The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-04-02
STORIES ABOUT BEEF
Surgeons Could Not Obtain Proper
Food For Sick.
EAGAN HAD BEEN WARNED
HAD EXPERT ADVICE AGAINST
REFRIGERATED BEEF.
But Stated That He Was Forced to
Take It-Army Officer Describes
the Terrible Stencil From the Re
frigerated Meat, Which Spoiled
Other Food Supplies.

washington, April line military
| court to investigate the beef question
held only one session today, but never
! theleSs examined an unusually large
number Of witnesses, including several
army surgeons in charge of hospitals.
Their testimony was generally to the eff.
feet that they had had no experience
With canned beef, and, that SO far as
they knew, the health of their patients
had not been affected by it's use.
Major D. NJ. Appel told of his exper-
lenceS during the war at Mobile, Mi
ami and in New York. He had been in
charge of the hospitals at the two first
named places, and of the distribution
of the sick. He said he heard many
complaints from tine men and the sur
geons concerning the meat supplied, es-
pecially on the transports, and he
thought it probable that some intestinal
troubles had been thus caused The
surgeons complained especially of the
lack of proper food for the sick. He
had heard in New York that many of
the men had refused to eat the canned
beef, but he had attributed the mama
ton manifested to the sickness itself
Greanleaf Simpson of Boston, present
contractor for supplying beet on the
block in Cuba, and who is largely inter
ested in live cattle stockyards and re-
fr1gerator lines related his experience
in connection with the letting of con-
tracts for supplying beef during the
Spanish war; He had been prepared to
put in a bid, and previous to the open
ing of the bids had had a conference
with General Eagan, who was a per-
Sonal acquaintance, and who had wired
for him to come to Washington on the
Sth of June. Mr.. Simpson said he had,
In 1897, visited Cuba as a food commits
sion for the United States for the pur-
pose of investigating the supply of cat
tie in that country. He had informed
the general that ne considered 1t impos-
stble to use refrigerated beef in Cuba,
explaining the conditions and difficult
ty, and after the first conversation Cen
eral Eagan had asked him to remain
over one day. The next morning when
he called, the general had told him
that he must purchase refrigerator beef
Tor Cuba, but he did not indicate that
this position was taken at the instance
of any superior officer. He (Afr Si1np- |
SOM had not, therefore, put in a bid |
He also stated that he had more or less |
talk with General Eagan and with the |
agent of Armour & Co. concerning the |
use of pTeservatives. This question was
discussed in a general way with Mr.. |
Eagan, who told him that some inves-
legations were being. made in the south |
in that direction. He had inferred that
the experiment was made in the inter |
est of both the government and the |
packers.
AN AWFUL STENCIL.
Lieutenant William B. Conrad of the
Twenty third infantry who had charge
of the cooking for the mess on the
transport Indiana, said the refrigerator
beef had kept good for about two
a.a1-e. l,1r1
came so badly tainted that many of the
men would not use it A number of
them also objected to the canned roast
beef. The Indiana carried fresh food
supplies for Admiral SIMPSONS fleet
but much of them were spoiled by the
beef. The odor from the hold was like
that from a horse that had been dead
for week or two and was so strong
that the men would get out of the way
when the door was opened. Eight thou
sand pounds were thrown overheard,
but the remainder was issued to the
fleet, though considerable of it was
tainted.
Mr.. Thomas B. Henrik, a butcher at
Lakeland, Fla, who delivered the re-
frigerator meat to the commissary Off
GERS there in July and August, said that
the beef generally delivered was in bet
ter condition than that generally re-
ceived by the general butchers. At
times the beef was glossy, but it was
sound and fresh. The commissary had
rejected the entire consignment about
three times. On one occasion he had
taken the meat and sold it. He had
never heard any conversation between
CAMPER, who was for a
time commissary, and Mr.. Morehouse
IF the Armour company, nor had he :
ever seen them together. No chem
Gals had been used on the refrigerator I
beef and he had never heard the re-
port of their use until yesterday, when {
lie had seen it in newspaper. Some I
If the troops preferred the refrigerator J
oeef to the native beef, because the s
after was tough.
Lieutenant CAMPER was then re- I
,alled to relate the particulars of his
Meeting with Mr.. Hendrix, who had !
ust testified. Mr.. CAMPER said he
lad recognized Mr.. Morehouse, whom {
lie had met upon leaving the witness !
tand a few days since, as the man :
Who had stated in Lakeland that chem {
calls We're used to preserve the meat. t
lie approached and spoke to 4.1r More t
louse, but the latter declared that he I
lad no recollection of ever having seen T
lin before. The court then adjourned i
until 1890 Monday morning. 7