The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-02-21
LIKE SEAWEED.
Col Powell's Description of the
Canned Roast Beef

Col Powelrs Description of the
Canned Roast Beef
Washington, Feb. 21.-The session of
the Miles court of inquiry began today
with Colonel William H. Powell of the
Seventh infantry who was stationed at
Madison barracks at the outbreak of
the war, on the stand. He said that
he started for Tampa on April 10 with
months rations and did not come in
contact with the food from the COM
missary department at Tampa till
about ready to start for Cuba The reg
iment went through the Santiago cam
paign and after the city was captured
and the regiment quartered in the city
he received requests from his men for
money to buy stuff to eat.
He investigated the so-called canned
roast beef and had some of it served
at his own table. Il could not eat it,
ne continued, 1T was stringy un-
Wholesome looking mass, more like wet
seaweed than anything else can think
of. The men were sick and debilitated
and could not keep it on their stom-
achS. We had at that time 1872 sick
Soon after that the fresh beef began to
arrive and the men ate readily and be-
gan to pick up in health. Afterwards
we were moved out of camp near the
San Juan battlefield. Here much of the
meat spoiled before we could get it,
Col. Davis inquired if "any other COM
plants had been received"
II would like to emphasize" said Col.
Powell that the enlisted roan of the
army are not in the habit of complain
ing. They seem to feel in a campaign
that the officers are doing all that can
be done for them and I can't say that
1 received anything that could be term.
ed complaints. The officers discussed
the matter freely and the quality of the
canned beef was a matter of common
talk
Regarding the refrigerated beef, Col
Powell said there was little to be said
against it except that some of the spoil
facilities for cooking while in the city
except a fire in the gutter and all food
had to be boiled.
The regiment was very hard worked
while in the city,89 being on guard duty
daily. Some of these were so sick that
they fell down at their posts and had
to be brought in. Witness thought the
men would be better off in the country
and he directed his energies toward
getting them out of town rather than to
reporting on the quality of the rations.
He had tried to get better quarters and
failed and tried to get medical assist
ance to help his one contract surgeon,
but this failed also.
You made no official report at the
time, then" said Coy. Davis, nor any
effort to ameliorate the condition of
the men as to their meat ration?"
NO. sir; 1 made no official report till
after returning to the states, when 1
was ordered by the war department to
report on the canned roast beef
corder
Col. Davis then produced a report
from witness made from Governors is
land on September 20 in which he con-
demned the canned roast beef, saying it
produced disorders of the stomach. Col.
Powell said he had made that report
on an order from the adjutant generals
Office and that it was based on personal
knowledge from his company command
ers.
Col. Powell concluded by reviewing
the decrease in sickness after the issue
OF fresh beef and the removal OF the
camp to the hills. Replying to a Ques
ton, he said he attributed the sickness
more to hygienic causes than to food.
His command was overworked and bad
ly Quartered and clothed and appeared
a complete wreck. He expressed ina
bility to estimate the percentage of
sickness due to the food Explaining his
expression, want of nutritiVe value, -
he said the beef gave no pleasure in
eating nor in source of strength to the
body.
In reply to question from Col. Davis,
he said the issue of fresh beef was made
direct. through the regimental commits
sary, without the Intervention of bril-
gade commissaries.
Col Davis piled a number of questions
to develop if possible the responsibility
for the fresh beef reaching the regi-
ments in a spoiled condition.
Col. Powell said to Col. Gillespie that
the fresh beef was generally wholesome
in the morning, and often was putrid
when delivered late in the afternoon.
Replying to another question he said
he had declared to fellow officers either
at Santiago or at Montauk that the re-
frigerated beef tasted as though it had
come in contact with chloroform or
kerosene. This was noticeably true
when boiled.
For years he said he had not person.
ally used refrigerated beef on his own
table because he felt it would nauseate
him.
In reply to a direct question of Col.
Davis, the witness said he had never en-
tertained an idea at Santiago or Mon
tauk that the beef had been treated
chemically to preserve it, Replying
further, he expressed the belief that had
herd of cattle been about the camp in
Cuba, all killing would have to be done
after sunset and all issued before 8
O'Clock in the morning. Reasoning from
his experience in the civil war. when
cattle on the hoof were slaughtered
and issued at night and satisfaction
resulted, he thought cattle on the hoof
in Cuba would have been preferable to
the refrigerated beef supply.