Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-06-10
Solving the Transportation Problem
in the Philippines.
REPORTS TO WAR DEPARTMENT
Chinese Satisfactory as Drivers and
Litter Bearers.
KEEPING ARMY SUPPLIED

ne w ar departure tOudy Ilidu5 puDliC
two reports in regard to the military trans
pCrtation service in the Philippines. One is
from Lieut.. Col J. W. Pope chief quarter
master. 1t is dated a. Ayuntamiento, April
j. 1899, and says:
. THE means of transportation of this de-
partment are: Bull carts, ponies and carts,
81 horses and I19 mules from the United
States which were received March /, 1899
In addition, launches and cascos, or light
ers, were available WHEN troops could be
supplied by water.
when hostilties broke out on February
the command fairly we'll supplied
with ponies and light carts for ordinary
use. and this department was able to secure
all the bull carts needed. What was lack
ing in transportation was made up by i'm
pressment of the necessary conveyances
Rations and ammunition were forwarded to
the troops at the front by bull carts, and,
for quicker means by ponies and light
carts A large number of ponies had been
purchased, but a number were turned over
10 mount two troops of cavalry, and many
Were worn out rapidly by the hard work;
sianders and other diseases caused many
to be shot. and it became very difficult to
maintain the work with the number on
hand, and almost impossible to purchase
any ponies.
Under these circumstances, the arrival
OF the horses and mules from the United
States on the Tacoma proved timely and
valuable. The prolonged and extended
operations continued to make the supply of
ANIMALS more and more lIfficult and made
dependence on this mode of TRANSFORMATION
uncertain. Resort was had to the use of
Chlhamen as litter bearers. and for other
purposes, and the reports received regard
ing this mode of transportation are favor
able, SO far as l have heard
Using the Railway.
Immediately upon the taking of San
'edro Macati and the movement of the
tocpS up he river, supplies were for
"H'cec by launch and casCos. AS soCl as
Saioocah was taken the railroad was
promptly repaired and put in proper condi-
ton for service by the transportation QUAR-
telIhaster and was soon Transporting
troops and supplies to that par, of the
line. The railway service in the novamer,t
on Ma3oIos was kept along with the adj
Vahclng troops. and the supplies for the
rAirCad. ~ Inv
The efficiency of the transportation serv-
&c u the quartermaster's department has
Deeh Gemonstra ted in the fact that so far
IN spite Of great difficulties all calls for i'm
HIT"!air transportation have been met and
the troops have been promptly supplied with
iatlohs' ammunition. forage medical and
olher supplies necessary for their comfort
ana health" u
system of Improvement
O"P' !. ". SaWtelle, jr., chief quarter
master of the second division, also made a
report on the general subject of the trans
portation service in the Philippines. in the
course Of which he said:
TT has been the policy to tur, over all
transportation to the absolute control of
the quartermasterS of the different organ
izations. and hence it was that when the
nOStliltleS began every organization knew
now much transporta ton it had and had II
IRA,
amply sufficient for needs of the trOops
when in peaceful occupation of the civ
and trenches. However when on Sunday
morning, February =, our troops moved for
ward, the eYer-incr easing length of line and
necessity for hurrying ammunition and sup
plies TO the firing line and the desertion of
d number of natives with vehicles caused
an increased demand for Transportation,
which demand was met by increasing suit
able vehicles carromatas, quiles carateIlas
ana Dun carts ordered that in every case
receipt should be given for same and this
was generally obeyed so that a present
hdte nearly every vehicle and animal so
seized has been returned to its owner and
payment made according to a scale OF prices
fixed by board of officers
ION Monday, February g. ! received from
MAJ. {. A. DeVol. quartermaSter, L. S Vol
unteers, and in charge of the transportation
division, train of 10 buffalo carts. which
We're at once distributed to the different
commands Of the division, according to
their necessities, and from time to time
other calls have been made on Mai DeyoI
for buffalo carts and other transportation
which calls have always been filled without
delay Eight of the mules recently arrived
from the United States have been turned
over TO Maj. Young. commanding the Utah
Light Artillery, for draught purposes in
hauling his guns, and Lieut.. Fleming's de-
tachment Of the 9Th Artillery temporarily
attached to this division, also has eight
mules for this purpose.
Prompt Work.
I'm connection with the supply of trans
Tortation there has up to the present not
existed a single untitled want, and to tba
credit Of the re2inlentaI quarterrnast
ana cOmmissary officers may be pointed the
fact that on Sunday evening" February D
the men We're all served their rations and
in some ca:eS shelter tents and blankets
where they lay on the fighting line wibhin
an hour of the cessation of fire and these
men had advanced from the city carving
nothing but their arms and ammunition
w hen Caioocan was taken February 10
there found at the car shed there !
diSmantied engines and about % PASSENGER
coaches and over 100 freight and fiat cars
An efficient train crew and corps Of me-
chanics was organized with Corp Haisch
10Th Kansas Infantry, as chief engineer
which assembled four of the engines and
on February II train service was estab-
lished running two trains from Caloocan
to Manila and three trains from Manila to
Caloocan daily, greatly simplifying the
transport problem. The steam tramway
was found to be in working order, and that
set in operation February H. but soon
ii was found that the railroad supplied all
needs. and the train service was discon-
tinued.