Evening star., 1899-03-29
THE BEEF INQUIRY
Naval Officers Had No Trouble With
Canned Meat.
CAPTAIN BLACKS EVIDENCE
General Eagan's Profanity When
Told of Troops Refusal.
THE GENERAL TESTIFIES

Rear Admiral Edwin Stewart, paymaster
general. United States navy, the first
witness today before the court of inquiry
TO examine into beef contracts made during
the late war. Col. George +. Davis. re-
cor1er. asked Admiral Stewart to tell the
court how the navy purchases canned beef.
The witness read the form of advertise
ment used by the navy in the purchase of
canned roast beef. He said the very best
beef in the market was required and a
sample furnished with each bid. When
the beef is delivered this sample is com
pared with ii. and unless they conform it
is rejected. There had been frequent rejec-
tions. but their percentage to the whole
quantity purchased was very small. The
navy purchases about 100000 pounds OF
canned roast beef year. 1t had given en-
tire satisfaction. The navy had been using
canned roast beef ever since he had entered
tFe navy in 1851. Admiral Stewart, at the
conclusion OF his testimony, was requested
by Gen. Geo. W. Davis to supply the court
with a can of roast beef such as is used in
the navy ard from the supply now on nand
by the navy.
Navy Had No Trouble.
Paymaster General Henry G. Colby, as
sstant chief of bureau of supplies and ac-
counts of the navy. was called to the stand.
The navy he said had had no trouble with
its canned roast beef. The only trouble
they had had was when a was pune
tured with a nail or through some other
means. This roast beef was kept year
and occasionally foreign stations was
Older than that when used. In the tropics
II is subjected III the holds of vessels to a
temperature of from 100 to 40 degrees.
Such a temperature did not injure the quail
ity of the beef 1t was used largely by
the officers mess for making soups. and in
other forms. The men on the ships liked 1t.
Since the present war began the navy had
used chilled beef. The Celtic. he said. had
lately arrived in San Francisco having gone
around Cape Horn. Fresh beef had been in
the refrigerators of the Celtic eight months
and was perfectly good This beef will
soon be III Manila.
Speaking of reflections of canned roast
beef he said they We're generally on account
of the inferiority of the beef In preparing
this beef. he said. nothing should be re-
moved from it in the form of an extract,
but he could not say that the process of
preparing IL now in use does not result in
an extract being taken from 1t.
Major Blacks Testimony
Major John D. Black. United States Vol
unteers, commtssery of subsistence on the
staff of General Miles, In Porto Rico, was
placed on the stand. He entered the SER
vice June s. 1893.
Maj Black was at Ponce when the Man
itoba was there. with 1.T55 quarters of beef
on board. which besf was not promptly dis
posed of to the troops.
Col. Davis-"What stems tn issla h4ef ~,
the Manitoba did you take"
Maj. Black-"No particular steps were
taken. except to inform the troops in the
harbor that there was vessel with fresh
beef there. To the best of my knowledge.
there We're no acquisitions made for this
beef"
Col. Davis-"Did you. as chief commits
sary. take any steps to issue any fresh beef
| on board the Manitoba -
Maj; Biack-'I did not really consider 1
| was the chief commissary, as 1 was under
orders as assistant quartermaster.''
The witness said the vessel was the only
| place on which the beef could have been
kept, "a there was no refrigerator on shore
and very little Ice. There were some 1000
men within five miles of Ponce at that
| time. On August IA the Manitoba left to
carry stores and supplies to troops at May
&guez and later returned to Ponce.
When she first arrived at Ponce she got
| on a reef. where she was for four days and
during that time the piping in the refriger-
atlng apparatus was injured, and there was
the danger that the meat would spoil An
! effort had been made to corn the meat to
| save II. There were 300tsD pounds of 1t on
| the Manitoba Maj Black said he knew
That on August , d telegram had been sent
/ TO Washington to nave more beef sent
| there At this time beef on the hoof was
| furnished the troops inland.
Capt. Pomeroy's Experience.
| Capt. Frederick II. Pomeroy also a COM
| missary officer at Ponce. testified in regard
| to the visit Of the Manitoba there, and the
| beef or her. When the Manitoba got to
Ponce and he learned there We're supplies
| on her he endeavored to get them ashore
! but as there We're plans for sendics her to
Mayores [" supply Gen. Swan and Gen.
t Garretson they did get the supplies off
| When the Manitoba returned to Ponce he
I did get beef ashore, the quantity receipted
! for being 1000 pounds. Some Of it had A
| greenish-btuc film over il, and a good deal
a. cd STas. l.
| he said:
Col. Smith told me 1t was guaranteed TO
Keep seTenty-two hours on shore saving
/ there was some process that would keen if
! / did not see how it could be kept seyenty-
| two hours outside OF refrigerators in thai
! climate, and il did not keep | did not he
net@ t tnetc ar was was any process In use. and did
not go into that matter with him.
| capt Poneroy said he had had 4Jo 900
! pounds of canned roast beef at Ponce. but
: ! only !" per cent of 1T was issued. The men
! would net take it. 1t MAS repuIsiye Hooking
| and they didn't like it.
| Had No Nutriment in 1t.
| Capt. Pomeroy-' They tried to sell it to
the natives, and did sell some of it, but the
market very soon disappeared. The canned
| roast beef furnished the troops down there
| Was of little or no value as d food article
| There were several brands-Armour Can
ming Company. Armour & Co, Wilson
| Packing Company, Libby, Mcneil & Libby
and the Prairie Company. My recollection
| IS that the meal of Libby, McNeal & Libby
| was preferred"
Gen Davis asked the witness if when he
| understood that the beef was to keen
| severty-two hours. he had given rece;pts
| for 500 pounds which he had said had
| spoiled within that time and which he had
| thrown overheard.
| Capt. Pomeroy-.I did. That too was
| done under orders of my superior officers /"
| The witness said he considered the re-
| frigerated beef used under the most fayora-
| BILE conditions as better than the native beef
| in Porto Rico under the conditions existing
| there.
What Gen. Eagan Said.
| Captain Black was recalled to the stand
| When he got back here he had had a con-
versatIon with General Eagan regarding
his accounts and the fact was referred to
| that the troops had refused to take and ca
| the meat on the Manitoba. Continuing.
! Major Black said:
! General Eagan said: = them They
| had no right to refuse It. them. 1
| would have made them take it, 1t seemed
h IL