Daily Kennebec journal., 1899-02-13

road congestion ut Tampa and the absD-
lule lack Of ability g bring order out q o
of the period of it's occupancy by the
troops, showing hn almost inexcusabla
lack Of executive ability on the part OF
those charged with the loading. unload
ing and handling Of the trains. Order
was fisally br0Gght out of chaos, the ears
unloaded, the congestion overcome and a
ter delivered at this immense encamp.-
ment. Congestion also occurred at
Chickamauga Park andat Camp Wikoff.'
Water Transportation-Ihe Testimony
shows that the first call upon the quar-
termasters department was for ships 10
transport 5000 men to Cuba and that soon
after the call was Increased. The demand
made for steamers to transport 25.W. In
spite of the efforts of the quartermastcr' s
department, many Of these vessels were
poorly equipped with sleeping accommo,
ana filled with disagreeablc doors. II has
been stated that had the fleet encoun-
tered a severe storm while en- route Ior
Cuba, the discomfort ouid have been IN.
tense and there might have been loss OF
life The uuartermaSter'S department
ought to have been able TO more thor
oughiy equip these vessels and surely II
should have been more certain OF their
carving capacity. A sufficient number
of vessels for transporting 5000 men
ith the required lighters for their disem-
barkation should have been promptls
furnished even had such a condition rem
dered necessary the seizure OF every
steamer on the Atlantic and Gulf coasts
sailing under the American flag, Testi-
mony also shows that the vessels were
lot loaded Systematically.
.Contracts--Contracts covering mlllioiid
IF dollars were made by the qudfiefHis-
ier's department during the period pc
tween April II and Oct !, and aItnough
Indefinite charges have from time to
sime been made OF fraud and coliusipn,
40 evidence has been produced before tn
commission To subsiantiate these charges
although the parties making them have
oecn invited to appear. So Tar as rail
'oad transportation was concerned. the
usual steps appear to have been taken.
rhe supplies were gent as freight and for
he delay in delivery at Tampa and
rhickamauga was mainly due TO the CON
yestion OF the railroads. AZ those places
q which reference has been made. II
would have been preferable III every
arge shipment by railroad. had an agent
II either the quartcrmastc: or medical
department accompanied the supplies to
heir destination rhc delay in some in
stances in receiving medical supplies al
Santiago seems to have been partially
iue to carelessness IN loading them on
he transports.
Land transportation OF the command
turing The Santiago campaign-tt Is
plainly evident that this army of T,1r
men disembarked in the face of an en-
my in IA hostile country and rapidly
brown forward against a weil-armcd
'orce. was painfully deficient in lanJ
transportation. but Ia spite OF this ;liinos;
squinment of a wcii-trained command, II
iroHe the enemy before II. captured their
lutposts pushed them behind their main
icfeuces drove their feet from Santiago
,ay to absolute destruction as IT faced
he navy Of our country, and finally,
tfter most gallant fighting under trop-
cal sun. captured strongly fortified ci!y
md received as prisoners OF war over g.
ul Spanish soldiers.
Subsistence Department Brig. Gen
,haries =. k.agan. L. S a. in charge
ali ttIaH.
;ated the subject ~ the condition, quan-
my and quality u: the food supplied 20
ne army. Almost without exception Ii
ias been shown bS the testimony taken
hat wherever the troops were ordered.
vhc, her To the various camps Ia the
'nited States Or in Porto Rico. Cuba and
dariia, the rationE prescribed by law
we're ou the transports and AT the camps
tlih tne soldiers. So far as we have
cen anie to ascertain. there was but one
,,2slun, that oi day ia front of SAN
age. when the troops We're seriously
hort of rationS. these had been suppied
lul thrown aside when the men went
nto action; the condition of roads ana
ack of transport alton prevented prompt
e-issue. ~ times the vegetable ratiors
we're uUt of good quality, The potatoes
md onions being spoiled Condemned bE
board of survey, Such vegetables were
destroyed and an equivaient pare OF ra-
IONS !ssued. Some trouble occurred he
.ausc such vegetables and other dam
.god food were disposed OF by the com
ANY NliIiput INT diit VI a bOtAih VI
ttrVcy. This was done through lSnor-
nee. their officers not Knowing what
yos necessary 10 be done.
"Refricerated Becf-This commission
gas organized. the .ith day of September
asst. p to the 2lst DAY Of December, its
members had taken testimony in Il diff
erent towns and cities and nine camps.
had also received many hundred let
ers, communications and newspaper
hppings from persons living i'll all parts
II the country. Examination of numer-
III had
made as 10 the quality aud condition OF
he meat issued to the troops. The testi-
nony with some exceptions. showed thar
ne refrigerated beef issued was pure.
ound ana wholesome
''On the 2lSt day of December last. Ma
or Gen. Nelson y. Mics, The written
cqucst pf the president of this commits
Ion. appeared before it, lie refused 10
,e sworn as all other witnesses had been
xcept one, who affirmed. stating that he
you'd make his statements without be
1g sworn and was responsible for what
ie said. He proceeded, and for the first
me in ihc history of tn.s investigation,
ne allegation was matc Inat retrigcr-
tied beef issued to the troops had been
hemically treated
lie proceeded 10 read communca-
ion from DIR. ". II. DAILY. major and
caring date of Sept. p, 1875. wherein DR..
)lly stated that: In The several inspec-
IONS made in the various camps and
roopships at Tampa, Jacksonyille.
mic kanl,uga and Porto Rico | found the
resh beef to hc apparently preserved
18th secret chemicals which destroy its
at,iral flavor and which | also believe
y be detrimental to the health OF the
roOpS.
although DIR. Daily swears that he in
ormcd Gen. Miles about the first of Au-
;usi. lS9%. that he suspected that the re-
rigcrated beef was chemically treated.
does not appear that the general in
ormed the war department that an Off
er of his staff had made this discovery,
or does it appear that he at that time
,rdered any OF the officers under his
ommand to probe 10 the bottom an ale
alton which If true concerned the health
# 2,5 900 soldiers of the United States, in
allure to do which there was dere!iction
t duty. II is true that, Sept 20 he had
.irccted that an order should be issued
skiing for reports relative to meats is
ued but the order specifically mentioned
canned fresh roast beef and nothing
lse, and ii was the reports received in
.nswcr TO this that were presented in alb
tract by the general AT the time of his
opearanCe before the commission and
SINCE
In his report DIR. DAILY does not
nake the ali important statement tha,
le had already chemically analysed
my meat. although he suggested that
iuch an analysis should be made. He