Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1899-03-15
Contract Differently Con-
strued by Seller and Buyer.
CHEMICALS WERE NOT USED
The Head OF The swift Packing uouso
on the witness stand Notwtt,,.
standing Government Purcha,tu.
Commissions Were in thicn~o.
Gcncrni EaSan Bought Reel, Paw.
Ing Morc For it Fer Pound.
tBy Telegraph to virglDlan-pnot.,

III
Chicago, March 14.-Colonel o. NJ.
Smith, purchasing agent of the Govern
ment at Chicago since 1885, testified TO-
day before the Government court of
inquiry that the stores OF canned roas;
beef. bought by him during the Spanish
war, were all upon the direct order or
General Eagan, the Commissary Gene
raj. He also stated that some purchases
of canned beef were made without his
knowledge by the Commissary General.
A PACKER TESTIFIES.
Another of the days important Wit
nesses was Gustavus T.. Swift. head of
the packing house OF Swift & Co. MIR.
Swift said: -
I'VE agreed to be responsible for the
beef keeping "a hours from issuing and
If in refrigerator house, 72 hours from
the steamer issue. 1 suppose there
Vould be reasonable protection, as for
my other commodity. When We deal in
beef we deal in a perishable article IT
certainly should be protected from the
tropical sum-"
FREE FROM CHEMICALS.
In the preparation of your refrlge-
Tator beef, what agent do you rely
upon as preservatives?"
"Rrefrigerated air; nothing else"
Have you used ut any time in con-
,nection with the preservation OF re-
frigerated beef any chemical preserva-
tive OF any kind?"
mo, SIR"
THE CONTRACT.
Major Lee read the following clause
of the contract:
The beef is to be properly clothed
itc To,
and so preserved by the refrigeration on
shipboard and ut the rcfrig erat II build
Ing that ii shall be perfectly good ana
lit for use ~ hours after being issued
from the ships refrigerator. or - hours
after being issued from the rcfrigcra-
tor to building on shore"
CONSTRUED DIFFERENTLY.
"If there were no refrlceratoring
building on shore" he asked. land
ship should get in at that place. under
this contract. il seems to me there Is
guaranty here that the beef will keep
70 hours after being issued from the
ship. Am I correct?"
mo. sir My version Of that clause
is different. Starting with our pro-
posal to the Government and leading
on to that clause in the contract my
version is that, having used diligence
to provide stationary refrigerators n
the request of the Government. and
with their aid. rs agreed. "a hours Is
all that we are liable"
Major Lee then read the clause IN
question n second time, and left the
dispute as to the time 70 the considera-
tion Of the court.
Witness stated that his company had
put in the contract much shorter
time limit than was included In beef
contracts for England. but admitted
that the conditions were not ut all
similar and scarcely subject to com
parlson.
HOW BORAX WAS USED.
!, The witness stated that chemicals
were not in any way used as Il pre-
servative. He had heard of the Powell
process and other chemical expert
!. ments. but had never tried them Bo-
raX was used, he said, I'm packing ana
shipping cured joints of pork, but
not on beef. lie said that his company
,:tlid no canning. but furnished the bee.
I. used by Libby, MCNEIL and Libby for
= canning
Major Lee asked If the larger pro-
portion of the poorest cattle did not
go to the Gamers.
Mr. Swift replied that Il dld not.
MIR. SWIFT CORRORORATED.
A number OF employees of Swift &
Co. were examined, principally as to
the limit of time the meat was to keep
fresh, and they agreed with Mr.. Swift
Two of the witnesses testified that
that the limit was 70 hours They also
denied the use of chemicals
George +. Van Norman. II commission
merchant with offices M AiilwauISa 90