Evening star., 1899-04-06
Arm0ur & Co.'S Letter.


letter from Armour & Co., certified to by
the return clerk, Department of the lnte-
rior. 1t was addressed to the commissary
general, dated at the firms Washington
office July 13, 1898, and read as follows:
"As supplementary and explanatory of
our bid to supply dressed beef in Cuba, we
wish to say that we have the exclusive con-
troll of the Powell process for preserving
fresh meats, and that this process has
been tested at Tampa. Fla, the test hav-
ing been completed with most satisfactory
results.
This test was made under the SUPER
vision of Col. John Weston of your depart
ment who has advised you of the results
We are advised, however, that he received
four carcasses of beef which We sent him
from Chicago, duly refrigerated and treat
ed according to the Powell process.
Part of these carcasses were enveloped
in sacks or canvas and part were not.
These carcasses were distributed TO the
Sd Cavalry. the 9th Cavalry, batteries of
artillery and the medical department, and
were hung in the air on the upper deck of
the transport troopships lying at the wharf
in the hot sun, without any beneI1t OF the
fresh air or movement of the ships. The
pieces that were not wrapped fermented in
less than seventy-two hours, while the
pieces that were covered or wrapped kept
about one hundred hours.
These practical tests, made under the
supervision of your own officer, show that
by means of this process wrapped pieces or
carcasses can be kept longer than the sew
enty-two hours required by your specifica-
tions.
1--WE believe we may safely say that such
results have never before been accom-
plished in the history of the fresh meat
business In view of the tests which we
have made in the past, and of the result of
the tests made under the supervision of
your own officer, We believe that We are
absolutely safe in the assertion that this
is the only process or method which will
secure the results required by your specif-
cations. Very truly yours,
Per T. ]. Connor, Supt."
Had Never Seen the Letter.
Mr.. De Caindry said he had never before
seen that letter.
The witness said that canned roast beef
had not been used, except as travel ra-
tion, before the late war. He said the only
recommendation he knew of in connection
with canned roast beef was a letter he had
seen from Col. John F. Weston.
He seemed the witness said, ito be
very much in favor of meat as component
for ration for soldiers. He was very en-
thusiasdc about 1t"
He said Col. Weston believed desirable
ration could be made of meat and vege-
tables mixed in cans.
District Men Made Sick.
DR.. R. A. Pyles, chief surgeon of the 1st
District of Columbia Regiment, followed
Mr. De Caindry on the witness stand. He
said the canned roast beef was very re-
pulsive and distasteful. He had eaten some
of IT, but it was repulsive. He said when
the refrigerated beef was issued the men
ate 1t very freely, and while before that
there was practically no dysentery, they in
a few days had sixty to eighty cases of
dysentery. The supply of beef for the regi-
ment was stopped and the amount of H.
ness had quickly lessened. Dr. Pyles testi-
nony was quite brief. No other witnesses
being present. the court adjourned until to-
morrow at 10 o'clock.