The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-04-07
Armour and Compauy's Claims for
Their Preserving Process.
MEMORANDA NOT IN FILE BOXES
General Earan's Chief Clerk Says
They Were ia the Charge of tho
Generals Special Confldant and
Now Cannot be Found.


Of Messrs. Armour q CO.. proposing TO
use the Powell process for the prcserva-
tlon OF beef was submitted as evidence
by Major Lee. acting Tor General Miles
IL was addressed tO ihe Commssary- Cen
era. dated at the firms Washington
office july l3. 1885, and reads as follows:
AS supplementary and explanatory TO
our bid TO supply dressed beef IN Cuba.
we wish 90 say that We have the eXclu-
sive control of the Powell process for pre-
serving fresh meats. and that this process
has been tested az Tampa. Fla. the test
having been completed with very salts
factory results This test was made under
the supervision OF Colonel John Weston,
OF your department who has advised
sou Of thc results We are advised. how
cvcr. that ne received four carcasses Of
beef which We sent him from Chicago
ouly rcfrigeratcd and treated according
10 tho Powell process.
PRACTICAL TESTS.
Part of these ctrcasses were envclopcd
sn sacks OF canvas. and part were not
THESE carcasses were distributed to the
Third Cavalry. the Sixth Cavalry. batter
les Of artillery ana the medical depart
mcut and were hung in the air ON the
upper deck of the transport troopships
lying al the wharf ga the hot sun. with
out any benefit of the fresh air or move
not wrapped feTmcntod in less than sew
enty-two hours while the pieces that
were covered or wrapped kept about l0O
hours.
These practical tests made under the
supervision OF your own officer show
that by means Of this proctss. wrapped
parts Of CaIcasses can be kept longer
than the seventy-twO hours required by
your specifications.
tfAr D.lIata that un may safely saw
sucn results have never before been a.
complished In the history of fresh meat
business In view Of the tests which We
have made in the past and of the result
OF the tests made under the supervision
of your own officer We believe that we
a~e absolutely safe I'm the assertion that
This is the only process or method which
viii secure the results required by your
specifications.
Very truly yours
ARMOUR & COMPANY.
Per T. J. Conner Superintendent.
The testimony began to-day with DIT
T. Clifford Cox. assistant surgeon In the
Volunteers Of the District of Columbia
lie was at Tampa and I'm cuba and tcs-
tilted that the command was attacked
with diarrhoea 70 the extent Of a cpl
demic after eating refrigerator beef at
both places.
After the second attack Of this charac-
ter the regimental surgeon had ordered
that the issue Of beef be stopped. This
was done and the diarrhoea ceased.
CONTRACTS AMENDED.
Mr. William DeCaindry. who had been
chief clerk IN the office Of the Commits
sary-General Of the War Department for
twenty years. related his connection with
the work of letting the beef contracts
At the instance Of General Eagan he had
first sent out forty or fifty kilograms 90
l.. aHrfr Lac
refrigerated beef or for beef ON the
block. General Eagan having supplied the
form. Mr.. DeCandry had been instruct
"a by General Eagan TO prepare the oriei-
lal draft of the contract for the beef
supply. and after some rearrangng sub
United n draft. feeling confident that IT
was complete IL was then that mon
whom he understood 10 be representatives
Of s-gift & Co brought up the sIestion
as 10 tho length OF time The beef should
keep after issue. Memoranda for changes
containing the twenty-four hour clause
were brought 90 him by Captain Davis,
assistant commissary general I'm one Of
the revisions General Eagan had inter-
lined I'm his own handwriting a clause re-
ferrng 10 the time reading as follows:
(Which shall not be more than seventy
two hours from the time Of storing tho
same in such refrigerators."
This clause. Mr. DeCaindry said. he had
not az the time understood. but he had
no authority 10 strike II out When the
twonty-four hour clause was insercd Cen
eral Eagan appeared dubious about H.
but said nothing more
MEMORANDA MISSING.
Mr. DeCaindry said that he had been
70 worried by the apparent inconsistent
Giles I'm the contract that he had kept all
The memoranda relating 20 the matter
Are they on file MOVE" asked Major
Lee.
They are not I'm the file boxes"
The witness then stated in reply 10
questions. that Captain Davis was I'm
charge OF these boxes and that Captain
Davis was the especial conndant of Cen
eral Eagan.
Mr. DeCaindry then gave some Of the
particulars concerning the trial OF the
Powell preservatiVe process In FLORIDA
Jie spoke of letter of Armour & Com
pany. VA which they argued that they
should bc awarded the contract because
they controlled this Powell process. not
outstanding their bid was somewhat
higher than that OF Swift, q Company
What became Of that letter." asked
Major Lee.
a portion OF II is in the files" said
Mr. Dccaindry ''but the Bulk OF II was
returned 90 the writer al his request
The portion returned was the last para
graph containing tho endorsement OF the
Scorctary of War and the NommlssaiF
General An office copy was, however
retained"
DID not REMEMBER IT
The witness then was requested 10 ana
eid read the letter from Armour & Com
many dated July 18th. bearing on TINS
subicct. but Ne said he had no remem-
rranco o. ever having seen the letter be-
fore This letter was then put in as evi-
Cence
Dr Richard a. Pyles. Chief Surgeon OF
,Nc District NJ Columbia Volunteers. tes-
tided that the refrigerator beef supplied
The troops IN cuba had given them dysen-
terry. but expressed the opinion that THIS
was due 90 the fact that they ate TOO
much o. 80.
lie cxnrc-sed di.aD9~ovai of the canned
beef ard said tho mon would oaiv eat IL
when .he~ could get no other meat
The court then adjourned until to-mor-
row.
ID - ~.-,s-
Nav lnvesi isatc.
WASHINGTON. April 6.-Thc arfdiSn-
uent OF a large amount OF the canned
beef supplied az Hanvena. OF which, II
f. charged. 4. 100 cans Of tainted beef have
,uai been destroyed by commiosary oih-
Gals. will be- followed tomorrow by an
40