Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1899-03-02
THE BEEF PRAISED.
The Court Of Inquiry Receives the
Report Of Maj Arrasmith.
RA1IONS SUPPLIED Al CnlCKANAUCS
Fhe Table Accompanying the Report shows
the Amounts Issued aud What Was
Conference.-The Percentage
OF LOAa small

Washington, Feb. 27.--The army
board Of inquiry has received the re.
port of Maj. J. NJ. Arrasmith, late
commissary at Camp Thomas, Ca, up
on the character Of the rations issued
at that point. The report covers the
rations supplied to the 1900 soldiers
modified at Chickamanga park from
May, 1888 to January 1899, and is as
follows:
All stores unfit for sale or issue were acted
upon by board of survey and in all cases were
condemned prior to issue TO troops, with the
exception that in few instances damaged
potatoes and bacon were returned to the depot
commissary and exchanged prior to condemna-
ton. The 3, 800 pounds Of beef condemned and
destroyed was local beef purchased in Chatta-
nooga
The refrigerated beef was sufficient in guam.
tity and excellent in quality and the fact that
the depot commissary inspected and issued over
5,00O,oOO pounds OF this beef and in a hot eli
mate. without losing pound Of it, indicates
the splendid condition Of the beef and the care
exercised in handling it
The canned beef and baked beans we're very
good and showed no signs OF fermentation, the
iamage to the two cans OF the former and the
nine cans OF the latter was due to accident,
nails having been driven through the boxes.
penetrating the cans Only 10, pounds Of canned
roast beef were received here and this amount
was sold to officers and men OF the command
and gave entire satisfaction.
The greatest care was necessary for the pre-
servatiOn OF vegetables In this climate, par
ticularly at about the time that the supply OF
old potatoes was exhausted und the new p0ta-
toes we're beginning to arrive. Flfty-fOur
hundred pounds Of sugar were damaged BY
heavy rainstorm which flooded portion OF
the c0mmissary
The quality OF the rations furnished vas ex-
'ellent and probably the best ever issued to an
army Of $4,000 men, with the exception Of some
potatoes and bacon that spoiled owing to nat
ural causes, and this slight defect was remedied
by being replaced by a good qualisy Of the
same, and, taking into consideration the fact
that approximately 30, ono 400 poundsc. subsist-
ence stores were shipped here and issued, the
percentage Of loss is exceedingly small
J. M, ARRAsMIrH.
The table accompanying this report
shows that 8, 1853, 900 pounds of re-
frigerated beef were issued without
the loss Of pound. OF corned beef
there were issued in travel rations
1850, 900 two pound cans, Of which two
were condemned. OF 10000 three
pound cans Of baked beans, nine cans
were condemned. Of 100000 cans of
salmon two cans were found spoiled.
There were issued 6,567, 800 pounds
of soft bread, Of which 5,s45 baked
outside the camp were condemned.
OF 1929, l2O pounds Of potatoes.
"a, 800 pounds were rejected before is
sue OF 1885, 800 pounds OF onions O.
900 were rejected. OF a3s, 500 three
pound cans of tomatoes 81 were con-
demned. Of 100000 gallon cans, 1874
were condemned. All these condemna-
tions were before issue to the troops.
Out OF 10, $50, 900 pounds of bacon, 1885,
1858 were condemned before issue. This
had been shipped in bulk from west.
ern army posts and became heated on
the way and in the store house at
All other items of the
ration were in good condition.