The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-12-08
TESTIMONY ON
WAR FINANCES.
PaymasteF General Stanton Proves
nm Interesting Witness-Rail-
road Well Paid.


WASHINGTON, Dec. The war inves-
tigating commission examined several wit
nesses today. including Paymasler General
Stanton and Col. Hecker. Quartermaster in
charge OF the transportation OF troops.
Paymaster General Stanton stated that or
cers and requests were given from those
Ia charge OF forces asking that the pay OF
volunteers be deferred until they should
return 10 the United States. that being be-
lieved 10 be the wisest and most judicIous
course. Pay WAS withheld In Cuba on the
order Of Mai Gen. Miles. he thought. and
from the troops IN Porto Rico on the re-
quests OF several commanders.
Col. Hecksr who has just returned from
Cuba, was examined In detail as TO the
charters and purchases OF vessels by the
war department He said between June
20 and July Is he purchased seventeen yes
sells on the authority Of the secretary OF
war. He found ~ per cent of the vessels
offered wholly unsuited. Col Hecker said
in his negotiations he dealt directly with
the owners OF the vessels wherever posi-
BILE, He knew OF no instance where more
than the actual cost price was paid for
vessels. He always. he SAID got lower
than the asking price. The Atlantic Trans
port Company had rendered its entire fleet.
For the seven ships which the department
purchased OF them, the price aggregated
Avn.ooo saVing OF 100000 from the ask
ing price e,,s.. n,,s - .u.,u.s .
give "A fair value under ordinary clrcum-
stances" He said further that there was
not A single instance where any influence
outside the government and the contract
Ing parties could have been used in the
purchases.
WAS there any possibility for any third
party 10 be benefited by these salesg''
''fn the cases of the Port Victor and
Scandal there certainly was" was the re-
tt eii." - "''A' eN's''' however cannot
raieried az to railway contracts. he in
terjeeted that ii was not he but the rail-
ways that controlled the rates" as they
charged more thaa they ought TO have re
ceived.
He referred 10 TRANSFORMATION rates be-
tween Chickamauga and Newport News.
apd said better rates had been obtained
I ny letting these contracts In this city the
tarin having been reduced from $l3 to IS
per man for the same service.
Col. Hecker made an emphatic denial that
there was any Influence in routing" the
troops on shese several lines.
Col. Alden. assis.an. surgeon general
said he did not know why Il was that only
officers who hustled" were able 10 get
medical supplies for their men. Any short
irritation of supps.es between depots and
division and regimentai hospitals. for the
former had plenty. When asked why there
was NOT a medical inspection CORDS 10 look
after this very matter of administration.
as was done In the civil war. Col Alden
said there was no authority from congress
no law TO prohibit the surgeon general
from creating such corps. there were not
sufficient officers available to constitute il.
AT Tampa there were abundant supplies
on hand before Gen. Skaters army start
ed, but the reports of medical supplies with
the army in front Of Santiago showed a
decided deficiency. and there was a Ia
mentahle lack Of even the commonest SUD-
pltes The responsibility rested on the
sccll mande- VI the expedition. and. he felt
xsre. was due 10 a failure 10 land sup
Col. Alden was asked why Il was that n
volunteer organization like the Red Cross
could got supplies on the ground ahead OF
the medical department. when the medical
denartmeut certainly had information Of
the coming movement. lie said IL was be-
cause the medical department was depeni-
ent on the nuartermaster's department the
transportation department and cnmmjssary
department, and IL was not supplied with
men enough 10 carry out the plans II knew
were necessary. DIR. Conner. who was
prosecuting the examination. became en-
phatic NJ this point. and asked whether
Gel. Alden meant 10 say that the medical
department was ~ the mercy of two or
three other departments. and this was the
reason there was such a giariug lack az
medicines HANDBAGS. field TRANSFORMATION
and other supnlies with Gen. Skaters ar
my I'm the fed