The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-01-10

had personally supervised the loading Of
ZgoOO pounds of beef shipped at Newport
News on the Massachusetts in July for Por-
70 Rlco, 100000 In August on the Manitoba
large consignment in the middle of July on
me steamship Mississippi, Port Tampa to
CUBA, and that all these beef shipments
had been in excellent condition
WHEN BEEF IS BEST.
Horace c. Gardner, a veteran employee
and manager of the Construction and Me
chanical Departments, testified that he had
examined a number of transports carrying
the refrigerated beef and had seen none
that could be at all questioned. Mr.. Gard
ner then went into detailed description
Of the ammonia refrigerating plant. He ex-
planned that the ammonia merely furnished
cold air to keep the meat at a proper tenn
perature. The ammonia did not come in
contact with the meat or affect it in any
way. AS to the keeping properties of re-
frigerated meat, he said that in his opinion
meat was at its best after three weeks in
the cooler 1t would remain at its best for
perhaps ten days longer, after which grad
ual deterioration would set in. Il do not
wish 70 be understood, however" said he,
that three weeks, plus ten days, is the
longest that meat will keep in cold storage.
| have known it to keep good much longer
than that. | will simply say that after the
first three weeks the beef losses something
of its power of resisting decay after being
taken out of cold storage.
Mr.. Gardner supported the denialS of the
other beef company employees that chemicals
were used in the preservation of the COM
panyS meat.
Asked if he had ever heard of any charges
of chemicals being used in refrigerated meat
before the present agitation began, Mr..
Gardner replied that about fourteen years
ago. when Chicago dressed beef was first
introduced into New York and other East
ern cities there the same talk of chem
icals and "embalmed beef" This prejudice
hPpn however J.
periOrity of the beef, and now at least three
fourths of all the meat used in New York
and other large Eastern cities was refrig-
orator beef.
Charles d. Barry, one of Swift & Co s
travelling statesmen, who was in Washington
last summer making contracts with the gov
eminent for meat. was called. He described
at some length the methods of making bids
and securing contracts with the War De-
partment. but he knew nothing of the char
acter of the meat furnished, except that it
corresponded to the specifications in the
contracts.
G. f. Swift, head of the firm of Swift &
Co. of Chicago, was the next witness. Mr.
Swift, at the request of the commission,
went into a general description of the beef
business from the time the cattle reached
the stock yards till they landed in the re-
tail butcher shops. This testimony had been
largely anticipated by the recital of his
superintendent Mr.. Wilder earlier in the
day. AS to the export business of his COM
pany. Mr. Swift said they killed, approx
mately, a million and a quarter head an
nually. and of this over s., 300 600 pounds
was exported to London and Liverpool.
amounting in value to 6,665, 144. The quail
ity of beef sent to Cuba and Porto Rico.
he said, was just about the quality demand
ed by the New York trade Regarding
chemicals, Mr.. Swift said most positively
he had never used them in all his forty
years experience as a butcher and he knew
of no chemical that could be used with adj
vantage to either the seller or consumer.
Mr.. Swift said there were six large firms
engaged in the export beef business. which
amounted roundly to $23. 600. 600 annually. The
entire business Of his own company for the
past year amounted to about $15,0c0G0.
They had done large amount of business
with the English army. one year furnishing
20 per cent. of the fresh beef in England.
and they had never had any complaints as
to the quality or condition of the meat sup
piled. Mr. Swift said the most severe test
of refrigerated meat he had ever made in
actual practice was a cargo sold in Liver
pool forty-three days after the beef was
killed. and it was reported in fair condition
on delivery. This, too with a scant supply
of ice.
The government inspectors of the beef at
Chicago it is likely, will be summoned by
the commission.