The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-02-22

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| during the time when the most dissatis-
faction alleged to have existed.
Replying to Colonel Davis he said he
| had no suspicion while using either the
canned or refrigerated beef that it had
! been treated with chemicals. In a gen
! eral way he saie he should have chosen
beef on the hoof in preference 10 refrig-
/ Grated beef had he been. given the choice
! As there was no option at the time, he
had not thought particularly about the
/ question.
THREW BEEF AWAY
Lieutenant Colonel Charles D. Vieie of
/ the First cavalry, another of the regular
army officers who had been through the
! Shafter campaign, followed with long
recital of his experience with canned
roast beef
meat ration going down on the trans
! ports?
Colonel Davis-What did you have in
Cuba?
Witness-Canned roast beef, except for
! a few days before leaving for home, when
we had refrigerated beef
Colonel Davis-What did YOU have on
the transport coming home?
WitnesS-Canned roast beef.
Colonel Davis-What satisfaction did it
Witness-It did not give any satisfac-
ton at ALI
Colonel Davis-What complaints were
made 10 you as 20 this beef?
Witness-There We're no complaints.
There was no chance to get anything
else, and the men took ii and said moth
ing.
Colonel Davis-Did they use it. then?
Witness-1 did not say they used IL. 1t
was issued and they took it. | saw a
good deal of it thrown overheard.
Colonel Davis-What did you do toward
getting something to replace il?
Witness ! did nothing There was
nothing TO do. There was nothing else to
Colonel Davis-Have you made any re-
ports on this subject?
Witness-Yes; / have made three re-
Colonel Davis-But why was it you
made no official representations on this
subject while you We're in the field2
Witness-For one reason; that for
long time there was not a sheet of paper
in my command.
Colonel Viele said that he did take up
the subject OF beef after the command
got back TO Montauk and sent out cir
cular letter to his troop commanders, ask
ing for reports. This was before he re-
reiVed official notice from the war depart
menJ that report on this subject would
be wanted. What refrigerated beef his
command received in Santiago. seemed to
be good. He only remembered one issue
which was tainted. He had no complaints
as to it from the men.
Did you have any reason to suspect
while you were at Santiago that the re-
frigerated beef had been treated with
chemicals?' asked Colonel Davis
i had never heard of such a thing
y.
an explanation did not occur TO me-
ONCE WAS ENOUGH.
Did you ea.. any of the refrigerated
meat yOurself2'
"Once-that was enogh for me-"
Witness explained that the beef had
close, musty smell, as though it had
been shut up in a close ROOM and it
turned him against meat. so he took ba-
con in preference. He was in good health
at the time, but many of his men were
sick.
Replying to Colonel Gillespie. he said
he had no reason TO believe the other Of
hcers in his mess did not use the meat.
He said the refrigerated beef al Santiago
had "A yellow appearance on the outside
that he had never noticed upon the refrig-
Grated beef formerly furnished at Fort
When he ate It at Santiago he was in
clined to nausea. Referring TO the
canned roast beef. he said it seemed to
be of scraps ana that the men would not
eat IT,
Responding to a request from Colonel
Davis for his opinion as TO the compare
tive desirability of beef on the hoof and
refrigerated beef, he thought the former
would have been preferable, because cat
tie could be driven TO the camps. slaught-
cred. issued and cooked. He said he
mad not suggested this. because no cattle |
were near and the troops were a long
way from any place where cattle could /
be secured.
Cattle on the hoof could have been used !
between the time of landing and the sur /
render. while the men We're employed in /
the siege, by being driven close TO the /
front ana then delivered on packs This 1
ne said IN reply TO question of Colonel |
Brisadier General Hawkins was next
called.
At the outbreak of the war he was col /
onel of the Twentieth infantry but was
made briEadier general while in Mobile in |
May, and then this connection was sew /
eTed ana ne hnaily commanded brigade in /
the First division of the Fifth corps, /
sailing on June Is for Santiago.
he told the story of the Journey de-
barkation and fight, in which he was
wounded. when he left his command He /
Sdlu Complaints against canned roast
and canned corned beef We're filed on the /
transport He heard no complaints af-
ter landing and knew little of the beef
His brigade included the Sixth
ana sixteenth infantry regiments and
the Seventy-1irst New York.
CAPTAIN DUNCAN'S VERDICT.
Following General Hawkins, Captain J.
W. Duncan of the Iwenty-first Infantry
was introduced. His regiment was at
Tampa from April - until about June ~
when 1t sailed 1or Cuba. He review, the
course Of his regiment. 1t left for Mon
tduk Aug. II or u.
Canned roast beef, according to his
recollection, was issued as travel ration
al Tampa for the ocean trip, and al ST.
ooney as 4 component of the fresh meat
ration 1t was replaced about July 20
oE reiflSefated beef and was issued as
- dN ti ration on the nome voyage.
II cid not he said give general satifac- |
lOn, the men generally complaining. He |
saw much Of II opened ana il appeared |
coarse unseasoned. tasted fat, was in
onS strips and the grease, or whatever it !
was, was in globules. Apparently it was !
preserved well. Complaints brought TO /
nlm. he said, were that the beef was re-
puSnant and unpalatable. 1t was first
eaten out of the can and subsequently
vas cooked in stew form in tomatoe
cans and camp kettles. and in this latter
form was more satisfactory. He heard no
complaints on the return trip.
referring 10 refrigerated beef Captain
Duncan said il was always satisfactory
lie ate IL. saw no difference between it
md beef issued at stations in this country,
ma never suspected its treatment with
,nemicalS.
Captain William n. Hughes Thirteenth
infantry. was with his command during
Is stay at Tampa and the Santiago cam
)aign until July TO- when he was stricken
With yellow fever. Canned roast beef,
lie said. was first used after the landing
ma complaints followed at once. He at
empted personally. he said. to use it. but
ound it unpalatable. 1t did not satisfy
munger and ne could not eat it, Such
vas the experience generally of the men.
r2lue.
He said he never saw canned roast beef
'efore going to Cuba. and knew nothing
II its preparation. He made. on Oct. -, a
epOrt upon the raticns in response to the
all of his regimental commander but
eplying TO a question he said he would
lot have felt called upon to make any re-
'ort had he not been requested.
BEEF WAS NAUSEATING.
Captain William Ennis Fourth artillery.
vas with the Shafter expedition and re- |
NAMED at Santiago until Aug. II. He
aid the canned roast beef was used on
he transport and more or less through
ut the stay OF his command in Cuba
Zone of the men complained while there
nat personally he had taken it as stew