The times., 1899-01-11
SMELL OF TAINTED beef
A Prevailing 0dOr Oh the
Transport Massachusetts,.
CAPT. READS TESTIMONY
AIgcr Relief Commission - Quar-
tiers of Meat Showed Discoiorntion
when Uncovered-Cut and Served
to the Troops-Decaycd Onions and
Potatoes-Food Unfit to Eat.

The Alger Relief Commission listened
TO a good deal of testimony yesterday
which grated harshly on their Algerian
tympanums. Captain Read, commssary
OF subsistence and acting assistant quar-
termaster of the transport Massachusetts.
He testified that the Massachusetts took
on board at Newport News. Va, 100000
pounds of refrigerated beef from Swift C
Co. He witnessed the trans shipment OF
this beef from the refrigerator cars TO
the regfrigerating chambers OF the YES
sci. Though the meat was covered with
sacks OF cheesecloth he uncovered enough
to satisfy himself that the meat was in
excellent condition The Massachusetts
sailed from Newport News on August
for Arroyo. Porto Rico, via Ponce
At the harbor of the latter port she
ran on reef and reached Arroyo ten days
out. He began the delivery of the meat
to Colonel Sharpe, depot quartermaster at
Arreyo on August 10. The cargo was IN
excellent condition. After discharSing
part Of her cargo, the Massachusetts sailed
to Santiago. At that port, on August "A.
Captain Read noticed smell OF tainted
meat in the ship. Still. the delivery OF
the quarters was continued, though II
was matter of notoriety that the beef
was malodorous The tainted smell about
the ship became more pronounced as inc
days went by. This did not interfere with
the delivery. When the cheesecioth was
removed from the quarters they were
found to be discolored, and the bright
pink of the meat had changed to muddy
brown and disgusting green. This was
pared of by the butchers and served TO
the troops After being taken from the
ship it was placed in lighters and dis
| charged at the Government wharf at SAN
| tiago 1t was there divided among the
commands. placed in army wagons and
| hauled through the heated atmosphere 10
| the camps. lying at varying distances oil
| from two to six miles from Santiago.
| Each day the trimming which the meat
had to undergo was made deeper. On Sep
| tember % the Swift refrigerator OF swift
| & Co. was completed at Santiago and the
| meat remaining in the Massachusetts
| about so, coo pounds, was transferred to it,
! This meat had been on board the Massa-
| chusetts from August to September y
and was several days dead when it was
| loaded at Newport News. How much
! long this consignment of meat remained
! in the refrigerator at Santiago before be-
| ing issued to the troops the witness did
| not know.
Captain Read testified that a large con-
| signment OF onions and potatoes were
taken on board at Arroyo for the army at
| Santiago Many of these vegetables de-
| cayed during the voyage.
| Lieutenant Colonel Gallagher, depot
commissary at Santiago from July 20 to
August % testified that during his service
| in that capacity he had issued $4,000
pounds OF refrigerated beef. He said that
he considered it good beef He had heard
complaints On one occasion a board OF
! survey organized in one OF the camps near
Santiago had condemned 1000 pounds OF
the meat on the ground that it was unit
! to be used as food. This beef was buried
and other refrigerated beef was issued in
its place. He had dispensed good deal of
timed roast beef. They claimed that 1t
was unpalatahle. His impression was that
this roast beef was boiled before being
canned He had never eaten it without
! recooking and then it was served in the
form of stew and mixed with vegetables.
Much of this beef was issued to the Span
ish prisoners and to the Cuban troops.
He had found cans of this meat which were
not good.
This was due he said, to defective can
ming, or to puncturing of a can so that air
| was admitted. He had served in the reg
| ular army since 1884, but he never heard
of canned roast beef till he went to the
camp at Tampa. On his return to this
country he was appointed depot commits
sary at Montauk Point. He recalled that
there was one lot of fifty pounds of refrig
Grated beef which was condemned by a
board of survey.
This concluded the days work. The
commission spent part OF the afternoon in
executive session.