The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-03-30

Washington, March 29.-At the beef
inquiry hearing today Major Black,
who was chief commissary on General
Miles staff during the Porto Rican
campaign, was asked by Major. Lee to
detail q conversation he had with Cen
eral Eagan, at that time commissary
general, after his (Blacks) return to
Washington last fall. The statement
he made proved to be a somewhat SEN
sational one.
Il called upon General Eagan," Cen
eral Black said, Ito confer with him
concerning the conduct of our affairs
at Ponce. He asked me why the re-
frigerator beef was not issued at
Ponce, and l replied that it was be-
cause the issue commissaries did not
want it, as they were getting native
beef. Thereupon General Eagan be-
came very much excited and exclaimed,
God d-n them, they have no right to
refuse it. 1 consider it the best beef
in the United States, and, God d-n
them, I'd have made them take it
Major Black also stated that at the
time the Manitoba was an the reef he
had some conversation with General
Miles about the vessel, and while there
was casual reference to the beef on
board, the general seemed principally
concerned to get the troops and horses
off,
Captain Fred H. Pomeroy, also of
the volunteer subsistence department,
who was for a time Major Blacks as
SiStant in Ponce, gave testimony along
the same lines. He also related the
particulars of the return of the Mani
toba to Ponce after visiting other de-
partments. He was at that time depot
commissary, and during the stay he
had receipted for 1000 pounds, of
which 5000 pounds was destroyed.
Much of the beef was covered with a
greenish film, but some of the men ate
it at each meal. Still, they generally
complained of the beef Much Of it
was found to be tainted, decemposed
and spoiled. The beef in this condi-
ton was condemned or buried, or
thrown into the harbor at night At
this time fresh native beef was being
received on the hoof, and at many
points inland native beef is, the cap
tain said, still being delivered.
At Major Lees request, Captain
Pomeroy related a conversation with
Colonel Smith, who was at one time
conmissary, and he told him that the
beef was guaranteed to keep seventy
two hours on shore because OF a process
for preserving it. The colonel had,
however, stated that he did not know
what the process was.
Captain Pomeroy said he had han
died probably $4,000 pounds of canned
roastbeef during his occupancy of the
office of depot commissary, but that he
had great difficulty in getting the men
to take it. "They complained" he
said, that the beef was repulsive in
appearance, unappetiZing, tasteless and
not nutritious. Not to exceed 10 per
cent of it was taken, and when the
men did accept it they generally threw
it away They tried to sell this canned
beef to the natives, and succeeded for
a time, but not long"
GENERAL EAGAN RECALLED.
The afternoon session began with
General Charles p. Eagan, late COM
missary general of the United States
army. on the stand. He was recalled
to take cognizance of points which
have developed since he gave his first
testimony. Explaining his plans in
general. General Eagan said it was
his first intention TO take refrigerator
beef; then, in case of failure, TO take
beef on the block, AMI, last, for the
government to have its own herd.
Everybody, he thought. understood
that his preference was for refrigerator
beef Swift & Co., being the lowest
bidders for refrigerator beef, naturally
received the award of the contract.
General Eagan said he exercised his
own discretion in the letting of con-
tracts without suggestions from the
secretary of war. When the lowest bid
was ascertained he had been in the
habit Of making an abstract of the
facts and submitting it to the secretary,
Just as when he was a commissary in
the army, he would furnish such an
abstract to his commanding officer.
The general said that in providing for
the soldiers in the tropics he had acted
upon his experience at Fort MojaVe,
Ariz. He was convinced from this eX-
perience that beef cooked before the
animal heat was out of it was positively
injurious.
THE secretary gave me a free hand"
he said. He approved my award of
the contract and there was no further
conference With him or instructions
from him on the beef subject
Referring to General Weston's re-
port on the trial of the Powell process
of preserving beef made in Florida,
General Eagan said a report had been
received on this subject from General
Weston. but that Eagan had not known
of it's purport until long after the con-
tract was let to Swift q Co.
NEVER MET HANNA.
DO YOU recall" asked Major Lee,
"being present when conversation
took place concerning the letting of
these contracts when Senator Hanna
was present.?
u never spoke to Senator Hanna in
nv life" responded General Eagan,
land | don't think / would know him if
he should step into the room now
But" persisted Major Lee, were
YOU ever present where he was when
the beef contracts were discussed?"
Il recall" was the reply, that the
secretary sent for me on one occasion
and asked me about the contracts when
there were two other gentlemen present
in the room with him. / stated to him
that the contracts had already been let
and that nothing more could be done.
But if Senator Hanna was one of the
men present L was not aware OF the
fact"
Explaining the purchases of the
canned roast beef, General Eagan said
that during the entire war not to exceed
twenty-four days rations all told of it
for the entire army had been issued. 1t
was only intended as a makeshift, to
be used when fresh meat could not be
secured.
..Some reports favorable to it and
others unfavorable came to me concern
ing it." he said. There We're some
complaints and some Communications"
Continuing, he said that he had at
tributed the objections to this food
largely to the ignorance and prejudice
of the men, which has" he said, been
the cause of the army's refusing many
wholesome articles of food"