The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-02-13

seems evident, and that his officers labored
Iaithtully in their efforts TO aid him is plain
TO those who have carefully studied their
work.
In spite of every effort there were oc-
caslons where troops suffered from poor
tentage or from lack Of tentage and absence
or straw for bedding where clothing was
scarce. and troops suffered discomfort for
lack OF shoes, shirts and other articles Of ap-
pareI. Ihls was noticed even as late as Oc-
tober in the camps at Admission, Huntsville
and Lexington, while at Huntsville, Ala,
ana Fort Monroe, Va. in spite Of cool
nights, there was a lack Of stoves in the
hospitals, and at Huntsville the supply of
wood was short. With some of the troops
sent from San Francisco TO Manila the
dehciency in shoes of proper sizes continued
AT Santiago the deficiency at the front
appears TO have been caused rather from
lack or transportation from the coast than
from lack of clothing and tentage, supply
OF winch was on the transports. Great
complaint was made Of lack Of transporta-
ton facilities at the camp at Montauk
Many complaints were made in refer
ence TO unnecessary delays and lack OF
promptness on the part of the quartermas-
In the care of sick and convalesct nts return
ing home, either with their regiments or
alone.
CONGESTION AT TAMPA.
Great complaint was made of the rail-
road congestion at Tampa and the absolute
lack of ability to bring order out of chaos
at that place during the early part of the
period of it's occupancy by troops. The
major general commanding has stated that
supplies for 700OO men for ninety days were
ordered there, and the confusion on the
railroad when he reached Tampa was very
great LOCO cars being sidetracked, some Of
them as far back as Columbia, S. c. 1t is
stated that in the hurry and rush attending
the commencement of this work the con-
tents of cars were unknown at Tampa; that
bills Of lading were not forwarded, and
that it seemed impossible for time TO de
termine where absolutely necessary articles
were located. Colonel Bird, OF the quarter
masters department testifies that this was
corrected later on, when the contents or
cars were clearly marked upon them and
bills of lading promptly forwarded.
THE condition of the railroad congestion
during the early portion of the time Tampa
was occupied by troops seems unparalleled
showing almost ineXcusable lack OF exec
utive ability on the part Of those charged
with the loading, unloading and handling or
the trains. Colonel Bird and General
Humphrey testify that there We're very poor
facilities for transferring troops and sup
plies arriving at Tampa via the Florida
Central Railroad to the Plant system, lead
ing direct to Port Tampa. Order was
finally brought out of chaos, the cars un-
loaded, the congestion overcome, ana vast
amount of supplies of every character &c
lvered at this immense encampment.
Congestion also occurred at ChlcKd-
manga Park, probably with not SO. serious
results as at Tampa, but complaint was
made that materials of different classes,
belonging to different departments We're
frequently packed in the same car, render
ing it necessary to remove large packages
of quartermaster or commissary stores IN
order TO obtain the smaller PACKAGES VI
medicines and medical supplies. There was
also congestion and confusion in connection
with The railroad facilities between the 9Th
and 18th of August at Camp W1kon.
THE TRANSPORT SERVICE.
water Transportation-The testimony
shows that the first call upon the quarter
masters department was for ships to trans
port 5000 men to Cuba, and that soon after
the call was increased and demand made
for steamers to transport $4,000. Upon load
ing these vessels, concentrated at Port
Tampa, it was found that their capacity
had been largely overrated, and it was i'm
possible to carry upon them, without great
discomfort and danger, more than 5000
men, with their equipments artillery, am
munition subsistence, medical supplies and
1886 animals for a voyage of 1000 miles.
Even with this reduction the vessels appear
to have been crowded. In spite of the eff
forts of the quartermas ter's department.
many of these vessels were poorly equipped
with sleeping accommodations; the sinks
in many instances were incOnVen1ent and
insufficient, and some of the, vessels were
badly ventilated and filled with diSagreeable
odors 1t has been stated that, had the fleet
encountered q severe storm while en- route
for Cuba, the discomfort would have been
intense and there might have been loss OF
life
'sThe ouartermaster's department ought
to have been able to more thoroughly equip
these vessels, and surely 1t should nave
been more certain Of their carrying capac-
ity. A sufficient number or vessels Tor
transporting 5000 men, with the required
lighters for their decentralization, should
have been promptly furnished, even bad
c14a1a onff 1GrQd nFrXy hl
of every steamer on the Atlantic and gulf
coasts sailing under the American flag. Tes-
timony shows that the vessels We're not
loaded systematically. battery, with its
guns and horses, would be placed on one
vessel and its ammunition on another. The
Second, Seventh and Seventeenth regular
infantry were each divided up and portions
in each case sent on three different vessels.
The fleet of transports arrived safely at
Daiquiri, but the failure to provide q full
and sufficient number of lighters for diSem-
barkation of troops, supplies and artillery
caused delay, anxiety, annoyance and dan
ger, and, had there been serious storms, or
had the landing been opposed by Vigiant
and well-trained force of the enemy, the re-
suit might have been far different.
Contracts-Contracts covering millions
of dollars were made by the quartermas-
ters department during the period between
April L and Oct l, and, although indefinite
charges have from time to time been made
of fraud and collision, no evidence has been
produced before the commission to substan-
tate these charges, although the parties
making them nave DeGH invited TO appear.
The report refers to the statement tele-
graphed to the commission by the New York
World that it had collected many facts Of
alleged influences eXerted to affect the
awarding of war contracts and asked the
World to submit this matter to the COM
mission. In letter replying the World
stated THAI having watched the proceedings
of the commission and noticing that It had
neither the power to compel the attendance
of witnesses nor protect those who had vol
unteered their testimony, the witnesses to
the facts discovered by the World were I'M
willing to submit to an eX parte examina-
ton and the World deemed it best to await
the conditional investigation which it hoped
would be ordered and conducted with a de-
termined purpose and adequate authority to
bring to light all the facts.
MEDICAL SUPPLIES.
Transportation of medical supplies and OF
sick and wounded soldiers-It is somewhat
difficult to follow up the transportation of
medical supplies. Large quantities were
purchased by the surgeons in charge of the
medical depots in New York, st. Louis and
San Francisco carefully boxed The sup
plies were sometimes sent by express, thus
insuring their more prompt delivery. The
delay in some instances in securing medical
supplies at Santiago seems to have been
partially due to carelessness in loading them
on the transports. This is shown in the
case Of the steamship La Grande Duchess
which left Charleston, S. c., July 20. On
loading the vessel at Ponce on July % a
large supply of medical stores was found in
her destined for General Skaters army at
Santiago. The vessel was ordered to San
tiago July 81. The steamers Seneca and
COncho were used as hospital ships for the
return Of sick and wounded from Santiago
IN July. Their conditions for this purpose
were very unsuitable
Land transportation Of the command dur