Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1899-03-02


against the canned roast beef, he said
was made, but it amounted 10 little.
Replying TO Col Davis, witness said
there we're no complaints against the
beef issued from the Massachusetts,
but on the contrary the men were de.
lighted with it. Only one complaint
about the refrigerated beef was fled,
and that was because Of some having
spoiled. Witness said there was q
great diversity Of opinion among off,
GERS and men as to the cause OF sick
ness in Porto Rico Personally, he
thought large proportion of sickness
was due 10 the native fruits, cheap
rum and cocoanut candy with which
the men stuffed themselves.
Maj Henry 0sgood, acting assistant
commissary general prior 10 the out
break of the war and subsequently as.
signed to duty with Gen. Miles, ac-
conpanying him to and remaining for
some time at Tampa, testified that
while there he participated in loading
the transports. No refrigerated beef
for the troops was put on board, the
soldiers being furnished with travel
rations He saw the Howell process
beef for experiment. Leaving Tampa
July a. he was at Chickamanga until
August and testified as to the excel.
lence Of the refrigerated beef Going
to Santiago early in August, he looked
after the issue OF beef. lie explained
the contract with Swift & Co., saying
it required the beef to keep " hours
after being taken from the ship re.
frigerator, aud II taken from the con-
Germs refrigerator on shore it should
keep "A hours thereafter
Responding to Gen. Davis, witness
declared his opinion that many OF the
claims OF officers that refrigerated
beef was spoiled we're false The beef,
he said. often appeared offensive when
merely viewed, whereas, II knife
were used to cut off the outside 'the
best beef you could find anywhere"
would be found. "Snap judgment was
taken often on that beef" the witness
declared
Capt. G. L. Scott, Sixth cavalry,
served in Porto Rico and declared the
native beef was unsatisfactory while
the refrigerated beef was highly pleas.
ing. He had eaten canned roast beef,
but had no complaints to make.
Capt. Charles II. Grierson, Tenth
cavalry, until February Q colonel and
chief commisSary Of the Fourth corps,
was with his regiment in Cuba. lie
said no notable complaints we're made
against the canned beef, but the men
did not eat it. Returning from Cuba
he was stationed at Tampa, where he
had experience with refrigerated beef.
lie believed it was satisfactory.
Washington, Feb Us. = Before the
board Of inquiry yesterday former
Commissary General Eagan detailed
the supplying OF troops in and for the
Philippines, canned roast beef being
sent No complaints had been heard.
The Australian frozen beef was delv.
cred at eight cents at Manila, the gov.
eminent paying $500 per day while the
ship was detained al Manila. No NUT.
ton was sent The government Is now
erecting large refrigerating plant at
Manila, to avoid the expense Of the
ships detention, 1t being the purpose
to continue the use of Australian beef
~ would like TO say in regard to the
abuse OF this timed roast beef that
when it was kept In the holds OF yes.
sells or exposed in the tropical sun, the
effect is like that of the sun on the
best canned butter in Arizona. 1t re-
mains perfectly good, though it be.
comes very repulsive in appearance.
lie said II nothing better could be Sc.
cured 1t was to be eaten from the cans,
but only in emergencies, the real in
tention being to use it with condi-
ments and with vegetables.
Were any ratons Of any kind"
asked Col. Davis, sent to the troops
at any time as an experiment. "Five
pounds of the Dole beef"
responded Gen. Eagan, "a canned
that made a nice ham.
burger steak, was sent 1t found its
way to Porto Rico. was used and
every body was delighted with it 1t
was very expensive and was not pur-
chased any further"
He then reviewed the FIRST shipment
Of refrigerated beef to Santiago, which
he considered as experimental because
the value of refrigerated beef had not
then been established finally. Aside
from these, absolutely no other expert.
mental shipments were made, Gen.
Eagan declared with great emphasis
"0n the contrary" he said, ~ fought
all the time against it."
WAS anything furnished on the
pretense Of experiment. asked Col.
Davis, suggesting Gen. Miles notable
mo, sir; never, not to the
value of penny" replied Gen. Eagan,
with indicating consciousness OF the
luery's suggestiveness.
Gen. Eagan then said many persons
had offered alleged preservative pro-
cesses, but he never entertained any
such propositions and the department
had no connection whatever with any
method of preserving beef, other than
the ordinary refrlgerating process, as
he understood it, Refrigerated beef
was approved by army physicians.
Col $. b. NJ. Young Third cavalry,
major general of volunteers, command.
ing Second corps, told OF Santiago