The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-03-12
Did you see any bacon in campr

beef in Cuba from the time IL left the trans
ports until it reached the troops in the field
The witness was then dismissed.
COLONEL SEIARPES EVIDENCE
Lieut.. Col. III. b. Sharpe was next called.
He was in Camp Thomas from April % until
General Brooke was ordered 10 Porto Rico,
about July a. when he Was ordered 10 ac-
company him as chief commissary OF the
First Corps He was questioned as 10 the
terms OF the contract with contractors who
furnished the beef. as TO the quantity TO be
delivered or ready in stock.
The orders required he said. that the
wagons in which the refrigerated beef was
carried should be very clean and with fresh
hay or straw on the bottom. When a wagon
arrived that was not in suitable condition TO
carry the beef IL was either sent back or
cleaned and put in proper shape. There was
complaints about the beef on some occa-
sions, but ii was because the regimeral
commissaries sent for IL in wagons that
were unfit for use. On one occasion when
there was complaint that the beef was
moldy, discolored and full OF maggots, we
investigated and found that the condition
had been caused by the fearful state OF the
wagons. The men could not eat the beef so,
OF course, they had TO do without. i remen-
Der another instance where the wagon in
which the meat was carried was filthy from
manure that had been previously loaded in
1t. Both these wagons were Immediately
ordered TO be thoroughly cleaned. In neither
OF these cases that have cited was the
fault due to the condition of the meat, but
solely To the filthy state Of the wagons"
When asked by Colonel Davis as to COM
plants against the beef furnished at Chicka-
mauga, the witness replied that he knew of
only one specific case. The complaint in
this case was that the beef was spoiled, but
upon investigation, il was found that the
meat had been drawn quite early in the
| morning and allowed to remain in the
wagons until 10 or II o'clock in the fore
noon. The only thing wrong noticed about
this beef was that it was discolored owing
TO the exposure 10 the air.
Had you any reason to believe
pect during your stay at Chickamauga that
the beef had been treated with preserva-
tives?''
mo, sir.''
BEEF IN PORTO RICO.
The witness then explained 10 the court
how fresh beef was furnished the troops
when they first landed in Porto Rico. He
arrived at Ponce about Aug. 3, and was
there about a day when General Brooke
was in consultation with General Miles.
| The beef furnished the troops at that time
was taken from native cattle, which had
been purchased in open market.
He examined the beef in the refrigerator
room of the Massachusetts. the temperature
of the room being 80 degrees above zero.
| The beef was in perfect condition. and. as
| far as he could judge, he had no reason to
| suppose ii had been treated with a preserva-
| tive. "All spoke of the excellent quality
Of hoe HA ~ oII
| many complaints were received from the
| troops as TO the native beef"
| In regard to the canned beef, he said he
| had received no formal complaint while in
| Porto Rico, but he had been told that 1t
was not very appetizing. In some instances
| the men stated they preferred the roast beef
| to the native.
DR.. W. S. Devore, chief inspector of the
Bureau of Animal Industry, Department OF
Agriculture, was the next witness. He tes-
| titled that there were employed under him in
| Chicago twenty-nine assistant inspectors.
| fifty-four stock examiners, forty-five tag
| gers and fourteen clerks. Upon the inspec
| tors and the stock examiners falls the duty
| Of being personally present on killing days,
making ante-mortem and post-mortem ex-
| aminations of the cattle and condemning and
| tagging such they find to be diseased or
| from any reason unfit for edible use. Wit
ness stated that in making post-mortem
examinations carcasses were examined for
| tuberculosis, inflammation of the lungs or
| intestines. any disease causing elevation of
| the temperature or any departure from the
| normal condition of the animal. The in
| spector must report the number of animals
| condemned, the character of the disease, ETC.
Stock examiners must be present during the
| entire time OF the killing day. Under the
law the bureau has jurisdiction over beef
| intended for export and for interstate COM
| merce.
Can any beef go through registered
| packing establishment without undergoing
| the supervision of the force under your con-
| troll"
| No, sir. Independent of its ultimate des-
| tnation, the carcass Is inspected by our bu-
| reau Beef for canning leaves our control
| at the canning rooms; refrigerated beef
| leaves our control at the loading platform.
| Animals condemned at ante-mortem exam
ination cannot possibly get into the packing
| houses
Judging from your visits 10 the canning
| rooms. what kind OF beef was canned there?'
Il have seen nothing except what was nj
| for canning. The canner is class of animal
| purchased for that purpose - thlhler imam
other classes, but good for canning. In point
| Of wholesomeness and fitness for human food
I considered the meat excellent"
| NEVER SAW CHEMICALS USED.
During 1898 what opportunities did you
| have to see if any preservatives were being
used in the meat shipped out OF Chicago|
| If preservatives had been used / would
| have known il through my inspectors ana
| from my oSn knowledge. l have never had
| occasion to believe suspect that refris-
Grated beef was being chemically preserved.
| If any such process were contemplated
| there would be very slight chance OF its
| escaping my observation. / never found
| anv preservatives in the water with which
the carcasses are washed. When an anima!
| is condemned in the ante-mortem examina-
| ton the shipper stands the loss, and no title
| to the animal passes 10 the packer. Last
| summer. when there was a great demand
| for Gamers, the packers were compelled 10
| use for canning many cattle of the best
| grades
| Mai Lee asked: Were you not sent here
in 1894 to investigate complaints about bot
| tomless tanks?"
Yes sir. The charges as TO bottomless
| tanks were not substantiated- The testi-