Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-03-15

Contract Apparently Demands That
Meat Shall Keep 72 Hours, Where
rs Packer Understands That Period
Is 2f Hours Only.

'N"'f
day before the government court of in
quiry that the stores of canned roast
beef, bought by him during the Spanish
war, were all purchased upon the direct
order OF General Eagan. the Commissary-
General He also stated that some pur-
chases Of canned beef were made with
out his knowledge by the Commissary-
General.
Another important witness was Gus
tavus s. Swift. head Of the packing-house
Of Swift & co. Mr.. Swift said:
eve agreed to be responsible for the
beef's keeping twenty-four hours from
time of issuing, and if in a refrigera' r
house, seyenty-two hours from the steam
er issue. l supposed there would be rca-
sonable protection, as for-any other COM
modify. When we deal in beef we deal
in a perishable article. 1t certainly should
| be protected from the tropical SUM-"
"In the preparation Of your refrigerated
| beef, what agent do you rely upon as "
preservative?"
Refrigerator air; nothing else'
"Have you used at any time, in connec-
ton with the preservation of refrige-
rated beef, any chemical preservatve Of
any kind?"
"No, sir"
| DIFFERENT VIEWS OF CONTRACT.
Major Lee read the following clause Of
| the contract "The beef is TO be properly
clothed for its protection and proper
|
ton on shipboard and at the refrigerator
building that ii shall be perfectly good
and fit for use seventy-two hours after
being issued from the ships refrigerator
or twenty-four hours after being taken
from the refrigerator building on shore"
IF there were no refrigerating building
on shore" he was asked. "and "A ship
| should get in at that place. under this
| contract 1t seems to me Snere Is a guaran-
| ty that the beef will keep seventy-two
| hours after being issued from the ship.
| Am | correct?'
| mo, sir. My version OF that clause IS
| different. Starting with our proposal 10
the government, and leading on TO that
clause I'm the contract, my version is that.
| having used due diligence to provide sta
| tionary refrigerators. at the request
Of the government. and with their aid.
| as agreed twenty-fOur hours time is all
| that we are liable for"
Major Lee then read the clause I'm ques-
tion a second time, and left the dispute
as to the time 10 the consideration of the
| court.
Witness stated that his company had
put in the contract a much shorter time
limit than was included in beef contracts
for England, but admitted that the con-
ditions were not at all similar, and scarce
| ly subject TO comparison.
CHEMICALS NOT USED.
The witness stated that chemicals were
not i'm any way used as a preservative.
He had heard of the Powell process. and
| other chemical experiments, but had never
tried them. BoraX was used, he said
in packing and shipping cured joint1 g
! pork. but not on beef. He said that his
company did no canning. but furnished the
beef used by Libby, Mcneil x Libby for
canning.
Major Lee asked if the larger proper
tion of the poorest cattle did not go TO
tho Gamers. Mr.. Swift replied that il
| did not.
| A number of employees of Swift & CO.,
were examined. principally as 10 the limit
| of time the meat was to Keep iresh' ana
they agreed with Mr.. Swift. Two OF the
witnesses testified that General Eagan
was mistaken I'm saying that the limit was
seventy-two hours. They also denied the
use Of chemicals.
George T.. NanNorman, commission
| merchant. with offices at Milwaukee ana
| Chicago. testified in detail as TO the gov
] ernmental. State. and municipal inspec-
! tion Of cattle slaughtered at the STOCK
yards.
Major Lee asked If. as a rule. the larger
norton of the poorest class of cattle Killed
| are not used for canning,
| eyes sir. but people have wrong idea
about emaciated COWS going in for canned
meat. They would not be economical Tor
| that purpose; they are all bones and 40
flesh"
PURCHASES BY SAMPLE.
Colonel O. NJ. Smith. who has been the
purchasing commissary OF the government
| at Chicago since 1895. testified that ne
purchased between May IL and July 9
is9s 2.75s.272 pounds of canned roast beef
The orders for the purchase came from
the commissary- general in every case. lie
said the orders were all rush orders
"What inspection were these purchases
subject tor" asked Colonel Davis.
"Thev were only inspected by sample.
"In some cases. | see. the price OF deil'e'
ries on the same day varies on cents
pound What is the reason FOR ina,
"Those were not my purchases '"Vs
were made from Washington.
.'Did YOU make any purchases OF LID
bv. Mcneil < Libby's second s'a"e'
known az the Emory brand!
/ myself never bought any OF the Sc
cnnd Grade Iibby's goods. but they We're
nnrchased direct from Washington
Ibid YOU buy any canned meat OF the
second grader c,o,, s,,b,oit-
"Wen the Hammond Company supllli., submit
,ed 20 me some samples which seemed
Good and | bought them, not knowing
's,o,i su aSterward that IT was what they cail
their second grade.
NO INSPECTION OF PURCHASES
On oross-examination Major Lee said;
..vnn sneak of purchasing this meat Dy
s,onle under these rush orders that you
rcneiv.d. What course. or method was
nnrsreh as 10 comparing these samples
brought % 10 you with the stores pur-
ohasedy' that tbev
sunnl,ed the same stores that were repre-
ssnted by the samples
Colonel Gillespie; What reason was
,here for the Commissary Generals max