the witnesses examined by the
Alger Relief Workers is that none of
them has been able to recall any mis-
takes committed by himself. All of the
blunders observed by the witnesses have
been in some other branch of the service
over which, of course, the witness had no
Jurisdiction.
The general effect of Major HyselIs
testimony was plainly disappointing to
the Commission. The Commissioners
looked at him reproachfully until Col.
DENLY put this question TO him:
Gould that increase" (meaning the in
crease of typhoid fever at Camp ThOmas)
have been checked or prevented by any
action on the part of the medical au-
thorities?"
mo, sir; l think not" answered Major
Hysell, promptly.
Col DENLY and his associates looked
relieved. The department could not be
blamed. The responsibility rested with
Providence-and flies.
Capt Culver and Major Gallagher. the
other two persons examined, made model
witnesses for the defense. Capt. Culver
was stationed at Chickamauga and ne
thought that Camp Thomas was really
an ideal Summer resort Major Gallagher
saw service as a commissary of subsis-
tence at Santiago. There had been no de-
lay there that he had observed no COM
plants, nothing, in fact, that could truth
fully be tortured into a criticism Of the
management. The cOmmissary depart
ment at Santiago was simply perfect.
The men had plenty 10 eat. and the infer
ence Major Gallagher seemed 10 wish TO
convey was that the sickness of the SOL
diers at Santiago came more from over
eating than from any other cause.
The commission viii leave next Sunday
on its tour of inspection. Much time was
taken up yesterday in the selection of a
suitable car for the accommodation OF
the commission. A representative of the
Pennsylvania Railroad spent some time
with the commission discussing this mat
ter. The commission IS anxious TO obtain
some private car that is fitted up with
separate compartments, bath rooms. etc.
No ordinary Pullman coach would an
swer its purposes at all. II is said that
the wishes OF the commission In this mat
ter will be complied with.
The commission has voted SO a day 10
each OF its members for current expenses.
Authority has been granted the commits
sion by the President TO decide the
proper compensation for its services. II
is said that the members have been un-
able TO agree upon this point. The low
est estimate submitted by any Commits
sioner is understood TO be 800 a week
TO each Commissioner. This would
make 81. 500 a week to the commission in
dependent OF the actual expenses. which
goes 10 show that Alger Relief Commits
sioners come high.
Capt J. B. Culver, Third United States
Volunteer Cavalry who commanded
Troop A of the Rough Riders, under
Col. Grigsby. was the first witness called.
We Jared well I'm the way OF transpOr-
tation and food" volunteered Capt. CuI-
yer. 1--WE had fresh meat four or five
times a week. We had hard bread for
one week. but after that we had soft
bread of excellent quality and in a. lund-
ance. The meat was of good quality as
a rule. Once I ascertained that some of
il was tainted. I inquired and discovered
that the commissary had left il in the
sun. 1t was promptly condemned and
exchanged for good meat. The coffee
was at times green. but generally ii was
roasted. II was of good quality as was
nearly all the food
At this point Capt Howell inquired:
What is the object of the examination
of this witness? I don't see what We
are learning from him"
I'VE are supposed" replied Mr. BeIver.
Ito inquire into the cor Anissary depart
ments and how they were administered;
the quartermasters departments and how
they were administered
Gen Dodge remarked that there had
been complaints about the way that sup
plies had been furnished 10 the regiments.
The best way 10 find out" added NJ
Beaver. is TO get il from the captain
who receives the supplies rather than
from the staff officer issuing them
The inquiry was then directed TO the
health of the company, and Capt Gull
YER said that he had -wenJy-siN Hen sick
in all. He had visited them in the hospi-
tai and found them well provided for Il
had numerous inquiries from Nebraska
about the sick and | was kept busy an
swering the letters. l was able 20 INFORM
the relatives and friends that the sick
were we'll looked after and in most cases
better than they could be at home. He
added that, in his opinion. the ,luar-=r-
masters commissary and medical de-
partments were well equipped. The
troops, he said, could not have been bet
ter supplied.
Capt Culver told Mr.. Woodbury. that
he had received no complaint whatever
about the supplies. There was a report
that the river water had been polluted
above the place where it was aiken in
for drinking, but an investigation did
not confirm the report
1T was not true he said. THE sinks
were we'll located POO feet from the picket
line and not near enough to affect the
health of the men,.
Major James H. Hysell, chief of the
First Division Second Army Corps, at
Camp Thomas. Chickamauga, was the
next witness called.
Major HySell said the nrSt case OF ~
phoid fever that came TO his attention
at Camp Thomas was on June 10. in an
Ohio regiment. 1t was brought to the
camp from the Wooster camp. near Co
lumbus. o. Another case developed soon
after. Care was taken to prevent the
spread of the disease but ii broke out
in various directions From June 10 un-
til August 20 there were only few scat
tering cases however
Were those cases isolated?" asked DIR.