The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-12-29
MORE ABOUT THAT BEEF
Sergeant Hill Says 1t Was Good
but the Men Ate Too Much.
A FEW CANS WERE BAD
There Were Plenty OF Supplies at ST.
honey. but There Was Great Difnculty
In Transporting Them to the Front.
Miles May Be Recalled.

Washington. Dec. 2s.-william W.
Hill assistant secretary of the war in
vestigating commission. and who serv-
ed In Company L. District of Columbia
volunteers, as first sergeant AMI acting
quartermaster. was the only witness
before h commission to-day. Colonel
DENLY. who presided. questioned the
witness regarding the mootcd question
OF the canned beef furnished the volun-
teers. Mr.. Hill discounted the com
plants made by the men. He said they
came from those who would complain
against anything. He sail the health
of his command was excellent al am
pa. and he credited IL largely tc the
free use of lemonade. The canned beef
issued to the men, he said, wsS dry and
lacking nutrition. though later II IA
considerably improved. He believed the
tanned beef. which ne explained was
canned just after being boiled. was
perfectly ft to eat" thou IN once in a
while he woul receive a can that IA
spoiled and smelled bad. He knew that
a lar. ht OF spoiled caa-e1 beef had
bsen f.'rnd at Tam "A before his COM
pany sailed for Cun1. The men seemed
to X the canned beef. ne said. nut
later became surfeited with IL.
The refrigerated fresh beef, he sail.
had no evidence of chemical treatment
and had a natural appearance. The
trouble with the refrigerated beef. he
thorght. was thet the men overfej
themselves and ate IL half-cooked. At
Sibcney, Mr.. Hill SAID. ;Ie company
rad 10 abandon more han half its
provisions. When they reached the
firing line on July IL there was only a
1tffIE fnla lAff In ffHAfr a..raaalra hn-
ing practically withol. provisions from
the morning of July IL to supper on
July ~. The deficiency Of the food sup
riies. he ~contended. was solely due to
lack of transportation from Siboney M
the 10 miles to the front.
Did you see enough OF that refriger-
ated beef" asked DIR. Conner. ito have
any opinion of length of time such
beef o keep in Cuba by simply
protecting 1t with a tarpaulin from the
direct rays Of the SUM-"
mo. sir" was the reply. II could not
tell you We had no of protecting
IL In such a All we had to do
was 10 get IL into the pots as soon as
possible TO keep IL from spelling before
IL got hot"
rs Il your opinion" witness was ask
ed. that beef so protected would keep
~ hours?"
I'm its raw state?"
Yes. j mean Just as II comes from
the ship"
mo. sir" was the reply: II don't be-
lieve IL possible"
This referred to a portion OF General
Miles testimony denouncing the beef.
Summing up, the witness said he had
no complaints of any sort TO make. and
the worst feature OF the food was the
moistness OF the packages.
IL II probable that no witness will ap-
pea tomorrow. The commission has
notined the Swift Beef company Of
Chicago. which had large contracts for
furnishing beef TO the army during the
war. that IL will be glad to give a hear
ing 90 any representative they may
send on January 4 next. This grows
of the testimony of Genera Miles
regarding the refrigerated and aimed
beef furnished his expedition and the
telegraphic protest his statements call
ed out from the company.
1t In very probable that the commits
sion will recall Commissary General
Egan and General Shafter, and possibly
Genera Miles.