The Portland daily press., 1899-02-25

| testimony. Next week probably ui1eeu
witnesses viii be heard among whom,
perhaps Gov. Roosevelt of New York,
and II is expected that DIR. Daily will be
examined later In the week when the beef
concerns will have their Representatives
here 10 hear the charges that ths refrige-
rated beef was treated chemically.
Washington. February a4-Former
| CommissaIy General Charles +. Eagan
today resumed his testimony befose the
court of inquiry Investigating the teef
charges he wore the fatigue uniform OF
brigadier general Recurring to the
contract requirements, he explained that
Swift and Company were wholly response
ble for the beef undelivered TO the govern
ment officials at the points designated ~
the department 1he clause requiring
beef TO keep seventy-two hnurs after
! leaving the refrigerator WINS introduced,
| he said after the conference declared they
could prepare 1t 20 rs to keep IL that long
| Many vouchers 10 the beef had been p ia,
! he said and he presumed deductions for
| spoiled beef had made although he uid
no know. Understood through Col
| Osgood that the beef had been rejec ed
| by commands when In fact II WINS sweet
and perfectly good. speaking Of arrange.
ments Tor the Porto Rican expedition
| General Eagan said he understood General
| Brooke WAS to command 1t, and be ac
cordingly consulted with General Brooke,
reaching IA satisfactory understanding as
| 10 refrigerated tees. subsequently be
learned that General Miles assumed com
! mand, but he never consulted with him
| Col. Sharp, chief commissary Tor that
! expedition. was furnished something
| like $3.50, toQ credits on the United States
and an offer 70 send cash was made but
| declined. Ibis statement was INTENDED
| to bear upon General Miles statement
| that funds for purchase of supplies In
| Porto Rico werr not available Here were
| read To IegraIns hetwee General kagan
and Col. Weston, The latter In Tampa. re.
lative to the sending rya packing firm
OF beef Refrigerated 20 Tampa TO test how
| long IL would keep after removal from
| the ice boxes with a view 10 the making
of contracts after the breaking out Of tbs
| war. The beef when removed from the
| Ice boxes and hung w was declared ser
viceabls within forty.eight hours. where
as that left In the box after the ice disap-
! peared could rot be used after eighteen
hours. Frozen beef was tested but AL
versely reported upon. Canned roast beef
was declared by Commissary officials at
Tampa as the best solution Of the fresh
| beef problem until circumstances were
such as would admit the prompt delivery
ana use Of refrigerated beef
"Were any rations OF any kind" asked
Col Davis, sent to the troops at any
time as an experiment."
Five Thousand pounds of the Dole
beef" responded General Eagan. "A
canned preparation that made nice
| Ham burger steak were sent
''lt found its way to Porto Rlco, was
used and every body was delighted with
| it."
| He reviewed the first shipment ofrefrig
] Ell ated beef TO Santiago which he consid-
cred as experimental because the value OF
refrigerated beef had not then teen estab
lisheu finally. Aside from these absolute
| Iy no other experimental shipments were
made, General Eagan declared with great
emphasis, adding: "On the contrary,
| l fought all the time against IT."
| WAS any thing furnished on the pre-
tense of experiment." asked Col. Davis,
suggesting General Miles notable allega-
| ton.
mo. sir, never, not to the value of a
penny, replied General Eagan without
indicating consciousness of the query 1
| suggestiveness
| General Eagan said that many persons
had offered alleged preservative processes,
| but he never entertained any such pro
positions. lie said he rsceived on August
| g. General lilies telegram from Porto
kico asking that no more Refrigerated
1 beef be sent as he could secure native cat
tie At that time a cargo of refrigerated
beef was on the Manitoba, and it was al
lowed TO proceed. after that no mo e
was sent TO Geper al Miles forces
Col Is. III. Young told of Santiago
campaign experience with beef. No
complaints about the timed roast beef
were heard. On the contrary he under
| stood il was rather fixed.
! Major A. h. bowman, second infan.
| try. had no complaints from his COM
mand In Cuba, the men and officers he
said accepted the rations as the best OBJ
tainable. He did hear, however, unoili-
| eial complaints from other commands
that the canned roast beef was unsatisfao-
| tory and unpalatable. He ate some of it,
| but Il -eenied to have beer boiled eXces
sively aud deprived OF its substance. Re
| frigerated beef was very satisfactory.
| Captain j. M. Arrassmitn, M Ior com
| InIssary depar tinunt, stationed at Chicka-
mauga testified TO the satisfaction which
both the refrigerated and canned roast
/ beef gave at carlr
Captain Henry l.. Ripley. third eaval-
~, detailed the experiments with beei
nc Tampa in line with the testimony OF
Col, Weston. No complaints were heard
but it was almost tasteless he said, quick
| ly rhIled on the taste and the men re-
fused to eat it, though be heard no formnl
complaints. Refrigerated beef gave salts
faction.