The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-03-15
BOUGHT SECOND GRADE
EAGAN'S AGENT Ar CHICAGO TESTlFlES
BEFORE THE COURT.
Eagan Bought Beef Without Inspection, Prices
On Same Day Varying One to Two
Gents on Pound.

Chicago. Ills, March 14.-Colonel O.
eminent at Chicago since 1895, testified
to-day before the Government court of
inquiry that the stores of canned beef
bought by him during the Spanish war.
were all upon the direct order of General
Eagan. the Conmissary General. He
also stated that some purchases of canned
beef were made without his knowledge
by the Commissary General Another
of the days important witnesses was
Gustavus +. Swift. head of the packing
house of Swift and Company. Mr.. Swift
said:
1--WE agree to be responsible for the
beef keeping n hours from issuing. and
if in refrigerator house, 81 hours from
the steamer issue. | supposed there
would he reasonable protection. as for
any other commodity. When we deal in
beef we deal in n perishable article. Ii
certainly should be protected from the
tropical SUM-"
I'm the preparation of your refriger-
ated beef, what agent do you rely upon
as preservativeT'
Refrigerated air: nothing else"
Have YOU used at any time in con-
nection with the preservation of refrig
Grated beef any chemical preservative of
any kind?''
mo, sir"
Major Lee read the following clause
of the contract:
1.-THE beef is to be properly clothed
for its protection and proper handling,
and so preserved by the refrigeration on
shipboard and at the refrigerator build
ing that it shall be perfectly good and
fit for use - hours after being issued
from the ships refrigerator, or "A hours
after being issued from the refrigerator
to building on shore"
IF there were no refrigeratoring build
ing on Shore" he as.ed. land ship
should get in at that place, under this
contract. it seems to me there is
guaranty here that the beef will keep u
hours after being issued from the ship.
Am ! correct?"
mo. sir. My version of that clause is
different. Starting with our proposal to
the Government and leading ON to that
clause i'll the contract, my version is that,
having used diligence to provide station
AIRY refrigerators at the request of the
Government, and with their aid as
agreed. a hours is all that we are
liable"
Major Lee than read the clause in
question a second time and left the dis
pute as to the time to the consideration
of the court.
Witness stated that his company had
put in the contract much shorter time
limit than was included in beef con-
tracts for England, but admitted that
the conditions were not at all similar
and scarcely subject to comparison.
The witness stated that chemicals
were not in any way used as preserva-
tave. lie had heard of the Powell pro-
cess and other chemical experiments but
had never tried them. Borax was used,
he said. in packing and shipping cured
joints of pork. but not ON beef. He said
that his company did no canning. but
furnished the beef ~used by the Libby,
Mcneil X Libby Co. for canning.
Major Lee asked il the larger proper
ton of the poorest cattle did not go to
the Gamers.
Mr.. Swift replied that it did not.
\ number of employees of Swift 4
1OullidHA WERE tAulliiHti. pl iDIipdlls
to the limit of time the meat was to
keep fresh. and they agreed with Mr..
Swift. Two of the witnesses test Iet.
that General Eagan was mistaken in say
ing that the limit was - hours. They
also denied the use of chemicals.
George e. Van Norman, commission
merchant. with offices at Milwaukee and
Chicago, testified in detail as to the seov-
srllmental, State and municipal s:nslsoc-
ton of cattle slaughtered at the stock
yards.
Major Lee asked that if. - a rdle
portion of the poorest class ct caItle
killed are not used for canning
Yes sir, but people have a wrong
idea about emaciated cows going III
for canmrs: they would not be econ"ln-
ical for that purpose; they are all bones
and no flesh
Colonel o. M. Smith, who has bcfn
the purchasing comnissary of the Gov
eminent at Chicago since 1895. testified
that he purchased between May 18th
and July 9th, 1893, 2,759.272 pounds
of canned roast beef. The orders for
purchaca aana frou the tAlu mi SsltV