Omaha daily bee., 1899-04-27
THE BEEF ALL RIGHT
Finally Condemned Owing to Excessive
Delay TO Issue to Troops,
NOT THE FAULT OF THE CONTRACTORS
No Chemicals Used TO Preserve the
Cargo of the ManitObn-Board of
Survey submits Its Finding
TO War Department.

WASHINGTON, April 26.-The board con-
Vened by a special order to examine and re-
port on the responsibility for the loss OF
100000 pounds of refrigerated beef sent to
Porto Rico last summer has submitted its
report and findings. The beef was shipped
on the transport Manitoba from Swift and
Company in Chicago and Kansas City. The
boards findings are as follows:
That the beef was good and fit for issue
upon Its arrival at the port of Ponce, August
10, 1898, was reported to the proper military
authorities, and that this condition continued
after the release of the Manitoba from the
reef August IA, 1898, although there is rea-
son to believe that the refrigeration was not
satisfactory during that interval.
That Notwithstanding the time and labor
involved in unloading troops and animals
from the Manitoba and in cleaning the ship,
up to and including August l6, 1898, due
and proper effort was made to issue this
beef 10 the accessible troops between that
date ard August %, 1898, the date of the
departure of the Manitoba from Mayaguez.
That this lack of effort was in the nature
OF an acquiescence in the arrangement al
ready locally sanctioned for the purchase of
native beef, but lay primarily in the lack of
controlling authority and a responsible
head of the subsistence department in Ponce,
under the difficulties attending a new mill
tary situation.
lHdJ DUN NJ MdyaSueZ, August ~ 10
August 81, and at Ponce between the date of
the return of the Manitoba. August 81, until
its departure for New York. September Z.
proper effort was made for the issue of this
beef and the meat was. in the opinion of the
board, still. fit for issue.
No Chemicals ysc:.
That the meat had not been subjected to
any hemica process whatever for its pre-
servation.
That tho 1ncc Cf chic 1ane N.ne l,,, 90 eau.
eral causes: Possible deterioration while the
refrigerating plant was interrupted or dis
turbed August 10 to August IA: exposure to
high temperature from the time of loading
on the transport to the date of issue at May
aguez and after; improper handling and
faulty protection after issue; deficient trans
port to troops; prejudice against its appear
ance under unfamiliar conditions; and delay.
A month elapsed since the beef was dressed
before it reached Mayaguez, when for the
first time issues were made, each day adding
to the difficulties.
Finally, the distribution to the troops was
such that, under the circumstances, great
loss was inevitable in the absence of any re-
frigerator at ports of entry.
That the United States is responsible for
the loss. The board is aware of an average
wastage in refrigerated beef-a loss properly
chargeable to the contractor-but the board
is unwilling to fix an arbitrary figure for
such a shipment as that of the Manitoba,
nauuieu unuel tue ADVERSE CIRCUMSTANCES eS-
listing as established by the testimony and
by the absence of reliable data.
That Swift and Company be reimbursed for
the beef.
The board constructs the time limit in the
contract with Swift and Company to mean
that the beef should remain sound for
twenty-four hours after delivery to the is
suing commissary if properly protected, the
seventy-two-hour clause referring to inter-
mediate storage in land refrigerators.
Secretary Alger has approved the finding
of the board and directed that payment be
made to Swift and Company, in accordance
with the report. Nothing has been deter
! mined whether or not a board Of inquiry will
be ordered to make a further investigation.
! The board which has Just reported was a
board of survey.