The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-04-01

had not caused any inconvenience. The
beef had occasiOned vomiting. The sur
geon of the 10th cavalry had reported
similar experiences among the men of
that regiment as a result of eating the
canned meat. Others had eaten it with
out apparent i'll effect. The beef was
tough. stringy. tasteless and devoid of
nutrition, and DIR. Heyl thought its use
had caused disease. At this point the
line of surgeons under examination was
broken in upon by the introduction of
George E. Giddings of San Antonio,
Texas. who had put in a bid to supply
the beef for Cuba on the hoof. In reply
to a request from Major Lee, Mr.. Gid
dings detailed the particulars of Vari-
Gus interviews with General Eagan
concerning the lettint, of the contract
, for beef. His first cCnversa ton had re-
lated to the specifications for bids. at
which Mr.. Giddings had called attention
TO the fact that they were vague. Cen
eral Eagan had then said that the spsci-
fications We're necessarily vague, as he
could not at that time give any specific
information. General Eagan had at
that time said his preference would be
refrigerated beef; but he did not think
the refrigerated beef could be made
available in the Cuban climate.
Il had been in Cuba about this time
myself" said the witness, and I agreed
with him that it would be impossible
to keep the refrigerator beef in that
climate without refrigerators.'
Mr.. Giddings then told of his visit to
the commissary general on the LIST of
July, when the latter told him that the
secretary Of war had sent for him the
night before and had said that owing 10
the difference in price they had better
give the refrigerated beef a trial and
that he would have to do this.
II then asked General Eagan if he
had any confidence in the proposition
and he replied that he had very little.
prepared to give bond to keep the beef
good for y hours after leaving the re-
friserators. He also stated that they
had a preserving process, by which they
We're able to keep the beef in condition,
but he said that if there was dissatis-
ton after the contract went into eff
feet he would upset it and give the
Texas cattlemen a chance
Mr. Giddngs then proposed to make
a proposition to keep his combination
of cattlemen together for the purpose Of
taking the contract in the emergency
indicated. and this he did. He produced
a copy of the document. He had rep
resented, he said, the combination was
fully capable of carrying the contract
into effect.
Mr.. Giddngs said in reply to questions
by Major Lee, that General Eagan had
told him that when he was an officer
in the field he always drove his beef
with him on foot and that he (Eagan)
thought this the proper way to supply
beef for the army.
Repeating his interview with Secre-
tary Alger, General Eagan had said,
according to Mr.. Giddings:
well, the secretary sent for me last
night and told me that there was so
much difference in price that we should
give the refrigerator beef trial.
Did he order you TO do that" I
asked.
No he replied; but his wish
amounts to an order General Eagan
then repeated his want of confidence
and reiterated that if the beef did not
prove satisfactory he would annul the
contract, as he would not let the SOL
diers be poisoned"
With reference to General Eagans
reference to a preventative process, MI
Giddings said General Eagan had told
him that Swift & Co., who had made
the lowest bid on refrigerated beef had
a process which would enable them to
keep the beef for u hours after being
taken from the refrigerator.
- DO you believe it?' / asked Gen
eral Eagan," said Mr.. Giddinss. ITO
which he replied: I've got to believe
I've got to give it a trial y
Mr.. Giddings said his relations had
been pleasant with General Eagan;
that he had gone into the generals
office frequently because he felt he had
a right to do so.
If" he added. General Eagan re-
ferred to me when he said he had for
hidden some one admission to his office,
the statement was untrue
General J. Hall Sypher. secretary for
the Texas cattlemen, confirmed what
Mr. Giddings had said. He said that
while he had not visited Eagan with
Mr.. Giddngs he had seen him frequent
~ and talked fully with him on this
subject in the interest of the Texas
men.
General Eagan," said the witness,
conveyed the impression to me that he
distinctly and positively preferred beef
on the block to refrigerator beef, and l
so informed my people, sending for
some of them to come here
General Sypher said that he had first
discovered tendency to change his
mind on the part of General Eagan
soon after the bids were opened.
He disclosed to me then" said the
witness, that the refrigerator beef
men had volunteered to give bond for
the preservation VI tHSlI IiCdl LII -
hours after leaving the refrigerator.
asked him if he thought it possible to
do this and he replied: I don't believe
it is, unless they put up cold storage
plants
Continuing General Sypher said that
something was said by General Eagan
at this juncture concerning a preserva-
tive process, but that he gave it very
little attention
Some days later" General Sypher
said, General Eagan informed me that
owing to the great difference in price
he would have to give the refrigerator
beef a trial. Trial was the word he
used"
Witness said, in reply to question
put by Major Lee, that General Eagan
had said something about political
pressure as the reason for the neces-
sity for making the trial, and that he
had said something about his confer
ence with the secretary of war. AS to
just what he had said on this latter
point, witness could not remember. but
he thought Mr.. Giddings had stated it