The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-04-13
MORE ABOUT THAT BEEF
General Arnold and General Chat
fee Take the Stand.
HOW 1T STRUCK THEM
1t Was Not So Bad, in Their Opinion
but the Weather Was Hot and
the Men Were Sick-Gave
Some to the Cubans.

i Washington, April 12.-General 4. K
Arnold, who was N command of the
second division of the 7ta army corps
during the Spanish war was before the
war court of inquiry to-day. He stat
ed that at Jacksonville. as a rule, the
fresh beef was acceptable. but that
Shere We're occasional complaints that
lit was tainted. especially during the
Mot weather of last summer. He did
mot attribute the sickness of his COM
mand to the food supply. He had not
suspected that the meat was chemic-
ally treated.
General Adna r. Chaffee, who COM
imanded a brigade at Santiago, gave the
details of the recent condemnation of
canned roast beef at the latter place
He said the canned roast beef had been
sent there from other points in the
West Indies for distribution to the des-
titute Cubans, and he had distributed
probably 100000 pounds of it. He had
not heard any complaints about the
meat until a few weeks ago. when
newspaper reporter told him that 10 600
cans had been thrown into the sea. He
had Immediately reported to General
Brooke and asked for inspection. This
was ordered with General Earnest at
the head of the board. This board found
ing on hand about 1,S5 per cent. was
bad. There was a considera bly, quanti-
ty of tomatoes and canned fruit which
was not good.
General Chaffee also testified concern
Ing the meat supply to his comma nd
during the Santiago campaign. He be-
lieved the refrigerated beef to be per-
fectly good, but while this was true,
the officers and men would not eat it.
They rejected it almost wholly as be-
ing spoiled 1t was generally received
in camp by o'clock in the morning
and was almost generally buried a few
minutes after it was received. This was
due largely, as he thought. to the fact
that the men We're sick. He had remon-
strated with them because he thought
they needed change of diet, but they
would not have it. AS for himself he
kept the meat until afternoon and then
found 1t wholesome and sweet. The
beef was covered. as a rule with
greenish tinge. This could be easily
scraped off, and when thus treated the
meat was good. He never received but
one quarter which he believed to be
actually spoiled.
AS to the canned roast beef, he had
heard neither complaint nor commend
alton. He had eaten the canned heef
but once. He found it alnpalatable too
fresh in taste, but ne did not consider
1t unwholesome. At the conclusion of
General Chaffee's Testimony the court
recessed.
DR.. Rush l.. Huidekoper of General
Brookes staff, as chief medical officer
in Porto Rico. was on the stand at the
afternoon session. He said he had in
spected nearly all of the troops in
Porto Rico, looking into the kitchens
and talking with the cooks. Some of
the canned beef spoiled and much of it
was of apparently poor quality He
considered a
rule. The refrigerator beef would keep
only from two to eight hours He saw
dt often and found that it soon decom-
posed on the surface. DR.. Huidekoper
said it had never occurred to him that
the refrigerator beef had been subject
ed to chemical treatment, yet for Is
years he had been aware that chemicals
had been used both in the United States
and Europe in preserving the surface of
fresh meats, and that the use of such
preparations was sanctioned by foreign
governments. He knew that boracic
acid, saltpetre and, in some instances,
fluid preparations We're used.
He said he thought the canned roast
beef had only been boiled before being
put up and beef extract made from it.
and said he had expressed surprise that
the firms putting it up would risk their
regulations on such a product. If the
grade were good he thought canned
beer would be a useful part of the ra-
ton for the army. In reply to Major
Lee, he said that formative had been
found to be a good preventative in the
dissecting room and he supposed it
would serve the same purpose in pre-
serving beef.
Captain William B. Williams who
was quartermaster on the transport
Panama, conveying convalescents from
Porto Rico to the North, said it had
ma RI o,J oil
the refrigerator beef, about 1000
pounds. two days out from Ponce. The
beef had been loaded into the ice bcx
at Ponce when the box was warm and
when only one and a half tons of ice
could be secured for it. The next day
eight tons of ice were secured. 1t did
not, however, prove sufficient to keep
the meat and the odor become so dis
tressing hat it was necessary to order
a survey and have the refrigerator beef
disposed of. The canned beef, amount
ing to 1000 cans, also spoiled and had
to be condemned. This was the trip
referred to by DR.. Daily in his testi-
mony. He NWilliams) was in command
of the expedition. Captain Williams
also stated that General Miles had
given orders that the vessel should be
abundantly supplied with ice at the
start but as the capacity of the Ponce
ice manufacturers was only about three
tons a day, the necessary quantity
could not be secured.