The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-01-08
Ammonia, However, Was Employed in
the Refrigerator Plant TO Chill
the Atmosphere,
MAJOR BLACKS TESTIMONY
FARMER WHO KNOWS MORE ABOUT
RAISING BEEF THAN KEEPING n.
Statement from a Food Expert on the
Nutritious Value of Canned Meat
Better than Fresh.


WASHINGTON, Jan Maj John D.
Black, commissary of subsistence in the
office of the commanding general, testified
before the war investigation commission to-
day that the general character of the COM
missary supplies was good. He said that
the Massachusetts (transporD arrived with
troops and fresh meat but she grounded
and discharged her troops. proceeding with
all the fresh meat to General Brooke's COM
mand further up the coast. On Aug. 10 the
Manitoba arrived with /, 755 quarters of beef,
which, he said, was preserved by some
chemical process.
This Immediately drew a voley of ques-
lions from the commission, which resulted
in an explanation from the witness that the
chemicals were ammonia used in the refrig
orator plant to keep the meat cool.
THAT is all right" said Ex-Governor
Woodbury..
The chemicals were merely in the cooling
plant and not in the meat" replied Major
Black.
The Manitoba was towed out into deep
water. having previously grounded on the
same reef as the Massachusetts. large
force of stewards was put aboard to clean
her up. Here she remained until the oath,
when she was watered and some more pro-
visions put aboard her, and she was sent to
Arecibo to supply General Garrison's com
mand. Witness did not see the beef aboard
the Manitoba and did not know anything
about its quality except a very small
amount landed at Ponce for the sick This
seemed to be good but the majority was
What sort of spots" asked Colonel
DENLY.
Dark. muddy spots
did these spots anect the quality of the
beef?'
Il was informed they did not"
You delivered this to the sick You would
not have done this if you had thought it
was sDoiled?"
mo, SIR
The doctors made no objection to feeding
this beef to the sick?"
Il heard none"
Did you eat any Of this beef yourself?'
mo, sir, ate the native beef"
Governor Woodbury. asked: did you.
while in the island, see or hear of any beef
that was treated with chemicals to preserve
Il heard of none, but have had no expert
ence with chemically treated meat and l do
not know that my opinion would be of any
''Tell me major" said Colonel DENLY,
how long you have been in the commissary
''Snce the Sth of last June"
What We're your duties before that?'
II was farmer" replied the witness. with
a smile. II consequently knew more of rails
ing beef than of preserving it"
sued, Witness tasted It only once. He was
hungry and 1t tasted fairly well. 1t did not
look well: and there were numerous COM
plants of bad canned beef and in these
cases the bad cans We're replaced. Later he
said that he had received no complaints per-
sOnally, but whatever reports were made
were made to the depot commissary, Captain
Pomeroy All he knew of these reports he
had CLEANED from conversation with Captain
POmerOy He did not know that any regular
reports were made. even to Captain Pom
eroy, but understood that there was gem
eral verbal complaint as to the timed beef.
Witness then read report he had made to
General Miles after their return to New
York. 1t was based on the conversation just
referred to and said in part, that some Of
the hospital surgeons had refused to accent
the refrigerator beef on the ground of it's
appearance, and one surgeon, witness did
not remember the name, had ordered some OF
Major Black stated that in the expedition
of General Miles to Porto Rico many of the
captains of the vessels reported they had no
knowledge of what they had aboard. He re-
ferred to delay in landing supplies OF hos
pital tents cots and lounges from the Con-
cho and said General Brooke had stated to
Surgeon Greenleaf that he had sick men ly-
ing on the ground with no supplies available.
1t was stated at the commission to-day
that it had been decided to allow General
Eagan to retestify, as he had requested to be
| permitted to meet the beef charges. He is
| expected to appear again early next week.
The commissary general has received let
| ter from r.. B. Thurber, of New York presi-
| dent Of the American Export Association,
volunteering to appear before the war in
vestigating commission or any other body
of the War Department to testify to the
high character of American export meats.
especially the canned and corned beef, of
which his several firms, he says, have sold
hundreds of thousands Of cases in the past
thirty years to this government and to trop-
zeal and Arctic expeditions. he says a
serious injury has been done our export
trade in ,II1iustlv discrediting our own nnCa IS
He also suggests the names Of Gen. John p.
Hawkins eX-cOmmissary of subsistence, and
Gen. A w. Greedy as witnesses, whose prac-
teal experience Should be valuable to the
commission.
HOW LEES TROOPS ARE FARING.
WASHINGTON, Jan THE conmissary
general to-day gave out a report from
Lieutenant c. Wood the chief commissary
| officer of the Seventh Corps, Generals Lees
| command. to show how the troops in the
vicinity of Havana are faring in the matter
of fresh meat. The report is dated Havana,
| Dec. 81 and says in part:
From the 31st of May to the 18th of De-
cember I have had dealings with the
Cudahy Packing Company, Armour & Co.
and Swift & Coal of whom have supplied
refrigerator beef to the troops of this corps,
and it has given universal satisfaction 1t
took some time to teach the volunteer
troops how to properly handle the meat
after issue from the refrigerator car, and
during this process of teaching there were
naturally a few complaints, but in every IN
stance when it was the fault of the con-
tractor it was Immediately replaced by
good beef, and where it was the fault OF
the volunteer regimental commissary, or Of
the cooks in not using proper precautions
Gas was generally the case), 1t was cor
rected by more careful oversight.
THE health and good condition of this
command was due liz the main TO this fact
that no bad meat was ever issued, the
percentage of sickness in the Seventh Corps
being far less than in any other Of the
corps. With regard to- the canned roast
beef it has never been issued in this corps
except as part of the travel ration. and no
complaint as to its quality has ever reached
me in my official capacity. After seven
long months in hot climate and with the
prospect of many more in Cuba, am Of the
opinion that refrigerated beef. If i. is prop
erly handled Immediately after the issue,
will give better satisfaction than to have
lean grass-fed Texas steers sent here to be
killed and eaten on the same day.