New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-01-14
GENERAL WOOD TESTIFIES.
HE SAYS THE BEEF AT SANTIAGO "Ao
GOOD-WORK OF THE COMMISSION
NEARLY FINISHED.

Washington. Jan. 13-General Leonard W oou W.
the principal witness before the war lnNesllb""no
Commission to-day His testimony bore on conui-
,,ons IN Cuba. and he began with the statement
that never in the history Of any country hau 'ie'o
hoo, so succesSfil campaign with so sInaiI Ioss
NJ No He praised the quality OF the beer lur-
nlshed to the Army. and said that except LOT so'ie
cans that were tainted, and consequently p'o'"p,'
thrown away the meat was of good quah'y' anu TIC
himself had used IT, both in the war ana IN MS o""
family. , -
General Wood thought every man In his COM
ard I, necessary would volunteer his services
again No amount Of preparation IN addltlon ~
that which had been made. he SAID wouiu nave
made any difference in the amount OF slchneSs III
the army OF invasion. The diHlcu'tes III te'''"s
food 10 the Army were almost insurmouhtaoIe' anu
any shortage was readily accounted TOT Inc
80 ,ore almost impa None Of the men
sbould now have any disagreeable or dreadluI
recollections OF the war. except such as "ou'u re-
suit from, any hard service which always goes WIN
> y.o- Tho success OF the Cuban campaign, said
General Wood was simply phenomenal Inc cam
noIc, was rapid and perhaps the extraordinary
success was due In large measure 70 TINS TACT Inc
Standards he explained, were whipped so quickly
.o-,, time that they were almost parayzed ana
dozod Tho CAPTURE of Santiago was so complete
ond so RAPIDLY effected that 1t brought ABOUT the
surrender OF the entire island AS 10 the war gen
orally he had far greater hardships III MS
Indian campaigns IN the "eSN IMAM nc ~ "
cuba. $780,,
A, ~ the beef he had never noticed anything
IA and eaid the great trouble was the ignorance
ard suncrstIton Of the men. As to the refrigerated
hsot used in the campaign. he explained that II was
rocai,od in tremendously hot weather the beef was
urloadcd in good condition was taken out OF the
rofrieerators at night. and was ashore by day
hro.k In the mean time there would be shower,
,orIoued hv the sun coming out In Intense force.
I'D 80. the time Il reached the camp II would be
aho,,t . o'clock In the afternoon. II eaten that
r,eh, I, would be all right. The United states
,orcas a. Santiago had unlimited ratiOns, and the
Spaniards left the city full Of 1000. me popular
idea that Santiago was devoid OF 100, 1000 ana rne
Standards surrendered because teA "'le S'"' 'i'si
no said. not true. .<,.. VI.
Asked as 10 the ccngested state OF affairs at
Tauna before the cmbarkation OF the smarter eN-
lI',tor no said there was no cause for complaint.
irbo eynedition had acted urgent orders 10 en-
bark hastily. had loaded on long narrow pie per,
and complaining and swearing. hut the same CON
ditions would have been encountered anyWhet,e.
Tbe campaign. he thought. should he judged only
~. what the I'nited States forces did.
General Wood said there was no complain, mace n
~ conditions in the campaign from ANYBODY VINO
amounted 10 anything: certainly none from the old
soldiers He said that originally me Army was
sunn,ted with enough medical officers. nut people
Ios, light Of tho fact that medical officers also
susce ptible to malaria and for while me number
was deficient hut there cause for com
plant The army in cuba now. he said. Is plenti-
fully supplied with doctors. ,-, 80.
perhaps" suggested captain Howell, II was
we'll that the did not take any too much
~ always have made 1t practice replied Gen
eral Wood who was formerly an Army surgeon
General Wood said that in all OF his service he
had been absolutely supported by his superior OFF,
'''' OTHERS SAY BEEF WAS GOOD.
Major George " Ruthers commissary Of sub
sisence said the quality Of the beef furnished to
the Army was good as could be expected. and.