The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-03-15

hOulu Ike 10 nave you repeat your I'M
Outstanding OF the contract with reference
10 the time that beef was 10 keep after is
suance TO the commissary," said Major Lee.
Il should say to an extent of twenty-fOur
hours il necessary answered Mr.. Swift.
Il believe there Is a clause in that con-
tract that says something about seventy
sued from the refrigerator on board the
ship and twenty-four hours from the time
IL would be issued from the reIrigerating
plant on shore?"
Yes, sir
Then. If there was no refrigerating plant
on shore, would the beef be expected 10
Keep seventy-two hours after leaving the
ship"
MEANING OF THE CONTRACT.
Not at ALL That provision means that
refrigerators are TO be built 10 take care of
the beef. IL my memory is right it also pro-
vides that tho contractors responsibility
shall cease after seventy-two hours that
II shall not be liable TO condemnation after
having been seventy-two hours away from
the ship"
IF you built refrigerator on shore and
ship landed there and this beef taken
out Of the ship and placed in the refriger-
ator on shore. then your responsibility
would end in regard TO keeping qualities OF
that beef seventy-two hours after 1t left
IF We took the technical definition of the
contract, l think yes. Swift & Co. have
contracts with the government
AT the end Of seventy-two hours after
you have taken beef off the refrigerator ship
and put it in the Refrigerator on shore. II
there should be quantity OF beef left In
that refrigerator on shore. under the con-
tract your responsibility ceasesY
Technically, i think So"
IF l remember correctly. General Eagan
testified that the beef was TO keep under
proper food seventy-two hours after 1t left
the refrigerator on shipbOard, or seventy
two hours after it left the refrigerator on
shore"
THAT was not our understanding, nor was
1t con- tanned in our proposal nor in the con-
tract.
Major Lee read the following clause OF the
contract: The beef is TO be properly
clothed for its protection and proper han
ding, and so preserved by the refrigeration
on shipboard and at the refrigerator build
ing that II shall be perfectly good and fit for
use seventy-two hours after being issued
from the ships refrigerator or twenty -four
hours after being issued from the the TSf fr M
refrigerator building on shore he asked,
and a ship should get in at that place,
under this contract, II seems 10 me, there
is guaranty here that the beef will keep
seventy-two hours after being issued from
the ships. Am i not correct?
NO. sir. My version of that clause Is
different. Starting with our proposal 10 the
government and leading on to that clause
in the contract, my version Is that, having
used diligence to provide stationary re-
frigerators. at the request of the govern
ment and with their aid, as agreed. twenty
four hours is all that We are liable"
LEFT TO THE COURT.
Major Lee then read the clause in ques-
ton a second time and left the dispute as
to time to consideration of the court.
Witness stated that his company had put
in the contract a much shorter time limit
than was included in beef contracts for
England but admitted that the conditions
were not at all similar and scarcely sub
ject to comparison.
Gould you reasonably expect that re-
frigerated beef could be furnished TO the
troops in Cuba and last twenty-four hours
after IT was issued to the commissary 10 be
given to the troops ten, fifteen or twenty
miles away from the landing?" he asked?
Il don't think contemplated supplying
troops that far away. L don't think the
government contemplated II. j understand
that the government contracted for refrlgCr-
ated beef to be supplied at port stations,
and at the same time for live cattle 10 be
supplied at inland points
me witness stated that chemicals were
not in any way used as prescrvalve lie
had heard of the Powell process and other
Chemical e5pemenis sed put h s5id hef 9 pack
ing and shipping cured joints OF pork, but
not on beef. He said his company does no
Libby, Mcneil a. Libby for canning.
Major Lee asked if the larger proportion
of the poorest cattle did not so TO the can
ners.
Mr.. Swift replied that it did not.
The next witness was Horace c. Gardner.
the manager of the construction ana me-
chanioal department of Swift * Co. He re-
peated the incidents attending the closing OF
the contract between Swift * co. ana Cen
eral Eagan; ..,o. -. ,,.rs .. 70 the
application OF your practice OF keeping meat
in Cuba and Porto RicO-aS TO refrigerator
plants?' he was asked.
IL told him il would be necessary, 10 meet
the exigencies of that climate, TO erect re-
frigerators on shore; that L did not think
IL would be safe in any other way, but that
so far as treating beef with any process
with chemicals to preserve IL we would not
do IL at ALL that If We could not get the
business and do it according TO our regular
process OF refrigeration we "oulu hol
take it," "a,
Were shore refrigerators provided for?'
Eyes; we contemplated that in our orig
inal proposal.
The witness denied that any chemicals
whatever were used in the beef business
Refrigeration was the only thing relied upon.
''If General Eagan testified that the limit
was seventy-two hours how do you reconcile
this conflict with the testimony asked
Major Lee.
General Eagan is mistaken"
A LONG DELAY.
William Vanwidde, a refrigerator en-
gineer in the employe of Swift & Co. testi-
fed that he had charge of the meat on board
the ship Port Victor, which reached Port
Tampa July q. The meat was loaded on
the ship there from refrigerator cars and
was in good condition when received. No
chemicals were used in the eserv1Jlon of
beef. The ship went TO Santiago, taking a
refrigerator plant. but was kept waiting
forty-three days before the plant could be
taken ashore. IN e4ght days 1t was IN work
ing oroSr. lie did not know w1) "a Used TIE
delay. Witness went himself to Colonel
Humphreys tao or three times and Colonel
Humphreys said ne would get around ID IL
in time.
Mr. F. g. Wilder. general superintendent
OF Swift x Co. who had testified IN WASH
ington was recalled and asked ABOUT TIE
use of chemicals. He said that zone were
used and could not be used Ut the packing
house without his knowledge
George T.. \annorLlan, commission ner-
chant with offices at Milwaukee and Chi
cago testified in detail as to the govern
mental state and municipal inspection or
cattle slaughtered at the stock yards.
Major Lee asked that II, = rule. a por-
ton of the poorest class or cattle killed are
not used fer canning.
''Yes. sir. But people have wrong idea
about emaciated COWS going in for Gamers
They would not be ecoDC miCal FOR that pur-
pose: they are all bones and no flesh"
Jesse Sherwood. commission merchant
at the stockyards, said the term Gamers
was misnomer II a canning house bought
the cattle the cattle were called Gamers
But If dressed beef house bought the
same cattle they would not be termed can
ners
Major Lee tried 10 show from the witness
that the. lowest grade of cattle were used
for canning. but the witness would not
make any such admission
Colonel o. NJ. Smith. who has been the
purchasing cOmmissary OF the government
at Chicago since 1S5. was the next Witness