The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-04-27
THE PEOPLE WILL
FOOT THE BILL
Government Must Pay for Beef
Destroyed at Ponce.
BOARD OF INVESTIGATION
Reports That the Meat Was Good on
Receipt, and That thu Packers
Fully Carried Out Their
Part of the Contract.

Washington, April 26.-The board con-
vened by special order to examine into
and report on the responsibility for the loss
of 100000 pounds of refrigerated beef sent to
Porto REQ last summer has submitted its
report and find ngs. The beef was shipped
on the transport Manitoba from Swift &
Co., in Chicago and Kansas City. The
boards findings are as follows:
That the beef was good and fit for issue
upon it's arrival at the port of Ponce Au-
gust 10, 1898, was reported 10 the proper
military authorities, and that this condition
cont nued after the release of the Mani
toba from there on August a. 1898, nl-
though there is reason 10 believe the ie-
frigeration was not satisfactory during that
interval.
That, Notwithstanding the time and la
Dor involved in unloading troops and ami
mails from the Manitoba, ana in cleaning
the ship up to and including August Is,
1898, due and proper effort was not made
to issue this beef to the accessible troops
between that date and August 25 1898, the
date of the departure of the Manitoba from
Mayaguez.
THAT this lack of effort was in the ma
ture of an acquescence in the arrangement
already sanctioned for the purchase of ma
tive beef, but lay primarily in the lack of
controlling authority and a responsible
head of the subsistence department in
Ponce under the difficulties attending a
new military situation.
THAT both at Mayaguez, August 25 10
81, and at Ponce between the date of the
return of the Manitoba, August 81, to her
departure for New York, September 7, prop
er effort was not made for the issue of this
beef, and the meat was, in the opinion of
the board still fit for issue.
THAT the meat had not been subjected
to any chemical process whatever for it's
preservation.
THAT the loss of this beef was due to
several causes; Probably deterioration
while the refrigerating plant was interrupt
ed or disturbed August 10 to August IA
exposure to high temperature from the
time of loading on the transport to the date
of issue at Mayaguez, and after so improp-
er handling and faulty protection after is
sue; deficient transport to troops: to preiu-
dice against its appearance under unfa-
miiar conditions. and delay. month
elapsed since the beef was dressed before it
reached Mayaguez, when, for the first time
issues were made, each day adding to the
difficulties.
FINALLY the distribution to the troops
was such that under the circumstances,
great loss was inevitable in the absence Of
any refrigerator at ports of entry.
THAT the United States is responsible
for the loss. The board is aware of an av-
erage wastage of refrigerator beef-a loss
properly chargeabe to the contra ctor-but
the board is unwilling to fix an arbitrary
figure for such a shipment as that of the
Manitoba, handled under the adverse cir
cumstances existing, as established by the
testimony and by the absence of reliable
data.
"That Swift & Co. be reimbursed for the
beef.
1.-The board CONSTITUTES the time limit in
the contract with Swift & Co. to mean that
the beef should remain sound for twenty
four hours after delivery to the issuing
commissary If properly protected; the
seventy-two hour clause referring to inter-
mediate storage In land refrigerators."