The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1899-01-24
CANNED BEEF CONDEMNED
Captain Bean Declares 1t Made
His Troops Ill.
SAMPLES FOR ALGERIANS
soldiers Refused TO Eat the Sauseat-
ing. Mcss-Men Became Emaciated
Forty Cases Thrown Overheard
stencil Was Unbearable-Thc Com
mission Behind Closed Doors.

The Alger Relief Commission spent the
greater part of yesterday in executive ses-
sion, and only once during the day were
the doors of the meeting place opened to
the press.
The commissioners examined several
cans of roast beef which had been bought
in the open market from retail dealers
Though the commissioners gave out no
opinion for publication, they were salts
fed with the beef. which had not been put
up for use in the army, but for general
consumption.
Some time ago Captain Bean. of the Phil
adelphia Light Battery, wrote General
Miles n letter in which he strongly con-
demned the canned beef furnished the
troops. He explained that he had brought
from Porto Rico several cans of the meat
which he regarded as a fair sample Of the
kind supplied to the soldiers He offered
TO send it to General Miles, The latter re-
quested that he do so. Meanwhile the Al
ger Relief Commission, hearing of Captain
Beans samples also wrote him, but he
had sent them TO General Miles. who no
| titled the commission of its being in his
possession.
Major Mills. recorder of the commission,
called at army headquarters yesterday af-
ternoon and was supplied with the meat.
which he took to the commission rooms,
where it will be opened and examined.
In this connection an interview with
Captain Bean concerning the experience
of his men with the canned beef, samples
of which have been turned over to the
Alger Relief Commission, is interesting.
Captain Bean says:
The canned roast and boiled beef furnished
m tpg VlIA and la. .l.alU aaI or
coldstorage meat sent from Chicago to Porto
| Rico was covered with mold and hair.
Battery G consisted OF I7i - fine fellows IS
there in the State and on being ordered
from Fort Monroe TO Porto Rico, on August !.
We drew from the comnissary thitty-one days
Tations OF the III men % were shipped to Porto
Rico without knife. fork. SPOON tin cup. or
plate. We sailed the Manitoba from Fort
Monroe ON August ;, running aground 1t Ponce
an August 10, and landing August u. While
on the transport the entire command cons
planned about tie canned boiled and roast beef.
After landed they would hardly touch it, for
what little OF it they did eat made them i'll.
After listening to their complaints | sampled
| the meat myself 10 give IL fair trial. with the
result that il made me ILL.,
| | think every man in the company WAS al
hiCted with dyseutery, and believe II caused
by this canned beef Every man lost from ten
to tiity-iive pounds in weight in about month
time. do not complain about the bacon. though
the men. including myself. broke out in sores
50 that We had to cat sparingly OF that. too
Captain Waters resigned August l.. and
was ordered To take command OF the battery. The
Manitoba, on which sailed TO Ponce, had
stored in her hold large quantity OF fresh Chi
cago beef. This beef when issued to Us after it,
cold-stoFage ''embaining'' process was COW
| cred with mold and hair in a grccniSh growth.
and we had to cut at least one-half Of il away tu
| get rid OF the mold. the remainder having a
siCkCning OdOr.
was advised to use this So-cdicd .'emlfIlmed'
| beef by the commssaTy in preference to the IA.
| tive beef, which, he stated. tough.
We could get no potatoes onions, and the
| bareback which we took the transport with
inoldy and full Of worms The principal
/ thing that we had TO find fault with. however.
! was the beef. | believe that any man who at
| tempted to eat this canned beef Tor thirty-One
! consecutive days-for which time we had drawn
! the ratoBs -Would have died
When left Porto Rico on September we
/ drew twelve days Tstons, CONSISTING. OF canned
/ roast beef, canned boiled beef, canned bacon,
| canned salmon. and hardtack. We were Obliged
10 take this canned beef because we couldn't get
| anything else.
| While on the vessel the board of survey-o
! which my first lieutenant W II. Fulmer. OF
| PhoeniNvillc. and Captain LOCKER. OF the First
! District OF Columbia Volunteers. were members
| beef were condemned hy them and thrown over.
/ board, the stencil being no longer bcirable.
| ID. Z. Salmon chief of the bureau OF
animal industry, Department of Agricul-
! ture. was called as witness by the Alger
! Relief Commission in the afternoon, and
| testified as to the manner in which the
| Government inspection OF stock and meats
/ is conducted.