New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-05-05
CHICKAMAUGA PARK.
General Boynton on Causes of
sickness at Camp Thomas.
To the Editor Of The Tribune.

10 the Editor Of The Tribune
sir: The Tribune Of May contains very in
reIesung article upon the work Of Professor Milton
"H'they, Of the Bureau Of Soils. Doubtless the
maps produced by that bureau. like all the work Of
secretary Wilson's department, are Of great gen.
eraI value. The reflection upon the War Depart
ment and the General Staff for not availing them
serves Of the information contained in these soil
maps Is certainly unwarranted in the chief illustra
Ion adduced sustain this point. This illustration
is as follows:
n sSn4 3 military experts who have recently exam
tlese maps point to the fact that had the in
tney present been available at the be-
would have been saved from the error OF selecting
eco SiLe az Chickamauga for great military camp
ihat the soil only few feet deep and under
force the draina OF rock whlch W4q lhvTpay
ST. error OF placing the ChiCKamauga camp that
wh0se health suffered and to the families OF those
t Teo uied from typhoid fever, probably than
states to date
rms Is revival of the long exploded sensations
- lamp Thomas. attacking the healthfulness of
me Chlckamauga National Park In regard to the
eACepuonal healthfuIness Of that entire region
- ICING the ten square miles Of the Chickamauga
al the Secretary Of War, Adtutant General Cor
I'm PRESIDENT Mckinley and the members OF the
ARK commission had personal knowledge Of the
PARK bdfoTe T sS Of every section Of the
60 l army camps Of mobilization. Lieutenant Cen
IL 1890 dLleT personal knowledge, gained bV
for ce 45 ana adoption as maneuvring ground
n ma Investigation of every element rejecting
establishment Of The me post mas completed the
United States in one section Of the park and has
aTeady expended considerably over million dol
1aTs IN Psrfectng it To demonstrate the health
diiIlesS or the park in spite Of what this valuable
soil SO map may Indicate the following facts should
manga Park has long been 6eatb an Tes mega So
those residing on the Gulf and South Atlantic
In the ten years that the Park Commission has
pa4E itS large toree IN the Development Of the
health. ''0' 81 N0ep'-Oii"1
During the several years that roads were being
gHIhS az least 1000 men, all residing upon the
as large park force engaged in cleaning out the
4,Vt2 acres Of forest. were entirely exempt from
d PTy several to the 6 NTH Spain the PARK had
regular soldiers, notably when the batteries
Withdrawn at the time Of the yellow fever cpl
sickness. When the moblzation for the war With
Spain began the first troops to arrive were seven
These were ali under perfect dIsci1Ine and care
fully observed all sanitary measures pertaining to
camp life The result that these troops did
not lose a single man from any camp disease while
they remained at the park.
This really tells the whole story of the sickness
began to arrive typhoid fever made its appear
ance An exhaustive report called for by the War
Department Major Walter Reed. Of international
reputation, being president Of the commission
charged with making the investigation into the
spread Of typhoid fever into the military camps
during the Spanish War shows that this fever
was brought Camp Thomas by the volunteer
troops and that at least 20 per cent of the volun
teer regiments already infected with the fever
upon their arrival at Chickamauga and that its
spread from these centres was due almost entirely
TO the grossest neglect of sanitary precautions.
When the greater portion Of the troops left for
Cuba and Porto Rico, the small force remaining
was subjected the sanitary regulations.
with the result that unusual sickness Immediately
disappeared.
The Park Commission then employed a force OF
$50 residents in and about the park to fll up the
sinks and camp bitches, kitchen receptacles' and
to dsinfect the great typhoid field hospitals ana
to remove and destroy by fire all pollutions Of the
great park area These were natives VINO knew
how to take care Of themselves, and not single
case of typhoid fever developed among them during
the Of their work, which extended from Au-
gust Is 10 December 81
While the showing claimed for the soil maps IS
correct for portions Of the park, 1t is entirely in
correct for large areas. and there is abundant land
in the park for healthful and satisfactory encamp-
nent Of large bodies Of troops as are ever likely
to be assembled for purposes Of manCeuvres The
surface Of the park IS generally rolling the natural
drainage is perfect and there is no swamp land
whatever within its area. H. v BOENION,
Chairman of Commission.
washington. May 9. 1905.
General Boynton's statements with regard to
+Ia baal+bfu1uAss Of ChiCkamauga Park Of