The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-02-14

Ala, and 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 10 Manila
the deficiency of shoes of proper size con-
tinued even up TO August 81.
AT Santiago the deficiency a 1.-THE front
appears 10 lave been caustd rather from
lack of transportation from the coast than
from lack Of clothing and tentage. sup
ply of which was on the transports.
Great complaint was made Of lack of
transportation facilities a. the camp al
Montauk Point, y. Y.
Many complaints were received in res-
erence TO unnecessary delays and lack OF
promptness on the part of the quarter
masters department i nmoving regiments
and in the care OF sick and convalescents.
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 its occupancy by troops. The
major general commanding has stated that
supplies for 10000 men for ninety days were
ordered there and the confusion on the
railroad when he reached Tampa was very
great. loo care being sidetracked, some
of them as far back as Columbia. s c.
at is stated that in the hurry and rush
attending the commencement of this work
the contents of cars were unknown at
Tampa: that bills of lading were not for
warded, and that II seemed impossible for
a time TO determine where absolutely
necessary articles were located.
Colonel Bird of the quartermaster's
department, testified that this was cor
rected later on, when the contents of the
cars were clearly marked on them, and
bills of lading promptly forwarded.
THE condition Of the railroad conges~
ton during the early portion Of the time
Tampa was occupied by troops seems un-
paraIleled. showing an almost inexcusable
lack Of executive ability on the part OF
those charged with the loading, unload
ing and handling of the trains.
Colonel Bird and General Humphrey |
testified that there were very poor facil- |
tiles for transferring troops and supplies !
arriving at Tampa via the Florida Central |
Railroad company (the Plant SYSTEM lead |
ing direct to Port Tampa
CONGESTION OF SUPPLIES.
"Order was finally brought about. the |
cars unloaded, the congestion overcome, |
and vast amount of supplies delivered at |
the immense encampment.
Congestion also occurred at Chicka- |
manga, probably with not as serious re- |
suits as at Tampa. but complaint was made |
that materials of different classes were |
frequently packed in the same car, render |
ing it necessary to remove large packages |
of quartermaster's or commissary stores |
in order to obtain the smaller packages |
Of medicines and medical supplies.
There was also congestion and confusion /
in connection with the railroad facilities |
between the 5th and 18th of August at |
Camp Wikof.
1.-THE testimony shows that the first call |
on the Quartermaster' department was |
for ships to transport 5000 men TO Cuba, |
and that soon after the call was increased |
and demand made for steamers to trans |
port $4,000.
Upon loading the vessels concentrated 4
at Port Tampa, it was found that their |
capacity had been largely overrated. and /
Il was impossible TO carry upon them, /
without great discomfort and danger, more
than 1s 600 men with their equipments |
artillery, ammunition, subsistence. medical
supplies and 1926 animals for a voyage
OF 1000 miles. Even with this reduction,
the vessels appear to have been crowded.
I'm spite of the efforts of the quarter
masters department, many of these yes
sells were poorly equipped with sleeping
the sinks in many in
stances were inconvenient and insufficient,
and some of the vessels were badly ven
tilated and filled with disagreeable odors.
1t has bee stated that had the feet en-
countered a severe storm while enroute for
Cuba, the discomfort would have been in
tense, and there might have been loss OF
life. The quartermaster's department
ought to have been able TO more thorough
" equip these vessels. and surely il should
have been more certain of their carving
A sufficient number of vessels
for transporting 5000 men. with the re-
quired lighters for their Decentralization.
should have been promptly furnished, even
had such action rendered necessary the
seizure of every steamer on the Atlantic
and Gulf coasts sailing under the Ameri-
can flag.
Testimony shows that the vessels were
not loaded extraordinarily a battery with
its guns and horses would be placed on one
vessel and its ammunition on another.
The Second, Seventh and Seventeenth reg
ular infantry were each divided up. and
portions in each case sent on three diff
ferent vessels. The feet Of transports ar
rived safely at Baiquiri. but the failure 70
provide a full and sufficient number OF
lighters for Decentralization o. troops, sup
plies and artillery caused delay, anxiety.
and danger. and had there been
serious storms, or had the landing been
opposed BY a vigilant and well trained
force OF the enemy. the result might have
been far different.
CONTRACTS.
Contracts covering millions q dollars
were made by TIE qusrtermsster's depart
ment during the period between April !
and October J. and although indefinite
charges have from time to time been made
Of fraud and COLLISION, no evidence has
been produned before the commission 70
substantiste these charges. although the
parties making them have been invited 70
appear.
Transportation OF Medical Supplies and o.
Sick and Wounded Soldiers.
1T is somewh nat difficult 10 follow up the
transportation % medical supplies.
Large quantities were purchased By the
surgeons in charge for medical depots II
New York, s. Louis and san Francisco,
carefully boxed.
The supplies were sometimes sent b.
express. thus i1suriHE their more DTom9t
delivery.
The delay n sons Instances in securing
medical supplies a; Santiago seems 20 have
been practically due 70 caresessness = ,
loading them on the transports. This s. [
shown in the cazas o. tze steamship Ia .