Omaha daily bee., 1899-03-28
SWIFT CONTRADlCTS EAGAN
Beef Not Expected to Remain Fresh After
seventy-TwO Hours Exposure.
PACKER MAKES LIMIT TWENTY-FoUR HOURS
Praises Refrigerator Reef which, IL
IL said. IL often Wholesome
when IL Appears
Otherwise.

WASHINGTON, March 27.-The military
court Of inquiry appointed by the president
to make an investigation OF the bee1 iur-
nished the army during the spanish war
has returned to Washington, and at ?
o'clock resumed its sitting in the Lemon
building The members Of the commission
are hopeful that they will be able to con
ciude their work within the next ten days
and expect to have some important wit
nesses before them in that time, including
General Eagan, who will be recalled. 1t Is
also expected that General Miles will be
given an opportunity to testify.
L. c. Swift, vice president OF the Swift
Packing company was the first witness VINO
appeared He is a resident Of Lowell
Mass, and gives especial attention to the
eastern interests of the company He as
sisted In preparing the contract for supply
ing beef for Cuba during the war, coming
to- Washington for that purpose first on
June %.
Mr. Swift stated that he started to Wash
ington in response to request from General
Eagan when it appeared that his firm had
made the lowest bid. The conversation with
General Eagan on this occasion was some
vho' General, relating 10 the conduct of the
business. He was here only a day and
Was ,U.d before ne left that the contract
would be awarded to his firm. General
Eagan had, however, stated at that time
that he could not go into details with him
until he could make some necessary in
vestigation as to suitable ships.
Details of the Contract.
Mr.. Swift made his second visit to Wash
ngton on June 1, when the contract was
submitted to him, He then made some OBJ
jections to the terms OF the agreement as
presented to him. One of these objections
was to the terms which he thought might
require the beef company to deliver beef
by lighter, he complaining that the company
could not reasonably be expected to deliver
at only such points as had railroad tracks
alongside the wharfs. 1t was also under
stood that beef was to be supplied only to
the port towns, the inland towns to be
furnished with beef killed in the country.
They were to keep on hand a sufficient
supply for seventy-two hours consumption,
this time to be extended twenty four hours
under special exactions. Shore refrigeration
was contemplated in all the conversation
and with the understanding that this was
to be had the company had agreed that tho
quality of the beef should be maintained
for three days and nights.
Engan Mentions n Process.
In response to question from Major Lee,
Mr.. Swift stated that General Eagan had
during the interview with him, mentioned
that he had received some suggestions Of
process for preserving meat, but General
Eagan did not go into details, giving no
name of the inventor or of the process.
Major Lee then stated that General Eagan
had said in his Testimony before the board
that the company had guaranteed that the
beef should be kept good for seventy-twu
hours after leaving the refrigerator, either
on shipboard or ON shore.
Il can only say responded Mr.. Swift,
that General l<los.San at the time of the
interview seeme7 to have the same under
standing Of the contract that ] had In
view of his testimony | can only say that
he was mistaken
Major Lee: Then the insertion OF the
clause limiting to twenty-four hours the
time for fresh beef after being taken out
Of the refrigerator was not clerical error
as suggested by the general?"
Mr.. Swift: THAT cannot be so He said
his agents would take good care to protect
the meat from the sun, and assured him
that If this were done the meat would be
good to the end of twenty four hours after
being taken from the refrigerator"
Beef Better Than it Looks.
Mr.. swift continued by saying that re-
frigerator beef in a torrid country would
keep good longer than an ordinary person
would think 1t good, on account OF the
outside appearance. AS consequence of
his representations the first draft OF the
contract had been changed by General
Eagan in several particulars Mr.. Swift
said in reply to a question that the dressed
beef export business was growing rapidly at
the expense of the expectation of live
cattle. There was, he said, a superb de-
mand abroad for the refrigerator beef and
in London this beef was supplied to the
best trade.
Charles e. Barry, travelling salesman for
Swift g. Co., followed Mr.. Swift. He testified
to his participation in the negotiations with
General Eagan to secure the army contract,
saying he had met the general several times
on this subject, the first meeting being in
May Of last year, before the Issuance o.
the adv ertisement for bids He also under
stood that the seventy-Jwo hour clause ap.
piled only to the time the beef was to be
kept in the refrigerators on shore. There
was an especial understanding with General
Eagan as to the twenty four hour clause
limiting the time during which the beef
could be kept out of refrigerator he agree
ing that it should be kept cons stantly under
cover