The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-01-04
Commissary General Eagan
Hears From Meat Packers.
Swift & Co., Libby, McNeill &
Libby and Nelson Morris & Co.
UNCLE SAM.
Aver That They Furnished Only
Best of Neat
And No Fluids or Chemicals
Were Used.


cutting the inquiry into methods follow
ed by the big meat packing houses or
putting up the meats supplied to the
army during the war. Last week he
made public a formal statement from
the Armour company and today he
gave out for publication the following
letters addressed to Lieutenant Colonel
o. M. Smith, purchasing commissary at
Chicago, which came from all save one
of the firms which supplied the army
meat, either refrigerated or canned:
Swift & Co., Chicago, Dec. 2S.-Reply-
ing to your letter of the 9th instant,
we wish to state that we do not put up
timed beef, therefore are not able to
answer your interrogatonS with regard
to timed beef.
We are sIaughterers and shippers of
refrigerated beef and in all of our ex-
perience have never used any chemicals
whatsoever with refrigerated beef
We have made shipments of refrig-
Grated beef to Santiago, Cuba, and
United States army during the month
of December at the following places:
Admission, Ala, Huntsville, Ala, Knox
vile, Tenn, Savannah, Ga, Augusta,
Ga, GreenSVille, 5. c., SOmerSVille, >.
c., Columbia, S. c.
Beef shipped Santiago, Cuba, and
Porto Rico and to various United States
camps have been handled in exactly the
various branch houses at different cities
and towns in the United States and
England with which any one can be-
come familiar by visiting our branch
houses and slaughtering plants.
We are respectfully yours,
SWIFT & CO.,
BY G. F. Swift, president.
Libby, McNeill & Libby, incorporated,
Chicago, Dec. 2S-In reply to your letter
of the 9th in regard to roast beef. we
first commenced packing it twenty-five
T. e,.,Iel H. al rI,.,1r 10,
grocers and retailers and used by the
mass of people-especially in mining
camps. Large quantities have been con-
stunned by the Alaska trade the last two
years; also in South Africa in the min
ing regions. We also ship large guam
titles of it to our foreign trade, especial
ly Scotland, and large quantities have
been used by other governments and
especially the French army.
In cooking the beef before putting
into cans, there is naturally more or less
same as there is when cooking it at
home, which is sometimes saved and
used in making soups. The beef is not
cooked for the extract.
r In regard to the cooking of roast beef,
we consider it cooked as much as corned
beef to make it tender, the same as
corned beef, but it is done under high
er degree of heat and consequently does
not take as long to cook it.
Answering your question in regard to
foreign ingredients and scraps being
used in putting up this meat, will say
we use nothing but good wholesome,
sound government inspected beef and
no scraps of any description are used.
The fat in our can is part of and belongs
to the beef which is packed in the can.
There is none poured in. We do not
handle refrigerated beef
Respectfully yours,
LIBBY, McNEILL & LIBBY
By w. F. Burrows, secretary.
Chicago, Dec. 29.-YOur favor of the
27th instant, requesting information ac-
cording to extract of a letter received at
your office, has come to hand and we
herewith beg to submit to you all the
information at our command.
Estate the extent of timed roast
beef industry?
A.-Our business in this article is
very large, extending all over this coun-
try and throughout England and to the
continent of Europe.
'Q.-How long has this article been in
use, where used and by whom?
Ave have manufactured and sold
the article in question the last eighteen
years or thereabouts, selling it prin-
cipal1y to the wholesale grocery houses
and provision dealers; and tinned roast
beef is and has been used by all classes
of people. We have, for years, sup
piled this article, directly or Indirectly,
to the British government for use of the
navy, also the French government and
to our government for the use of the
navy; in the latter case before, during
and after the Spanish war and made
our sales upon samples inspected and
approved by the proper board of in
spectors.
Q.-Is 1t largely used in this country
if by whom sold and the class of
people who generally purchase it?
A.-AS stated in answer to previous
questions, we have sold it very extern
sively in this country for years, prin-
cipally to wholesale grocery and pro-
vision houses throughout this country.
We understand these people have in
turn supplied the retail grocers, ship
chambers, exporters and country mer-
chants, so that it Is and has been used
and consumed by all classes of people.
In addition, as we have stated. large
quantities have been used by the
American navy.
OFF 1t has been sold to foreign
countries, about how much and who
uses it?
A.-Our principal sales of this pro-
duct have been to England, where we
have shipped many thousands of cases
every year for a long period of years,
also to France. Our principal GUS
toners have been the governments and
wholesale grocery and provision houses;
and we are informed that this product
is sold by the latter to retailers, who
again distribute it to all classes of peo-
pie, especially those who need the food
for long sea voyages, and in other cases
where preserved meats are, required.
Q.-Do all packers make soup from
the water after cooking the timed roast
beef, or not?
Ave make no soup from the water
aIter cooking the timed roast beer.
Q--Whether or not the timed roast
beef is cooked as much as the timed
corned beef?
Ayes, it Is even cooked in a higher
temperature.
Q.-Are any chemicals used In the
process of timed roast beef?
A.-No, none whatever.
Q--Have any of the packers ever
used, and if SO why, any scraps In put
ting up this meat, and where did they
get the scraps-why are there scraps,
If scraps are used?
a Wa haua nouar need ond 10 not