The leader., 1905-09-20
LETTER FROM MAJOR D. D. EWING.
Complains Because BrOOkhaven's Health
Authorities Sent Soldiers to De.
tentiOn Camp.
Gulfport, Miss,
Cant IL 1Q0k

Ndpts e. ~. bbOEIIl, DEOUhudN6us
Miss.
Sir::-I have the honor to en-
close herewith for your informa-
tion copy ofan article which ap-
peared in yesterdays jackson
Evening News, and to inform you
for the information of all concern
ed that the statement that the men
sent to Brookhaven we're sup
posedo to have remained ten days
in camp of detention, that the
detention camp was a farce, =
that the soldiers were allowed to
do pretty much as they pleased''
are all Of them, in whole or part,
absolutely false. These men have
been in a detention camp under
military guard, having one guard
on in the day time and four
guards on at night and have not
been allowed during that time to
visit any infected point or become
exposed to infection in any way
whatever. The camp is isolated
out in the woods ~ miles from
the G. and s. |. r. r. and at least
5 miles from any infected point in
Gulfport. The action of your
local Board of Health in this mat
ter is uncalled for and i'll advised.
| know the people of Brookhayen
to be ordinary people of good
judgment and | am assured that
their action in forcing our men to
undergo second ten days. deten-
tion when they have already been
detained for ten days under obser-
vation of the Marine Hospital
Service here, must be based on
false statements, malicious or 9th
erwise, made by irresponsible
persons. / am in receipt of your
wire advising, that no person
from any infected point or from
Louisiana with or without health
certificates will be permitted to en-
ter Brookhaven. . Kindly advise
;ae if this regulation applies to
the corporation of Brookhaven
solely or to the whole of Lincoln
county, and if so whether or not
you can get any idea as to the
length Of time that this regulation
is expected to remain in force.
/ feel safe in asserting, that to
the effective work done by the
members of the National Guard,
on 6uty with the coast quarantine
service, more than to any other
cause the immunity from yellow
fever SO far of the territory ira.
versed by the g. and S. /. Road
to jackson and other roads enter
ing Jackson is due, and | think
that if the enclosed clipping rep
resents accurately the stand taken
by your authorities that they will
be doing an injustice to the officers
of the National Guard and Marine
Hospital Service, and that they
are further taking precautions that
are absolutely unnecessary and
that involve unnecessary expense
and needless inconvenience to all
concerned. | am personally con-
yersant with all of the details Of
the operation of every branch Of
the quarantine service and when
statements are made that are cal
culated tc reflect on its conduct
and efficiency, / think it no more
than right that their accuracy
should be investigated before tax
ing action on them. / will be
very glad to stand the expense of
telephone inquiry from any au
thorized representative of your
Boards of Health as to the condi-
tion here or conditions governing
the detention of men under guard
at Camp B. F. Ward. | am not,
however, personally interested in
this matter, as | will probably have
no desire to go to BrookhaYen for
some weeks, but am writing in
the interest of fair play and a
square deal, for the twenty or
more members of your company
who are still on duty here.
A clipping from the Meridian
Star OF late date is herewith en-
II -. ! E.... H. rSS.....-. 4 e . II