Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-01-09
.C0AA|SSARY GENERAL EGAN
Continues His Efforts to DisproVe Gen.
MileS's Statements

Continues His Efforts to DisprOve Gen.
MileSs Statements
CONCERNING THE QUALITY OF
BEEF AND OTHER RATIONS
FURNISHED BY THE WAR De
PARTMENT TO THE AMERICAN
ARMY IN PORTO RICo-A LET
TER FROM COLONEL SMITH DE-
! SCRTBING THE BEEF AND
OTHER RATIoNS- THERE WAS
NEVER ANY BAD MEAT, HE
SAYS, AND IT WAS FAR SUPER
TOR TO PORTO RICAN HOME
BEEF.
Washington, January S.--Commis-
sary General Egan, of the army. to-day
made public letter from Lieut.. Col.
A. l.. Smith, of the subsistence depart
ment, touching the use of refrigerated
beef furnished to troops in Porto Rico
from that landed at Ponce. In this
letter Lieut. Col Smith says in part:
Among others to whom the refriger-
ated beef has issued, | remember the
following officers as having spoken of
the immensely superiority of it over
the native beef:
Major H. P. Birmingham, surgeon of
the general hospital; Capt. Irvine,
Eleventh infantry, who was acting as
commissary for the steamship Panama
Il think loaded with conyalescents en-
route to the United States: Captain
w. p. Evans, commanding battalion
Nineteenth infantry, and Capt. Hoppin,
Second cavalry, commanding cavalry
squadron.
There were no preparations made
for the receiving and taking care of
the beef on shore. 1t had to be un-
loaded by lighters and thrown on the
floor of the commissary storehouse I'M
til the troops called for it in open
wagons. 1t was therefore subjected TO
the worst possible usage in handling.
1t was frequently IL to IS hours off
the vessel before being ISSUED. One
issue to Captain Hoppin was in good
condition except pieces which had not
been sufficiently protected but could
be trimmed off with some loss.
Il inspected the refrigerator beef
each morning before it was issued, and
know that it was in good condition ex-
cept that the beef had been a long time
on the vessel in Porto Rican waters.
"The officers. without exception, 20
whom spoke condemned the use of the
native beef, which had to be consumed
the same day it was slaughtered"
Col. Smith also has the following
to say about rations for the soldiers
Il further beg to call your attention
to the fact that with the exception of
soap and candles for two or three days
there was never time after my arrival
when the main store horse at Ponce
could not issue the complete rations,
fresh vegetables not included. These
spoiled so rapidly that it was deemed
best to commute the ration of them for
several weeks and give the troops the
money value to buy other articles.
Coarse salt was issued in lieu of fine on
one or two occasions
"Commissary stores had been so sys-
tematically unloaded and stored at
Ponce that it was hard TO tell what ar
ticIes were on hand in the island in
sufficient quantity to provide for the
wants of the soldiers.
Il further beg to call your attention
to the receipts filed with my July and
August returns to your office from the
commissary officer Of each artillery,
cavalry and infantry command, which
left Port Tampa for Porto Rico up to
August JIG, with sixty days rations.
These receipts win show that complete
rations were furnished to every vessel
with the exception Of a small portion
of the fresh vegetables, tina, 1t was well
known could not keep sixty days.
Il further state that about 10 a. m.
October TO- on taking leave Of General
Henry. commanding United States
troops at Ponce. he requested me
among other things to say 10 the hon.
orable Secretary Of War on my arrival
at Washington, That the ratious fur
nished 10 the troops in Porto Rico were
abundant in quantity and excellent in
quality"
from August 25 until October II, when
he was ordered to Havana.
HEAD BURNED OFF.