Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-03-30
Was Very Emphatic and Plain
Even Il Not. Classic,
When Talking Of the Refrigerated Beef
Sent to Porto Rico.
More Testimony Shewisg tkat Canned Reasi
Sssi Il Masdiy ossisabls.


piled to the army during the Spanisl
war had Former Commissary Genera
Eagan before 1t. today. on recall an,
also heard the testimony OF Rear Ad
miral Stewart and Paymaster Colby o
the navy, and Major Black and Capt
Pomeroy. volunteer officers. who wer
engaged in the commissary service a
Ponce during Gen. Miles Porto Rical
campaign.
Gen. Eagan's testimony was no
startling. He stated that Messrs. Ar
mour & Co. had put in a bid to suppl,
beef to be preserved by process o.
their own but that he had not consid
cred IL. He also modified former
statement TO the effect that the 24-houl
clause In the beef contract had creep
In as a clerical error. saying that In the
multitude Of matters which had beer
demanding his attention at the time
he had forgotten its insertion.
/ There was an apparent effort on the
part OF Major Lee. representing Gen
Miles. to show that Senator Hanna had
sought TO influence the contracts, but
Gen. Eagan asserted that he did no,
know the senator and no explanation
was made of the introduction of his
| name.
Gen, Eagan made frequent reference
| during the giving of his testimony 10
the numerous demands upon his time
| during the war. making this condition
| an explanation for not remembering
/ details.
Rear Admiral Edward Stewart,
of hA
the first witness before the
army inquiry board. today. He stated
that canned roast beef was one of the
| articles OF food used by the navy and
explained in detail the careful inspec-
ton that was demanded by the depart
;nent regulations.
Occasionally the beef when delivered
would be found to be unsatisfactory
and 1t would then be rejected. He es-
timated the average purchases of this
character of food for the navy to be
| 100000 pounds per year. the purchases
being made through the New YorA
representative of Armour & Co., Nell
son Morris & Co. and other firms. The
canned beef was a portion of the reg
ular navy ration and very little oft
was ever condemned.
Major Lee asked the admiral for
specifications in the matter of rejec-
tons. but these facts he was unable
TO give at the time. Reflections, he
said. were always due to the fact that
the grade of the beef offered was not
up to the requirement. The marines
at Guantanamo were supplied with
this beef. There had been no COM
plant concerning it to his knowledge
Paymaster Henry d. Colby. assistant
chief of the bureau of supplies of the
navy department, also testified con-
corning the use of canned roast beef
in the navy. He stated that where any
question arose as to the quality of
beef Il was submitted to chemical anal
ysis. The navy had found that the
canned roast beef kept well at sea and
in some cases it was held from year
to year. Mr.. Colby had personally in
spected cans opened in the tropics but
the quality did not appear to be affect
ed by the heat. The meat was used for
making soups and hash and was well
regarded by the men in the navy since
the beginning of the Spanish war.
There had been few losses of this beef.
The Celtic has recently arrived at San
Francisco with beef in good condition
that had been in refrigerator for eight
months.
Major John D. Black of the subsist
ence department of the volunteer army.
who was a member of Gen. Miles staff
in Porto Rico, testified that it had been
a part of his duty to superintend the
landing of stores at Ponce. He said
that many of the vessels had no mani
4. off 70, 70 ha
various stores. He was questioned
concerning the appearance in the har-
Dor of Ponce of the steamer Mani
toba Aug. 10. with 100000 pounds of
fresh beef The vessel remained there
for several days. he said, but no order
was made to have the beef issued.
This was due to the fact that there
was no refrigerator on shore and no ice
could be procured. Furthermore the
vessel was on a reef for four days. and
the sea was running so high that II
was dangerous to approach It.
Major Black said he was aware that
a telegram had been sent from Gen.
Miles. Aug. .. requesting that no more
fresh beef be shipped. When the Mani
toba returned. after an absence OF ~
day at other points. the troops were
supplying themselves In the interior
with beef on the hoof. Moreover there
had been no notice that the Manitoba
was to bring the beef.
The vessel was sent by Gen. Miles 70
other points where the stores could De
more easily issued to the troops. The
officers in charge of the vessel mad
stated that he had the beef aboard and
that he was fearful that 1t would spoil
because of some damage to the refrig-
Grating plant while the vessel was on
the reef
Major Black stated that the engineer
volunteers brought fresh beef with
them. but it was spelling when they ar
rived. SO that it became necessary to
corn the beef.
Capt Frederick Fl. Pomeroy. also of
the volunteer subsistence department.
who was for a time Major Blacks as
sistance at Ponce. gave testimony
along the same lines. He also told of
the return of the Manitoba to Ponce
after visiting other departments. He
also told of the return Of the Manitoba
to Ponce after visiting other depart
ments. He was then depot commits