The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-01-10

To the Editor of the Indianapolis Journal:
/ do not wish to be precipitated into a
discussion or severely criticise the unwar-
ranted waste of time and expense that is
being forced upon the war investigating
committee, in reference to the meat sent by
Armour & Co. and other beef packers to
Cuba and Porto Rico, and which is said
to have been doctored, the charge being
that chemicals were used in preserving it.
/ believe what the packers say, that they
do not use chemicals to preserve the meat.
In all meats or organic substances there are
germs which are called bacteria; these
bacteria exist in great variety and extraor-
binary numbers, and play important part
in the economy of nature, they being the
source of putrefaction. fermentation and
other organic changes. When the meats,
they having these bacteria in them, are
placed in refrigerators the cold retards the
action of the bacteria upon the meat; then
when the meat is taken out of the refrig-
orators into the hot air, of which there is a
superabundance in Cuba and Porto Rico, it
Ghe hot aiO restores the activity of the
bacteria with more rapidity and greater
force after their enforced inactivity upon
the meats, so that in a few hours the
meats will be in the first stage of putre-
faction. When the putrefaction first starts
in the meats will be covered with dark
spots; this can be demonstrated at home by
looking into meat markets on a hot day
when the meats have to be exposed to the
warm air but a short time. Nothing can re-
tard this putrefaction of the meats unless
they are cooked Immediately upon taking
them off the ice especially in a hot climate
My own observations in the army from the
18th of April 1861, to the close of the civil
war, coupled with the knowledge l have
O9i dc1,Inf
that beef packers are not compelled to use
any chemical process to preserve their
meats, providing they keep their refrigera-
tors at frost temperature. The whole fabri-
cation was trumpet up to embarrass the ad-
ministration. The President ought to bring
the farce to a sudden close. The long,
tedious Wrangle about nothing is disgusting
to the length and breadth of this country
even the foreign press has had Whit at
our folly However, l presume the proceed
lngs resulting from that investigation is
music for the yellow journals and copper
headS, and l am sorry to- say that General
Miles will have to share in this unfortunate
affair. The things he has said will cripple
the beef industry of this country owing to
his high position. Really, it seems that
every time somebody expresses an opinion
in the matter another investigation follows
1t was very bad taste upon the part Of
General Miles to appease his wrath at the
expense of the administration to quiet the
troubled waters between himself and the
secretary of war; he should have counted
the cost before speaking; | presume that
Mr. w. j. Bryan who DOTTED the blue
few days ago. after having served his coun-
try periodically for three long months will
soon give most distressing account of the
cruelties he experienced, although his theme
i'm opposition to expansion may occupy his
time, but it will not resurrect a winning
candidate for the next campaign. In con-
cIusiOn / will say without prejudice that the
inconvenience experienced by the soldiers
in the late war were Comparatively a side
show to what the blue and the gray had to
endure in the civil war. w. i. REID
Union Stock Yards Jan. 9.