Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1899-01-12
WAR INVESTIGATION
Witnesses Appear and Testify Be-
fore the Commission.
TIE MEAT DECLARED TO Be GOOD.
NAL Harrisnn Save That th4 Com mi ss AIRY
st"r-s Wee the E.st That Could Be
B"u.ht Ia the Market and the
He-f Was Excellent.

Washington, Jan. Mai Hopkins,
military aid to the secretary OF war,
testified before the war investigating
commission regarding sanitary condi.
lions at the camp, at Tampa, Camp
Thomas and CaWp Aiger. 1t was the
old ques!l Of SINKS, drainage and
camp police, and the testimony of the
witness wa, little different from pre-
ceding witnesses He had not ap.
proved of the conditions at Camp
Thomas, and in accordance with his
report an order was issued on August
Is for its abandonment. He knew of
no adverse report ever having been
made to the secretary of war on Camp
Alger. If there were any complaints
they were merely individual He
knew Of no complaint as to any camp
that was not promptly investigated.
Maj Harrison, Ninth volunteer in.
fantry, whose regiment was raised
near New Orleans and is now in the
service at Santiago, was next called.
Concerning comnissary stores, he said
those in the United States were the
best that could be bought in the open
market. The refrigerated beef sent
from this country, he said, was excel.
lent He had had much experience with
refrigerated meat, and he said that
while there was some disposition on
the part of the regimental cooks to
cavil at the appearance Of the meat it
was in reality quite good He explained
that the sudden change of tempera.
ture on removing the meat from the
refrigerator ships produced what is
known as IA beard" "a greenish growth
that had to be scraped off. When this
was done the meat beneath was per-
fectly good. 1t was issued to the men
with excellent results and benefited
the sick materially. The chief trou-
BILE came when the change was made
to hoof cattle sent from Porto Rico.
This beef Maj Harrison killed himself
and personally superintendent its dress.
ing and cooling But it would not |
cool in that climate" he said, very en-
phatically. "The meat never lost its
animal heat and with its use our sick
ness increased ten per cent. Our board
of survey had no work to do except
condemning and burning this local
killed beef"
Of the canned meat, Maj. Harrison
spoke with equal emphasis. saying it :
was fully as good as the refrigerator
beef and none of it had to be con.
1emned
Gen. Beaver asked II refrigerating
plant were established there whether
Cuban beef could be killed on the
ground and rendered fit for use by the
men. Witness said h. thought this
would not be desirable as the Cuban
cattle while fine looking, furnished
The coarsest and most stringy beef he
mad ever seen.
Witness said he was thoroughly ia
niliar with the processes of refrigerat.
ng and butchering meat, and he was
wiling to state positively that there
we're no chemicals used in any Of the
American beef that passed under his
observation. On the contrary, he said
hat there was no chemical prepare.
ion that could be used on the meat
With advantage to the packers and
without running their product before
hey could get it to the army He re-
,arded it as highly improbable that
of the sort had been at
empted.