The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1899-02-23
Colonel Powell Gives Evidence
Before the Miles Board
of Inquiry.
Refrigerated Beef None Too Good,
Even If Issued in the
Morning.
Canned Beef He Believed Respon.
sible For Much of the
Illness.

WASHINGTON, rep. 2S.-lne SSSlOnt
of the Miles court of inquiry began tn,
day with Colonel William H. Powell o.
the Seventh infantry, who was stationed
at Madison Barracks at the outbreak Of
the war. He said that he started fol
Tampa on April 10, with months ra
tons, and did not come in contact with
the food from the commissary depart
ment at Tampa until about ready te
start for Cuba. The regiment Wen,
through the Santiago campaign, and
after the city was captured and the
regiment quartered in the city he re-
ceived requests from his men for money
to buy stuff to eat. He investigated the
so-called canned roast beef and had
some of it served at his table.
Il could not eat it," he continued.
''It was a stringy, unwholesome looking
mass, more like wet sea weed than any
thing else can think of. The men
We're sick and debilitated and could not
keep it on their stomachs We had at
that time 152 sick. Soon after that the
fresh beef began to arrive and the men
ate readily and began to pick up in
health. Afterward were moved out of
camp near the San Juan battlefield.
Here much of our meat spoiled before
we could get it,"
Not in the Habit of Complaining.
Colonel Davis inquired if ANY other
complaints had been receivedr
Il would like to emphasize" said
Colonel Powell, ''that the enlisted men
of the army are not in the habit of COM
planning. They seem to feel on cam
paign that the officers are doing all that
can be done for them, and l can't say
that received anything that could be
termed complaints. The officers dis
cussed the matter freely, and the quail
ity Of the canned beef was a matter of
common talk"
Regarding the refrigerated beef. Col
onel Powell said there was little to be
said against it, except that some Of it
spoiled before it was received. There
We're no facilities for cooking while in
the city except fire in the gutter. and
all food had to be boiled. The regiment
was very hard worked while in the
city, SO being on guard duty daily
Some of these We're so sick that they
fell down at their posts and had to be
brought in.
Witness thought the men would be
better off in the country and he directed
his energies towards getting them cut
of town, rather than to reporting on the
quality Of the rations. He had tried to
get better quarters and failed, and tried
to get medical assistance to help his
own contract surgeon, but this failed
also
Made No Official Report Then-
s.You made no official report at the
time them said Colonel Davis, nor
any effort to ameliorate the condition OF
the men as to their meat ration
mo sir. made no official report till
after returning to the States, when
was ordered by the war department TO
report on the canned roast beef"
Yes, l understand" said the re-
corder.
Colonel Davis then produced report
from witness. made from Governors
island. in which he condemned the
canned roast beef. saying it produced
disorders of the stomach. Colonel Pow
ell said he had made that report on an
order from the adjutant generals Office.
and that it was based on personal knowl
edge and reports from his company com
manders.
Gave Neither Pleasure Nor strength.
Explaining his expression want OF
nutritive value" he said the beef gave
no pleasure in eating nor source OF
strength to the body.
In reply to question from Gen.
Davis, he said the issue of fresh Leef
was made direct through the regi-
mental commissary, without the inter
vention of the brigade commissaries.
General Davis piled number Q.
questions to develop, if possible, the -
sponsibility for the fresh beef reaching
the regiment in spoiled cordition.
Colonel Powell said to Colonel Gil
lespie that the fresh beef was generally
wholesome but never thoroughly good
when issued in the morning. and often
all was putrid when delivered late in
the afternoon.
Colonel Smiths Testimony.
Colonel Albert T. Smith. Fifteenth
infantry, who followed Colonel Powell.
said he had reason to believe very little
canned roast beef had been eaten ex-
cept in soup. Investigation made il
September showed that il had given
practically no satisfaction in eltLel
soup or when eaten from the can. He
had never heard of its beins received
prior to the Spanish war. He supposed
it was to be eaten from the can, since ii
was issued as travel ration. Colonel
Smith said that he haG not fe,r il his
duty to make report, had it not been
called for by the department as he was
not directly in contact with his resi-
ment during the time when the mos,
dissatisfaction WAS alleged ~ have sA,
listed.