The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-03-28
Xviii ON THE STAND.
EXTRACTOR TELLS ABOUT
- TEAMS AGREED UPOH.
49, Mistaken when He said
- Centract Was InteuAed 70
evey61e THAT Meat Should Keep

vaHTxCToN, March G.-The military
- 81 Inquiry appointed by the presi-
- II make an Investigation or the beef
500 the army during the Spanish
/ - a. re4usuea 10 Washington, assa AT
s.seek 70 day resumed lis sittings here
/ - 1nembers OF the commission are hope
/ = shaf fhey viii be able TO conclude their
- u5ahtu the next ten days, ard ex.
/ - q have soma important witnesses be-
- sheu In that time. Including Gen
r1snu. Who viii be recalled. II ts also ex-
srsf1A DAT Gen. Miles win be given an
snnEfenfxy TO testify.
Il q eHift, vice president Of the Swift
phrtfnw connpany was the frs, witness
- eopsares. he Is resident Of Lowell.
i(ane. md gives special attention to the
n6u1en Interests Of the company He as
S I'D = preparing the contract for sup
sn1ne - Tor Cuba during the war, CON-
= q Warrington for that purpose first
Jnna e.
r. owif, stated that he started 70
Ds6hinGt0n In response 10 a request from
- Enoxn. when II appeared that his firm
u mA1e the lowest bid. The conversation
M Ca. Eagan on this occasion was some :
MT general. re.atirg TO the conduct Of
3Hlneoes he was here only a dag and was
~ bsfore be left that tho contract would
8N9kQea 10 Eif ufn. Nx$u. Gm30u H4G,
oeesef. stated at that time that he could
~ 90 into details az 4, suitable ships
~ swift made his second visit 70 him
h had then made Some objections to the
t4n1 q tho agrecmeilt az presented 10
NJ One OF. these objections was to the
twme which he thought might require the
~ company to deliver beef by tighter
- eomplaining that the company could
sseeonabv be expected. 10 deliver at on:y
sch points as had railroad tracks along
- the whAr.es. Il was also understood
thu beef was 10 be supplied only TO the
~ towns, the inland points to he fur
abhed with beef killed in the country
1axy we're to keep on hand a SUFFICIENT
sgpply for seventy two hours conSumr-
fjon1 his time to be extended twenty four
hours uRder special examination. Shore
ufngefatinn was contemplated In all the
csnversations. and with that understanding
thas this was 10 be- had, the company had
affeed that the quality Of the beef should
= maintained for three days and nights.
- reAponse To question from Mai.
~, Mr.. Swift stated that Gen. Eagan
~, during the interview with him. mem
aoaed that he had received some suggss-
u1n q process for preserving meat, but
Yen Eagan did not go into details giving
u&mes OF the inventor or OF the pro-
MAI Lee then stated that Gen. Eagan
- said In his testimony before the board
nat the company had guaranteed that
- beef should be kept good for seventy
w hours after leaving the refrigerator,
9heF on shipboard or on shore.
I can only say" responded Mr. Swift.
{shat Gen. Eagan at the time OF The Ia
&rview seemed To have this same under
sanding OF the contract that I had. In
~ ~ his testimony. l can only say that
= was mistaken"
Mai Lee--Thsn the insertion of the
eAufe limiting To twenty~faur hours the
Eme for fresh beef after being taken out
% tho refrigerator. was not a clerical
at .-<ff t.f Ia TSs
Mr., Swift~Tha. cannot he so lie said
lis agents would take care To preserve
no meat from the sur, and assured him
Nat II this were done, the meat would be
rood for twentx-fuur hours after taken
rom the refrigerator
Mr. Swift continued by saying that re-
rRerator beef In torrid country would
Ieep good longer than an ordinary person
you'd think L good, on account of the
ntsfde appearance. As q consequence %
lis representations. the first draft of the
onsract had been changed by Gen. EaKap
\ several particulars.
hat the dressed beef export business Was
flowing rasadiy. at the expense OF the
aportation of tive cattle There was he
Aid. super demand abroad for rsfriger-
lted heel and In Londnn This beef Was
applied tn the hest trade
Charles f. Barry, travelling salesman
br Swift & Co.. followed Mr. Swift He
sstihef Ia his participation In the nego-
p&Guns with Gen. Eagan To secure the
hmy contract. saying he had met the
Eneral several times on this subject. the
lrxf meeting being In May af last year
STORE the issuance OF the advertisement
|or bids, lie also understood that the
'sventy-two hour clause applied only TO
hc time that the beef was In BIZ kept IN
ne refriserators on shore. There was an
especial understanding with Gen Eagan
y TO the twenty four-hour clause. limit
ng the time during which the beef couif
ae Kept out OF the refrigerator he agree
ns that II should be kept considerably
ando~ ca.er
MI. Harry related that on one day when
ae was IN Gen. Eagaus office, prior 10
ne letting Of the contract. the latter conn
blamed Of the number Of people who were
Writing letters 10 him concerning the
Processing" OF beef. The general had
hen handed him letter from Mr.
Foweli. 81 New York. who claimed to have
process for preserving meat saving he
had shipped beef prepared under II 90
points In the Southern states. 1T struck
ne" said Mr.. barry. from Ger Eagans
sehasi1r that he was ssisguSsed at the
thought He said he was depending sn
ne refrigerator beef and would only deaf
WITH those who could furnish it,
After hearing Mr.. Barry, the court. az