The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-01-16
"EMBALMED BEEF QUESTION,
MIR. 5. 5. JEROME HAS SOMETHING
TO SAY REGARDING IT.
Rcpre.cntntiyc Of the Armour Inter.
csts Discusses the Matter from
His Standpoint.

Mr.. S. s. Jerome, one OF the Leading
representatives of the Armour Packing
company of Chicago, arrived in the city
yesterday and is located at the Capitol
Hotel. He is making one Of his periodical
inspections OF the Texas interests of the
company and there is nothing out of the
ordinary in his coming. He says that he
is always on the look out for a new field
in which to establish branches Of the bust
ness. but does not contemplate making
any advance movements on this trip.
In answer to questions, he said to Post
reporter that he had just arrived from
Washington and that he had taken a con-
siderable amount of interest in the discus
zion OF the ',embalmed beef question, and
the remarks of General Eagan. in regard
TO General Miles. Il don't believe. said
Mr.. Jerome. that General Miles ever in
tended to insinunte literal construction
OF the word embalmed in reference to
the meat used by the soldiers In the
first place, there Is no such thing as en-
balmed meat and there is the best of evil
dence TO the effect that the meat was
wholesome. as each and every consignment
OF Ii bore thu United States inspection seal
and certificate. Every quarter of beef that
leaves any OF the large packing houses
bears this inspection. according to govern
ment regulations. The meat about which
all this controversy has arisen was shipped
by one Of the large Chicago packing houses
to either Tampa or some other seaport and
then transferred into refrigerator ships
and sent to Cuba and Porto Rico or course,
In transferring the cars to the vessels IL
was exposed To some extent to the high
temperature OF that climate Then, II on u
long voyage the refrigerating machinery
should be in any way defective the meat
would likely spoil. know that some of
this beef. which WAS In two, four and six
pound tins. embracing corned and roast
beef cooked for field use. was piled upon
the decks of vessels exposed to very
warm sun, and II does not require much
explanation to account for the spoiled beef
under these circumstances.
The government requires steers to
weigh 900 pounds or over. This Is con-
sidered as iirst-class quality OF beef and
Is what was shipped to the soldiers and
what Is sent to customers all over this
country in the regular trade.
This same question came UP several
years ago when we were introducing
dressed beef Mt our new branch houses
and was authorized by the Armour Pack
ing company to state that our rcfrigcrators
were open to inspection and that we would
permit n chemical test to be made in order
TO ascertain II any fluids or traces Of the
same could be found among our meats as
what has been your experience In the
meat business?" incurred tho reporter.
why, sir. have been actively engaged
In all branches of the business for twenty
years and am willing to appear before a
notary and swear that no fluids are used In
our meats. ! feel morally sure that the
same will also apply to all OF the other
large packing houses. One OF our men,
Mr.. W. ID. Miles. our manager at Kansas
City. testified before acknowledging com
mittee In substance about the same as |
have told you. In regard to the recC-a
testimony of General Eagan, don't think
1t will have much weight on account of
the very vile and excited language used .
II he had spoken In more deliberate and
conservative manner his statements might
have been much more effective. l think
however, that politics and petty iealousies
are to large extent at the bottom of the
whole thing. Then, too. the inexperence
OF the men put into office and their I'M
suitableness for the positions which they
held Is accountable for much bad manage
ment. especially In the commissary depart.
ments. think they ought to drill quarter
masters and commssaries OF subsistence
as well as private soldiers, and you know
that the men in the two departments
named were not instructed In the perform
ance OF their duties as the soldiers were in
theirs.
This is about all care to say on the
subject ut present"