The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-02-27
COmmissary Arrasmith'S Report On
Conditions at Chickamauga.
BEEF WAS SATISFACTORY
NONE OF THE REFRIGERATED
MEAT CONDEMNED.
Five Million Pounds Used and Not
q Pound Lost-Very Little Canned
Roast Beef Issued-Quality of the
Rations Was Excellent-Loss Was
Small.

Washington, Feb. 26.-The army
board of inquiry has received the report
of Major ]. NJ. A-rasmith, late COM
missary at Camp Thomas. Ca, upon
the character of the rations issued TO
the 1900 soldiers mobilized at Chicka-
manga Park from May, 1898, TO Janu-
airy, 1899, and is made in accordance
with the following order from General
Miles:
War Department, Inspector General s
Office, Washington, January %, 1899.
Major James NJ. Arrasmith, Depot
Commissary, Chickamauga Park, Ga.
Sir: The commanding general nav
ing referred TO this Office for investiga-
ton and report the matter of unsatis-
| factory food issued TO the troops dur
ing the past year, have the honor to
request that you furnish me at your
earliest convenience, such Information
as you have or can secure bearing upon
| the general subject, but especially con-
corning the food received during the
military operations in the recent war
with Spain. particularly refrigerated or
canned beef. and all component parts
of the ration destroyed. whether prior
or subsequent TO issue 10 troops Very
| respectfully.
re. y. DARLINGTON,
Acting Inspector General"
To this Major Arrasmith replied from
ChickamauSa Park under date of jan
uary y, 1893. His report in substance
follows:
AL stores unfit for sale or issue
were acted upon by a board of survey
and in all cases were condemned prior
to issue to troops, with the execution
! that in a few instances damaged pota-
toes and bacon were returned to the
depot commissary anG exchanged prior
TO condemnation.
THE $500 pounds of beef condemned
and destroyed was local beef purchased
in Chattanooga.
THE refrigerated beef was sufficient
in quantity and excellent in quality,
and the fact that the depot commissary
inspected and issued over 5000, 900
pounds of this beef and in a hot climate
without losing a pound Of it, indicates
the splendid condition of the beef and
the care exercised in handling it.
The bacon condemned was a portion
of the large amount sent to and stored
in Chattanooga for the use OF the army
at ChickamaUga: it deteTiorated rapid
ly in this climate and q portion of it
became infected with shippers, and
when shipped out to camp, some of it
had to be condemned and replaced by
good bacon. The greatest care was
taken by the depot commissary for the
preservation OF al subsistence stores
and any damage that occurred was due
TO climate and natural causes and was
incident TO the service.
THE canned beef and baked beans
were very good and showed no signs of
fermentation, the damage TO the two
cans of the former and the nine cans
of the latter, was due to accident nails
having been driven through the boxes
penetrating the cans.
Only 1872 pounds of canned roast beef
were received here. and this amount
was sold to officers and men Of the
command and save entire satisfaction.
The quality Of the rations furnished
was excellent and probably the best
ever issued 10 an army OF GO, coo men:
and taking into consideration the fact
that approximately 10000, eco pounds of
subsistence stores were shipped here
and issued, the percentage Of loss is
exceedingly small
The table accompanying this report
shows that 5.1G3.500 pounds Of refriger-
ated beef we've Issued without the loss
of pound. OF cornei beef there were
issued in travel rations 10000 two
pound cans. OF which two were con-
demned. OF GG.G00 three DCund cans OF
baked beans. nine cans We're condemn
ed. of 10000 cans Of salmon, two cans
were found spoiled. There We're issued
6 SCI SEQ pounds Of soft bread. of which
5.245 pounds. baked outside the camp,
were condemned. OF 4,22e. 120
pounds Of potatoes. 64500 pounds
were rejected Before issue. OF
!. 12S,320 pounds OF onions 29e0
pounds We're rejected. OF 49,
800 three-pound cans OF tomatoes.
thirty-seVen We're condemned. OF l0l.-
200 gallon cans, 1914 were condemned.
All these concentrations We're before
issue to The trccpS CGt OF l2.2s00G0
mounds .1f ne c1r1 $50 ge9 ware condemn,
ed before issue. This had been shipped
in bulk from western army Dosts and
became heated ON the way and in the
1t Chattanooga. All other
items OF the ration We're in good con-
dition.