The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-02-22
ALGERS BEEF So VILE IT
WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO EAT It
Soldiers Couldn't Keep the Rotten Meat Their Stomachs
The Canned Roast Beef Was Condemned Without an
Exception Refrigerated Beef Was Nauseat-
ing General Miles Sustained.

cular letter to his troop commanders
asking for reports This was before
he received official notice from the
war department that report on this
subject would be wanted. What re-
frigerated beef his command received
in Santiago seemed to be good. He
only remembered one issue which was
tainted. He had no complaints as to it
from the men.
Did you have any reason to suspect
while you were at Santiago that the re-
frigerated beef had been treated with
chemicals?" asked Colonel Davis.
Il had never heard of such a thing
at the time" was the reply. "and such
an explanation did not occur to me-"
Did You eat any of the refrigerated
beef yourself?"
Once Was Enough.
"Once--that was enough for me-"
Witness explained the beef had a
'close, musty smell" as if it had been
shut up in close room, and it turned
him against the meat He said he had
no reason to believe fine other officers
in his mess did not use the meat He
said the refrigerated beef at Santiago
had yellow appearance on the outside
that he had never noticed upon she re-
frigarated beef formerly furnished at
Fort Riley, Kan, where he was station
ed. When he a te it at Santiago he was
inclined to nausea. Referring TO the
canned roast beef, he said 1T seemed
to be of scraps and that the men would
not eat It.
Brigadtsr General Hawkins was next
called His brigade sailed on June 13
for Santiago. He told the story of the
journey. debarkation and fight in
which he was wounded, when he left his
command. He said complaints against
canned roast and canned corned beef
were filed on the transport. He heard
no complaints after landing and knew
little of the beef question.
Following General Hawkins, Captain
]. w. Duncan of the 21st fnfantry was
introduced. His regiment was at Tam
pa from Aprll 22 until about Tune 20,
when it sailed for Cuba. Canned roast
beef, according to his recollection, was
issued as a travel ra'tion at Tampa for
the ocean trip, and at Siboney as
component Of the fresh meat ration
1t was replaced July 20 by refrigerated
beef and was issued as a travel ra-
ton on the home voyage. It did not,
he said. give general satisfaction, the
men generally complaining. He saw
much OF it opened and it appeared
coarse. unseasoned, tasted flat, was in
long strips and the grease. "or what
ever it was" was in globules.
Referring to refrigerated beef Can
tain Duncan said it was always satis-
factory He ate it, saw no difference
between it and beef issued at stations
in this country, and never suspected IFS
treatment with chemicals.
Couldn't Eat It.
Captain William N. Hughes. 18th in
fantry, was with his command during
its stay atTampa and the Santa go cam
paign until July 10. when he was stricl1-
en- with yellow fever Canned roast
beef, he said, was first used after the
landing and complaints followed at
once. He attempted personally. he
said, to use it, but found it unpala table
1t did not satisfy hunger and he could
not eat it. Such was the experience
generally of the men. 1t was stringy
and without nutritive value.
Captain William Ennis. 4th artillery,
was with the Shafter expedition and re-
mained at Santiago until August IA.
He said the canned roast beef was used
on the TRANSPORT and more or less
throughout the stay of his command
in Cuba. None of the men complained
while there but personally he had TAX
en- it as a stew and was often nauseat-
ed. Since his return he had inquired
of the men as to its effect and COM
plants were made. He took no action
about 1t in Cuba, because he heard of
no notable complaints and did not con-
slider action necessary. Refrigerated
beef was furnished after the surrender
and was satisfactory. Everybody, he
said, liked it and he never suspected any
use Of chemicals. Since he had reflect
ed, he was surprised that he had been
able to keep it "a hours after issue.
Made Them Vomit.
"a great many of the men would eat
.1,r
quickly and vomit," Captain Ennis said.
"and finally they refused to eat it at
ALL"
This was said In response to questions
as to the causes of illness among his
troops. Captain Ennis believed much
Of it was due to this beef. No other food
caused vomiting Immediately after
eating, he said, but the sickness was
only transient. Responding to Colonel
Gillespie, the witness said he thought
the inability to eat the roast beef did
not cause hunger because there was an
abundance of other food. The refrig-
Grated beef kept "a hours after it's issue
to the battery stationed at Moro cas-
tile.
Major Stephen Baker, retired, at
tached to the 4th infantry during the
Santiago campaign, said canned roast
beef was issued after landing and until
no very specific character We're made
generally by the men and captains. No
definite attempt 20 remedy the defects in
the ration was made he said. because
all realized that the best possible was
being done under the circumstances
and they were Slaa 10 get anything. Ma
jor Baker said he had made a special
report upon the rations pursuant to the
adjutant generals orders of Sept. 90
but thought had the orders not been
promulgated he would not have felt
called upon to make any report upon
the matter.
Major General Sumner, L. S. V, who
was colonel of the 9th cavalry through
ous Santiago, testified that complaints
about the roast beef We're heard in the
lines, but 10 action was taken, because,
as he declared, there was Tot any use
That was all We had and it would not
do any good"
Refrigerated b-ef Was furnished after
the surrender @!,d N1s gocd, except thar.