Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1899-01-19

department for the continuation of the
commission was an inadvertence. SO far
as heard from the commissioners had ac-
complishcd nothing but the reduction OF
the surplus to the extent of their salaries.
Nj. Shoup of Idaho, defended the work
Of the commission and said tho commits
sion and said the commissioners had done
excellent work under the constant dircc-
ton of the secretary of the interior
At this iuncturc Mr.. Gray, Delaware,
introduced a joint resolution as follows:
That in recognition of the patriotic de-
vOtion and bounteous benevolcnce of Miss
Helen Miller Gould to the soldiers of the
army of the United States during the war
with Spain, the cordial appreciation Of
Congress is hereby rendered to her. and
Congress hereby authorizes and directs
that a gold medal with appropriate de-
signs be prepared by the director of the
mint and that said medal be presented to
her by the President of the United States
at such time and in such manner as he
may determine.
The resolution was referred to the COM
mittee on military affairs.
The reading of the bill was not COM
pleted but was laid aside until tomorrow
Mr. Spooner reported from the judiciary
committee a bill providing that the fifth
and sixth judicial circuits each shall have
an additional judge and the bill was
passed
Then a 80 on motion of Mr. Carter the
Senate went into executive session.
A $50 p. m, the Senate adjourned
GEN. WITEDLERS CASE NEXT TUES
DAY.
Washington. Jan. 13-rhc inquiry as 10
the status of Gen. Wheeler and othormc M
bers of the House, who are in the army
Will not be begun by the House judiciary
committee until next Tuesday az Gen
henderson, IF mil in.
a letter January to Gen. Wheeler and
associates suggested that any statements
they desired to make should be filed with
in ton days. This period will be up Mon
day 50 tho committee can proceed on
Tuesday. Thus far no statements have
been received from any of the members
serving in the army.
uago expedition. Gen. Miles at Washing
ton has made reference to the receipt of
that letter. The governor, as colonel of
the regiment of Rough Riders submitted
Il statement to the war department in Sep
tcmber last which contained practically
the same account of the condition of beef
as was set forth in his letter to Gen. Miles.
The governor in his letter stated that four
kinds of beef were furnished to the Rough
Riders from the time they left Florida FOR
cuba until their return. The first was
corned beef. Its quality was good the salt
in the meat seasoned other articles and
The second kind was canned roast beef.
The men could not eat this 1t was utter
~ without any flavor or taste and would
turn the mems stomach when they at
tempted to eat it. 1t was stringv and
tough and without any qualities winch
would render it "A fit article OF food. There
was but one way in which the men could
eat it and that was by making it into a
stew. Fresh vegetables were not alway5
obtanablc and stcws could not be made
except occasionally
When the Rough Riders left Tampa a
large quantity of specially prepared beef
was placed aboard. This beef was in
quarters and WAS stored in the forward
END OF the transport. 1t had been pre-
pared by some special process, unknown
10 Gel. Roosevelt, but supposed to be with
some form of solution. The transport
was out from Tampa. but few hours
when this beef began to smell. A horrible
door came from it which was so unbear-
able the soldiers could not stand it, The
stencil was horrible the men avoided the
forward end of the transport as much as
possible. The meat could not be eaten
ana could not be permitted to remain on
hoard the transport. II conquence of its
condition it was thrown into the ocean.
The fourth kind of beef was served to
the Rough Riders at Santiago after July
%. 1t was of good quality brought to
cuba in special steamers with refrigcra-
tor facilities These facts were set forth
in both the official report to the war de-
partment and the letter of Gov. Roose-
welt, Gen. Miles official report was ac-
companied by reports Of the quartermas-
ter and surgeon of the regiment and those
of several captains.
Gov. Roosevelt is known to greatly re-
eret the turn the trouble in the war de-
partment seems TO be taking as he feels
very strongly that it is not important to
try to blame anyone for what is past, but
1t is most important to get everything ar
ranged so that it will work well in the
future should an emergency arise, and
whatever he has written on testified to
has been with this sole end In view.