The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1899-03-16
BLAME LAID ufvN EA9AN.
out Smith's knowledge - Misinterprs-
ted Contract with Packers.


out sUIth's knowledge -Mislnterprs-
ted Contract with Packers.
CHICAGO, March l5-Colonel o. M.
Smith, purchasing agent of the govern.
ment at Chicago since 1895, testified be.
fore the government court of inquiry
that the stores of canned roast beef
bought by him during the Spanish war
were all upon the direct order of General
Eagan, the commissary general He
| also stated that some purchases of
canned beef were made without his
knowledge by the commissary general.
Another Of the days important wit.
nesses was Gustavus f. Swift, head of
the packing house of Swift q Co.
While Mr.. Swift was on the stand at
one point this questioning in part 90
Cured by Major Lee:
'f j remember correctly, General
EaRan testified that the beef was to
keep under normal conditions, remain.
ing sweet and proper food, 72 hours
after IL left the refrigerator on ship
board or 72 hours after il left the refrig-
orator on shore?"
"That was not our understanding.
nor was 1t contained in our proposal or
in the contract"
Major Lee read the following clause
of the contract:
"The beef is to be properly clothed
for its protection and proper handling
and 50 preserved by the refrigeration on
shipboard and at the refrigerator build.
| ing, that 1t shall be perfectly good and
fit for use ~ hours after being issued
from the ships refrigerator or "a hours
after being issued from the refrigerator
TO building on shore.
"1f there were no refrigerating build
| ing on Shore" he asked, "and ship
should get i'll at that place, under this
contract it seems to me that there is a
guaranty here that the beef will keep
70 hours after being issued from the
ship. Am correct?"
| "No, sir; my version Of that clause is
different. Starting with our proposal to
the government and leading on to that
| clause in the contract my version is that,
having used diligence toprovide station
| airy refrigerators at the request of the
| government, and with their aid, as
agreed, "a hours is all that we are La
| ble."
Major Lee then read the clause in
question second time, and left the dis.
pute as to time to the consideration of
the court
| "Could you reasonably expect that
| refrigerated beef could be furnished to
the troops in Cuba and last "a hours
after it was issued to the commissary to
be given to the troops 10, 10 or 20 miles
away from the landing?"
II don't think we contemplated sup
| plying troops that far away; / don't
think the government contemplated it,
| l understand that the government con-
tracted for refrigerated beef to be sup
piled at port stations, and at the same
time for live cattle to be supplied at
inland points"
| The witness stated that chemicals
were not in any way used as preserya-
tive, in caring for beef. He said that
his company did no canning, but fur
nished the beef used by Libby, McNeill
q Libby for canning. Major Lee asked
IL the larger proportion of the poorest
cattle did not go TO the Gamers. Mr..
Swift replied that it did not.
Horace Q. Gardner, manager of the
construction and mechanical depart
ment of Swift 81 Co., repeated the Incl
dents attending the closing of the con-
tract between Swift & Co. and General
Eagan.
He told General Eagan it would be
necessary, to meet the eXigencies of the
climate, to erect refrigeratOrs on shore.
So far as treating beef with any process
with chemicals to preserve it, they
would not do it at all.
The witness denied that any chemi-
Gals whatever were used in the beef
business. Refrigeration was the only
thing relied upon.
"f General Eagan testified that the
limit was ~ hours, how do you recon.
cile this conflict with the testimony"
asked Major Lee.
| General Eagan is mistaken"