The times., 1899-03-15
THE CONTRACT MODIFIED.
SeNenty-Two Hours Changed to
Tventy-Four Pt Swift's Request.

Seventy-Two Hours Changed to
Twenty-Four Rt Swift's Request.
Chicago, March 14.-Gustavus F. Swift, |
head of the great packing firm that sup /
piled millions OF pounds OF refrigerated |
beef to the United States troops in Cuba |
and Porto Rico, proved today the most !
important witness the War Enquiry Eoard 1
has examined during its sessions in Chi
cago. After witnesses had testified that
the refrigerated beef could not be kept
fresh long enough to be transported to the
interior of Porto Rico, Mr.. Swift was
called to the witness stand and the clause
of the contract calling for seventy-two
hours preservation after landing was read
to him by Colonel Davis and by Major
Lee. He repudated this provision and de-
cared Swift & Co. understood the meat
was TO be supplied to the troops at port
stations only, and was not guaranteed for
a longer period than twenty-four hours.
The strongest point in Major Lees fight
to sustain the Commanding eGneral's
charges was made here. He presented TO
the Court the contract and the differing
statement of Mr.. Swift, with the remark
that he had shown the existence OF seri-
Gus misunderstanding.
Mr. Swift says twenty-four hours. The
contract made with General Eagan says
seventy-two hours / submit to the Court
the difference, upon which it can place its
own Interpretation, said Major Lee.
Mr.. Swift denied that he had ever used
chemicals in order to preserve beef in
tended for use by the army. He admitted
having corresponded with promoters of
various methods of preserving beef by
means of chemicals but he left the i'm
preston with the Court of Enquiry that he
had never adopted the schemh A. in practical
packing. Horace C. Gardiner, OF Swift q
Co. who represented the firm in prelimi-
nary conference with General Eagan, testi-
fed that it was Eagan who suggested the
use Of chemical preservatives and asked il
the Powell process would not be practical.
The witness also startled the Court by de-
claring that the seventy-two-hour provi-
sion in the Swift contracts had been modl-
fed by General Eagan to twenty-four
hours at Mr.. Swifts request
Suppose l should tell you that General
Eagan testified before this Court that the
meat was 10 be kept sweet seventy-two
hours" asked Major Lee impressively.
The witness paused moment and then
replied deliberately:
( Il should say that General Eagan was
mistaken
/ The other witness OF the day was
/ Capt. Homer F. Aspenwall Assistant
Quartermaster and acting Commissary
of Volunteers, during the Spanish war
in command of the transport Mani
toba, testified that he took on board
I at Newport News LBS quarters of refrig
Grated beef The Manitoba left Newport
News on August and arrived off Ponce.
Porto Rico, on August 10. She ran aground
three miles out, and remained there three
days and a half. A representative of Swift
& Co. was on the ship in charge of the
beef as refrigerator engineer. Upon arriv-
ing at Ponce witness reported to General
( Gilmore the stores he had on ship, telling
/ him he had a large consignment of refrig-
. Grated beef The chief engineer had ex-
pressed some fears about the safety of the
meat, OF the pipes becoming clogged with
| sand, on account of the grounding of the
/ ship, which might interfere with the
operation OF the refrigerator plant.
/ When the witness reported about the
meat to General Gilmore, General Gilmore
looked up smiling and said: You had bet
ter throw 1t overheard; we have no use for
1t: we can get all the beef we want here :"
The witness continued: II said that il
. was the best of beef and | did not care to
| take any such course that unless ordered
TO. He replied: If necessary, will give
you an order to that effect "
Was any beef landed there?''
Not at that time"
| Witness said that the ship went from
Ponce TO Miowa. He reported to Captain
Davidson, the depot quartermaster and the
/ utpot coWHlSsafy, VINO SAID he WOULD like
to have some of the beef for the troops.
The following day lighter came along
side, and an issue OF fresh beef was made
for the first time. The beef was taken
ashore. Witness asked the commssary
about 1t the next day. The lighter came
alongside each day for beef.
The commissary said that he was de-
lighted with the meat but he said that
some had been taken fifteen miles into
the interior and it did not reach its desti-
nation until o'clock in the afternoon.
when it was spoiled. But" the commits
sary said, that was no fault of the beef"
The beef was used there from day 10 day
until the ship left. on August 81. when
| witness was ordered back TO Ponce.
Il made enquiries OF different command
! ers." said the witness. about the meat
while I remained at Ponce and all that
talked with with one exception. were well
pleased with the beef Major Birmingham
in command OF the general hospital, said
it was the best beef he had had. But
Colonel Foster, of the Sixth Illinois, whose
regiment was stationed six or seven miles
in the interior. said the beef when it
reached his command. about o'clock in
the afternoon. the first days issue, was
spoiled.