The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-02-23
LEADS ALL NORTH GAR0ZlMA DALI lies M NEWS AMID GRCU 1OMo


about the quarter of beef being eXpe-
rimental, and he had no reason to sus-
pect the Government was conducting an
experiment as to the efficiency OF any
chemical preservative.
Replying to Colonel Davis, witness
said he supposed the beef was part
of a consignment from the contractors,
supposed to keep seyenty-two hours IN
the sun and perhaps Colonel Weston
was merely curious to see If 1t would
stand the test.
Recurring to the test of the beef as
suggesting an experience with preserved
antelope meat. witness said some years
ago while en route to hunting grounds
in the West he secured in Chicago what
was recommended as preservatlVe-a
white powder. 1t was used IN camp
preserved the meat, but the latter Wheh
eaten. nauseated him. An analysis dl-
vulged the presence of boric and sall-
cylic acids.
In regard to the Tampa experience
DR.. DAILY said it did not arouse any sus-
picion he did not look upon the incl
dent as a government experiment, ana
did not feel called upon to report or take
any official action about it. lie gave 1t
little thought then, and, replying to
Colonel Gillespie, said he first consider
ed his Tampa experience sufficiently
serious to- present to the Department
when he had experience with contract
beef on the Panama. DIR. DAILY was
then excused.
Captain r. III. Beckham of the Sub
sistence Department of volunteers re-
ported as brigade commissary of the
First brigade of cavalry at Tampa June
10Th. 1898. He had no knowledge of
any experiments upon beef at Tampa.
He accompanied the expedition to Cuba
and issued canned roast beef on the v0y-
age and after the landing. On the
transport Rio Grande, four quarters OF
fresh beef were placed he understood
for the purpose of experiment, though
he had no knowledge of any treatment,
and knew nothing of its origin. He
was instructed to see how long it would
keep.
General Summer gave him Instructions
| to care for and watch it. Some of it
was thrown over the second day out
and the remainder on the third day out
None of it was eaten by any one.
Lieutenant Cole, Sixth cavalry, who
| was also aboard the Rio Grande which
carried General Summers Headquarters
and the four experimental quarters Of
beef to Cuba was much clearer in his
| recollection of the beef quarters than
| Captain Beckham. 1t was, he said,
from some firm of meat packers and
was sent expressly for experimentature
by the soldiers with the knowledge that
it was chemically prepared. The beef
/ To-. A~l IL, "a
| decayed and was thrown overheard.
Some of it was cooked before it spoil
| ed Witness saw the piece cooked but
did not eat it. 1t looked well and the
man who tasted it said, 1T was all
right"
| The officers discussed it freely, but
none of them knew how the beef had
been treated the process being secret.
| The beef that spoiled became very of
| fensive and eXuded dark, coagulated
blood. Lieut.. Col. H. FL. Humphreys.
| Twenty Second infantry said canned
roast beef was issued to his command
in small quantity prior to the surrender
of Santiago, but he had heard then no
complaints about it. When refrigerated
beef was furnished it was at first salts
| factory but it spoiled in large quanti-
ties and the men finally ceased to care
for it. The canned roast beef was then
used in a stew, but the men would not
eat it. Witness did not know why. He
attempted to eat the beef from the can.
1t did not taste right 1t gagged him.
He gave it up.
| Brigadier General j. +. Kent. who
commanded a division in the Santiago
campaign, said complaints of canned
| roast beef came from the men-it seem
| ingly nauseated them--but he took no
| action, considering these complaints
| unavoidable incidents of the campaign
| He understood much of the refrigerated
beef spoiled en route from the docks to
the troops because of the delay incl
| dent to transporting it.
| The canned roast beef was tasteless.
he declared, and often repulsve in APP
pearance, and apparently had all nutri-
| ment extracted.
Colonel Woodruff testified that he
| bought total of S2256,000 worth of
| supplies i'll the first six months of the
war All contracts for canned beef con-
| tanned clauses providing contractors
should replace any beef that proved un-
| hit for use without fault of the army
| officials Each box contained Il certifi-
cate of inspection and approval from
an official of the Agricultural Depart
ment, approving the cattle on hoof and
after slaughter. Most of the beef was
shipped to Tampa. The entire supply
| in New York and in the entire c0un-
try, together with 100000 pounds bought
from Europe, where it had been Clipped,
was exhausted and the factories, Colonel
Woodruff understood were run night
| and day to meet the extraordinary de-
mand.
Captain Daniel l.. Howell, of the Sew
enth infantry, said the canned roast
| beef was not palatable, but he believed
was nutritious, and if cooked as a stew
would have been satisfactory. The men
generally complained about it. The re-
| frigerated beef was good when not spoil
| ed and he had not suspected the use
of chemicals.