Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-04-13
GEN. MILES WILL SMILE
When He Reads Testimony OF These Officers
Regarding the Beet.

Washington. April 12.-Gen. A. r.
Chaffee and Gen. \. Il. Arnold, Or.
Huidekorer and Capt. Williams Of the
commissary department. were before
the Wade court of inquiry. today. Gen.
Chaffce said that while he considered
thu refrigerated beef supplied to the
army at Santiago wholesome. the off
GERS and men of his command refused
generally to eat it. He attributed this
largely To the fact that most of them
We're sick.
Or Huidelloper said the canned beef
was generally Of poor quality. Capt.
Williams told of the condemnation of
the beef on board the transport Pana-
ma. Gen. Arnold's testimony dealt
with the beef supplied at Jacksonville,
which was, he said, generally whole
some.
Members of the court express conf
dcncc If being able to conclude the TAX
ing Of testimony 10y the early part of
next week
Or. Rush L. Huidckopcr Of Gen.
Brooke's staff, as chief medical officer
in Porto Rico. the first afternoon wit
ness. told Of inspecting troops in Porto
iNItb anu ~ lpbhliS unto All' hll'H'Il
and talking to the cooks. Some of the
canned beef spoiled and much Of it
was Of apparently poor quality. He
considered the meat wholesome as a
rule The refrigerator beef would
keep only from > to hours. DR.. Huide-
kop"r said il had never occurred to
him that the refrigerator beef had been
subjected to chemical treatment. yet.
for Il years he had been aware that
chemicals had been used both in the
United States and Europe in the pre-
serving the surface of fresh meats,
and that the use of such preparations
was sanctioned by foreign govern
ments He knew that boTacic acid,
saltpetre and in some cases fluid pre-
parations were used. He thought the
canned roast beef had only been boiled
before being put up and beef extract
made from it and said he had eX-
pressed surprise that the firms putting
it up would risk their regulations on
such 4 product. If the grade was good
he thought canned beef would he a
useful part of the ration for the army.
Capt. VIM. f. Williams, who was
ouartermaster on the transport Pana-
ma, conveying CDtiN dItSttitS II YIN
Porto Rico to the North. said that it
had been necessary to throw over
board all the refrigerator beef-about
1000 pounds-two days out from Ponce.
| II had been impossible 70 secure suffi-
| Client ice TO keep the beef, the odor
from which became 50 distressing that
II was necessary to order a survey and
! have the refrigerator beef disposed of.
! The canned beef, amounting to 1000
cans also spoied and had to be con-
demned. This was the trip referred to
| nv DR.. DAILY in his testimony. Capt.
Williams also stated that Gen. Miles
had given orders that the vessel should
he abundantly supplied with ice at the
start but that as the capacity OF the
Ponce ice manufacturers was only
ahout three tons day, this quantity
| could not be secured.
Can't. Williams attributed the spoil
inc Of the meat on the Panama TO the
1acl, If ice when first loaded, to the
time necessary to load and to the hui
r,iditv If the climate. He said he
knew that DR.. Daily examined the beef
very carefully and that the latter nae
,,,da notes but if he had any suspi-
cions mat the meat had been chemi-
ILL, treated he had not mentioned the
fact He had, however. pronounced
he meat bad and had called attention
to its discoloration, slime and mould