The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-05-21
a CARD FROM GEN. MILEss ADVISER.
Mr.. Henry n. Probasco Replies to a Recent
Article In The sun-The Sun Also Prints
the Beef Contract for Comparison, and
Discusses Mr.. Probasco's Statement.

Dibcubbob mTs ETODhbCOb bthttments |
TIC THE EDITOR OF THE suS-Sir. In Justice
to the friends Of Gen. Miles. who. you must
admit. are legion. l respectfully submit that 1t
will be but fair for you to give space to properly
answer the criticisms In your editorial Of the
14th lust. OF statements made by me concern
ing the report OF the court OF inquiry. You de-
nouncs what l had to say as u "falsehood.
since the terms on which the packers agreed
to supply beef to the Government were that it
should keen not 'seventy-two hours after do
livery from the refrigerator to quote Mr.. Pro-
basoo. but twenty-four hours"
The Commissary- General had in common
with the humble butcher in the land knowl-
edge that meat would spoil In atropical climate
within a very few hours after leaving the re-
friRerator. That he had this knowledge prior
to the execution Of the contracts for the supply
OF beef to the army Ia shown by the uncontra-
dlcted testimony before the court OF inquiry
OF Mr.. Armstrong OF Dallas. Tex. who said:
Den. Eagan mentioned that Swift & Co.
had two representatives who explained to
him fully that they possessed a new prcserva-
tive that would keep the meat fresh and
sound seventy-two hours after being taken
out OF the refrigerator. In answer to my
tArmstrong's) statement that / did not think
this could be done except some process be used
unknown to the trade generally. no 1.-THE Com
missary-General) stated that Swift 4 Co. was .
reliable and responsible firm. and that they
would be required to carry out any agreement
they might make. He tGen. Eagan) stated
further that Armour 4 Co. also proposed to
furnish meat that would be treated with a
process that would insure its keeping the
length OF time required under the contract"
Not only did the Commissary- General make
this statement to Mr.. Armstrong. but upon
being advised by other men oflarge experience.
among them Messrs. Simpson. GlddinRs and
Sypher. who testified. without contradiction.
before the court OF inquiry that neat could not
be kept sound and sweet for seventy-two hours
after delivery. he made substantially the same
statements to them as he didto Mr.. Armstrong.
The Commissary-General knew directly from
Mr.. Powell. the inventor and proprietor OF what
ia known as the Powell process for the pres
~ervation OF meat. OF such a process. for he re-
ceived a letter from Mr.. Powell. dated May
%. 1893. In which he explained in q general
way the advantages OF his process. and in
which he volunteered the suggestion that In
the climate OF Cuba meats exposed after being
taken from the iceboxes will only stand up o
very short time" Furthermore. he had ex-
pilot information concerning this particular
process from Armour & Co.'S attorneys in a
letter written by them to the Secretary OF War.
and by him. the Secretary Of War. referred to
the Commissary- General the day after the bids
we're opened. which letter is hereafter re-
ferred to.
The Commissary- General. therefore. having
knowledge as to the perishable quality of fresh
meat in tropical climates. and having been
fully advised that the preservation OF meat a
sufficient length Of time to enable 1t to reach
the troops in good condition could not be done
by ordinary methods. taking little heed OF the
fact that troops on the field In this country
and the enormous number Of Spanish troops
In Cuba had been supplied with beef on the
block and beef on the hoof. proceeded to enter
into contracts for a supply OF beef for our
soldiers In Florida. Cuba and Porto Rico.
which would be guaranteed to be fit for food
seventy-two hours after delivery. when he
must have known that no contractor could per-
form such q contract without a process for
preservation other than cold air. And the I'M
contradioted testimony of witnesses shows
that he knew that such processes, were being
used. and were contemplated TO, be used. by
L this was not an experiment. make the best
ar Yss 's sS s .nst ths st ssF% To IL, Re S Sokass the nse Msrs
see; On ths 2;2 q !, Of Ina Nay. IL 1s r. tie fev cG|m .njs
be from some one who will furnish meat and
sseVenty.two o hours thsrsafteri or who win
slaughter and dellyer ss Teqpired' wherever hyS the
June IL. 1903. made In accordance with the
ofJHne. said. among ot6erthings: t (swiftG
e eNtIs viii il s " SSiss" ,hst said u e viii BE- per:
sIfsF i eSSdi and sh a. sor re 9sH seysnsy"''wfHt h / an
not mistaken the telegram Of the C9mmjssary;-
General referred { dt to n the , Above It. bid ,f q Swift md.f 4
viii be perfectly good and At for use seventy
at Washington: Mesfr.; Dudley 1 Mich
tary Of pa Wars ID Which, = iS't they 50 said Inc We sseF re-;
supteSctfully submit that they. Armour \ 6ol
have solved the problem SO far as II relates to
ents.s@o SS Sou rs G or fG more. in The HI i isfa l1dG 81 io 6s sfs.
and that It only can be done by the process
ttP TSi'% r RrScfts a1.h w9'e ssy they va sscd5S do net tS SGht
that any, other bidder Is able to prove that he
lSint made { safe sA to ssseFy tat tat ;h sn su ssass; We Si
the other bidders who say that they will
guaranteed that their meat will keep for sew
eenassiderat HoHt' they further say nHH' "TRes
Armour n CO.. have by actual tests. proven
period OF seventy-two hours. without refrig-
S SsI!.nF at e 6sSs." was rh's s.i Isttsd 9 By A tSe sss :
rotary OF War 10 the Commissary-Ge General for
his consideration, who returned It to the Sec;
June y. 1908. in which he says: The tests
tests that have been made. and there 10 no
doubt whatever in my mind that the beef can
be furnished as required .
The contract between the beef packers and
tho Government contains In paragraph 2 q pro-
vision that they lthe packers shall keep not
less than two experts 800 untilthe beef 10 de-
which shall not be more than seventy-tyo
hours from the time Of storing the same IN
such Refrigerator" The CommIssaryaG Genera.
while upOn the witness stand, teStlueu tnut
the Insertion Of seventy-two hours was d
clerical error. but the chief clerk Of
the General testified that the
ssventy;two hours above quoted was in
serted by the Commissary- General himself.
The contract also provides; The beef is to be
properly clothed by the PARTY OF the second
and so preserved, by the refrigeration, on ship
board. and by the. refrigerator building re-
ferred to in Article IL hereof. as that Il shall be
hours after being issued from the ships refrig-
orators, or twenty-four hours, after being
issued from the refrigerator buildings to the
proper officers Of the Government."
The ommtssa ry Genera In his testimony be-
fore the commission said In reference to the sew
enty-two-hour provision: " wish TO state that
That contract contains an error. The intention