The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-02-22

Washington. Feb. 2L-rhe court of in
quiry engaged in investigating the beef
charges preferred by General Miles, con-
tinued today, the hearing of testimony
bearing upon the controversy. a number
of army officers who participated in the
Santiago campaign were heard. Practic-
ally without exception the officers con-
demned the canned roast beef furnished
as a travel ration and reviewed COM
paints about it which the men very gen
eIally made, declaring il unpalatabie and
wanting in nutrIment-
On the other hand the refrigerated beef
suffered but little at the hands OF today 5
Witnesses, II being generally conceded
that IL was good when delivered from the
transports and when il escaped the de-
composing effect of the tropical sun en-
route 10 the several commands il was
found satisfactory. Difficulty in prevent
ing faint before cooking Was experienced
generally. There was very ltJe IN to-
days testimony pointing 10 use of chem
icals on this beef. Inc contention of
General Miles that the army in Porto
Rico and Cuba should have been supplied
with herds of cattle or beef on the hoof
instead OF refrigerated beef. was support
ed by every witness who today gave his
opinion upon the question.
The session OF the court began today
with Colonel W. II. 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 April ~. with a months rations
and did not come in contact with the
food from the commissary department at
Tampa until about ready TO start for
Cuba. The regiment went through the
Santiago campaign, and alter the city was
captured. ana me regiment quartered III
the cry. 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.
LIKE WET SEA WEED.
Il could not eat. it, he continued 1t
was a stringy, unwhOlesome looking mass
more like wet sea weed than anything else
can think of. The men We're sick and
debilitated, and could not keep ii on their
stomachs We had at that time ll2 sick.
Soon after that the fresh beef began TO
arrive and the men ate readily and began
10 pick up in health.
Afterwards we were mover out of
camp near the San Juan battlefield. Here
much of our meat spoiled before We could
Colonel Davis inquired if amy other
complaints had been received.
Il would like TO emphasize said
Colonel Powell. that the enlisted men OF
the army are not in the habit OF complain
ing. They seem to feel in campaign that
the officers are doing all that can be done
for them, and / can I say that received
anything that could be termed COM
plants. The officers discussed the mat
ter freely and the quality of the canned
DttA WIS ii4dllEl VI NDiAAhpA lttAN-
REGARDING the refrigerated beef. Colonel
Powell said there was little TO be said
against il. except that some of it spoiled
before il was received. There were no
facilities for cooking while in the CITY.
except d fire in the gutter and all food
had TO be boiled. The regiment was very
hard worked while in the city. eighty
nine being on guard duty daily. Some of
these We're so sick that they fell down at
their posts and had to be brought in.
Witness thought the men would be bet
Tn. off in the and he directed his
energies toward getting them out OF town
rather than to reporting on the quality of
the rations- He had tried 20 get better
quarters and failed. and tried TO get medl-
cal assistance 10 help his one contract
surgeon. but this failed also.
You made no official report at the time
then said Colonel Davis. nor any effort
TO ameiorate the condition of the men as
10 their meat ration
NO. sir I made no official report until
after returning to the states. when l was
ordered by the war department TO re-
port on the canned roast beef
Yes. I understand" said the recorder.
CAUSED STOMACH DISORDERS.
Colonel Davis then produced a report
from witness made from Governors Isl
and Sept. 70. in which he condemned the
canned roast beef. saying il produced dis
orders of the stomach. Colonel Powell
said ne had made that report on an order
from the adjutant generals office, and
that il was based on personal knowledge
and reports from his company COM
manders.
Colonel Powell concluded by reviewing
the decrease in sickness after the issue
of fresh beef and removal of the camp
to the hills. After replying to a question
he said he attributed the sickness more
10 hygeuic causes than 10 the food His
command was ONerwOrkeo and BADLY
quartered and clothed and appeared 70 be
a complete wreck He expressed inability
10 estimate the amount of sickness due
Explaining his expression want of nut
- nfea.. h.. did hoo NO,
pleasure in eating nor source OF strength
TO the body.
In reply to a question from Colonel
Davis ne said the issue of fresh beef was
made direct through the regimcntal COM
missary without the Intervention of
brigade comlnissaries. Colonel Powell
placed ii number of questions 20 develop
If possible the responsibility for the fresh
beef reaching the regiments in spoiled
condition. Colonel Powell said to Gillespie
that the fresh beef was generally whole I
some but never thoroughly good when is
sued In the morning and often was putrid
when distributed late in the afternoon.
TASTED LIKE KEROSENE.
Replying 10 another question he said
he lad declared TO fellow officers, either 4
at Santiago or at hIOntauk that the re-
frigcrated beef tasted as thought it had
come in contact with chlorOform or kero-
sene- This was nouceably true when !
boiled.
For years he said he had not personally |
used refrigerated beef upon mis- own table I
because he felt il would nauseate him.
IN reply to a direct question Of Colonel I
Davis. the witness said he had never f.
entertained an idea at Santiago or at I
Mcntauk that the beef had been treated 4
chemically To preserve il. Replying fur I
Their, he expressed the belief that had 1
herd Of cattle been about the camp IN J
Cuba all killing would have to be done
after sunset and all issued before O'Clock /
in the morning Reasoning from his eX- /
perience in the civil war when cattle on I
the hOof were slaUghtcred and issued a /
night and satisfaction resulted. he thought /
cattle ON the boof in Cuba would have /
been preferred To the refrigerated beef /
supply
COLONEL SMITHS TESTIMONY.
Colonel Albert Smith. Fifteenth in
fantry. followed Colonel Powell and tes-
April 10, and went 10 Tampa. but he was
relieved on June 6. and did not join his
regiment again until late in July. when he 4
reached Santiago General Ames was
was being. used and continued 10 be sup
piled until Aug. $. when the regiment .
embarked for the north
The beef was good" he said. except
one day when II was spoiled. / under
stand that the beef had been lying in the
sun on the dock.
The canned roast beef. he said. was
used on the return trip. lie did not know
how much was used. but it was employed
with tomatoes il making SOUP The orders (
10 embark were verbal and the rations
were supplied at the c0mmissary's dis
erection.
Colonel Smith said he had reason to be-
lieve very little canqed roast beef had
made in September showed that it had
given practically no satisfaction in either I
soup or when eaten from the can. He