Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-01-07
EMBALMING ARMY BEEF.
Offer by A. b. Powell, Which the Gov.
crnment Rejected.

Commissary General Eagan has made
public letters which he thinks furnish
the key to the 'embalmed beef" which has
Inquired in a sensational manner before
the war investigating committee.
Under date of New York, May "a, 1898,
Alex b. Powell of New York city wrote
the War Department as follows:
In conversation with Mr. II. o. Armour
OF the Kansas City Packing Company,
he tells me the government anticipates
shipping fresh beef, pork, mutton, ETC., to
cuba. AS l have had long experience in
shipping meats to Florida, at all times of
the year, by my process, l beg to suggest
mat IN the climate of Cuba meats exposed
after being taken from the ice boxes will
only stand up very short time
nave process that L have been using
Tor several years shipping meats to Flor
lda. 1t so purtfies the meat that they will
stand any climate for from four to ten
days after leaving the ice house l shipped
all the meats used at the Ponce de Leon
and the Alcazar of St. Augustine, Fla,
from the time they opened up to 1894 un-
der the management of Mr.. O. S. Seayey,
at present manager of the Hotel Cham
plain. Clinton county, N. Y, who knows
all about my process, if you will kindly in
qulre of him the results. | also shipped all
the meats used by the Tampa Bay Hotel
during the management of ]. ii. King also
many others UP to the time the Chicago
people commenced to ship refrigerator
cars to their agency there; in fact, l
shipped one-half the meat that went into
Florida via the Clyde s. S. line, previous
to their having broad gauge railroads run
ming into the state. OF this the agents OF
the Clyde line will bear me evidence
My mode of shipping was in common
barrels with single bag covering In
many cases it was ten days on the trip
ND Loot Nv
also would refer you to Count De Barry
agent for the Mumms champagne, New
York, who has a residence in central
Florida, who has for the past ten years
up to the present time, used no meats that
did not come from me by my process.
My proposition to the government
would be to process all their fresh meats
In the cars at Tampa or any other place
where .he cars could reach. l can process
ten car loads, or 100000 pounds, in four
hours at my own expense, and put the
meats in a condition to be hung up In any
part of a ship, which will keep in perfect
condition for from four to ten days. l sim
ply so purify the germs of the meats that
they will stand the destroying elements OF
any climate. My price for doing it would
be one-half cent per pound. Kindly send
this to the proper party and have them
investigate. L shall be pleased to go to
Washington to confer with any party you
suggest"
Mai Gen. Miles referred the letter to the
commissary general of subsistence, and, by
direction of the latter, Capt. George B.
Davis of the subsistence department replied
to Mr.. Powell as follows:
Your letter of the goth instant upon the
subject of preservation and shipment OF
fresh beef, pork, mutton, etc, to Cuba has
been referred to this office. In reply have
to say that the subject of furnishing fresh
beef in Cuba Is now being considered. This
department Is not enga aging any one with
methods to cure meats. If 1t purchases
meat 1t will be from some one who will fur
nish meat and guarantee its good condition
on arrival and for seVenty-two hours there.
9fter, who will slaughter and deliver as
required wherever the troops may be-
The investigation instituted by Gen. Miles
through the inspector generals office as tC
the quality of meat furnished the troops in
the field is progressing. Letters have beer
addressed TO all inspectors in the field, but
the replies so far received have contained
chiefly negative information. The investi.
CATION will be thorough, however, and from
its nature and methods of procedure Is
expected to produce large amount of in.
formation which will form an interesting
supplement to the work of the war investi.
eating commission.