The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-12-31
10 INVESTIGATE BEEF
Official Order Issued For an
Inquiry.
USERS OF THE STUFF
Say 1t Was Charged With
Dangerous Chemicals.

Washington. Dec 3o.-As a result of the
issue between General Miles and General
Eagan, concerning the quality of the beef
supplied the army, and on the written re-
quest Of General Eagan. the war deart-
ment tonight issued a special order for
! the assembling of board of officers in
Washington on next Tuesday at 10 a. m,
to inquire into the general subject of the
quality of the beef supplies, and partcu-
larly as to the responsibility for the loss
of 9OO.O 900 pounds Of refrigerated beef sent
70 Porto Rico when the expedition under
General Miles was there. The special or
der IS as follows:
by direction of the secretary OF war,
board Of survey is hereby ordered to con-
vene at the war department, Washington,
D. c., at 10 a m January 8. 1899. TO ex-
anime into and report upon the response
bility for the loss Of about 100000 pounds
of refrigerated beef, the property of Swift
& Co, of CShica go; to ascertain and re-
port If due and proper effort was made
to feed this beef to the troops IN Porto
Rico, and TO fix the responsibility, If due
and proper effort was not made; 10 ascer-
tain and report the quality and character
| of the refrigerated beef herein referred
to; TO ascertain and report If it was good
and fit meat for issue, and If II had been
subjected to any chemical process what
ever, and to report whether or not the
United States is responsible for the loss
of the beef, or who, If any one, is respon-
sTble for its loss, and whether. in us opin-
ion, Swift & Co. should or should not he
reimbursed for the beef.
Detail for the board: Colonel Charles
H. Alden, assistant adjutant general: Col
onel James Moore, assistant quartermas-
| ter general; Colonel Francis l.. Gunther,
Fourth United States artillery; Captain
L. C. Scherer, ASSISTANT adjutant general,
recorder"
The 100000 pounds of beef referred 10
was shipped from New York TO Porto
Rico about the time that word came from
General Miles that he had supplied him
self with fresh beef. taken on the island.
The refrigerated beef made the trip to
Porto Rico and back, but by the tine 1t
reached Montaui0 Point 1t is understood
to have spoiled owing TO the delay and
consequent lack of refrigerating material.
Washington, Dec. 30.-The war investi-
gatingcommission held a brief executive
session today and at noon adjourned until
Tuesday, January 3. There was no i'm
portant action at today's meeting and the
matter, of recalling Comnlissary General
Eagan, Major General Shafter or Major
General Miles, as a result of the agitation
over the beef issued to the army in the war
remains undetermined. A decision proba-
bly, will be reached next Tuesday. when it
is likely there will be a full attendance
of the commission, absence over the holt
days of a majority of the members result
ing in making the past weeks proceed
ings of an unirnportant character
CHARGED WITH CHEMICALS.
The commission today made public !e-
port, omitted in the statement given out.
bearing on the beef controversy. 1t Is
from Major W. H. Day, chief surgeon at
army headquarters at Tampa, prior TO the
sailing of the Shafter expedition and is
as follows: ga
washington, Sept. q, 1893.
To the Assistant Adjutant General, Head
quarters of the Army, Washington:
Sir-I have the honor to report, In the
interests of the service, hat in the sew
eral inspections I made in the various
camps and troopships at Tampa, Jackson
vile, Chickamauga and Porto Rico, that
I found the fresh beef to be apparently
preserved with secret chemicals. which de-
stroys it's natural flavor. and which also
believe to be detrimental to the health Of
the troops.
While on duty at the headquarters Of
the army al Tampa, as the time Of the en-
barkation OF the "Shafter expedition
Colonel Weston, the efficient chief commits
sary, showed me a quarter of beef that
had already as a test been sixty hours
in the sun without being perceptibly faint
ed, so far as the sense of smell could de-
tect 1t is impossible to keep fresh beef
so long untainted. in the sun, in that eli
mate. without the use Of deleterious pre-
serves, such as boric acid or nitrate OF pot
ash injected into tin quantities likely 10
be hurtful to the health of the consumer.
At Ponce, much Of the beef arriving on
the transport from the United States was
also of the same character, being appar-
entity preserved by injected chemicals 90
aid deficient cold storage.
Where efficient cold storage Is impossible,
transporting beef alive IS the method that
should receive the fullest consideration
by the government as being safest for the
health Of the consumer.
When detailed to take charge Of the
transport Panama for conveying GONZALES
cents to the United States obtained 900
pounds OF fresh beef from the commits
sary at Ponce. Il looked well but had an
odor similar 10 that Of a dead human body
after being injected with preseryatves,
and tasted. when first cooked. Ike decOm-
posed bodies, while, after standing a day
for further inspection il became so bitter,
nauseoGs and unpalatabie as 70 be quite
impossible for use l was. therefore.
obliged, owing 20 the condition and the
complaints OF the sick about il, and the
dlsgustingIy slckening od0r Il emitted
when being cooked. and maEkish. fat
taste when served. and the safety OF the
patieuts. IS couvalescent Soldiers on
board. 70 organize a board % survey, and
condemn and throw 800 pounds. al We
had. overheard. In consequence the con
valesceuts we're entirely without much
needed fresh beef. making the duty %
bringing the men to the United States IN
ar improved condition a very oiftlcult mat
ter
In ny inspection % the Fourth United
tSates volunteer infantry. a. Jacksonville.
recently. I observed ths same o5or arc
taste % The fresh beeE. bu. not 50 marked.