The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-04-07
TELLS THE WHOLE STORY
The Armour Company Used a
Chemical Process.
TO PRESERVE THE BEEF
The Snap Given Away in a Letter
to the Commissary Department.
Tried to Recall the Com
munication

Washington, D. c.. April 6.-The
letter of Messrs. Armour & Co.
proposing to use the Powell process for
the preservation of beef was submitted
as evidence by Major Lee, acting for
General Miles, to the court of in
JURY to-day It was addressed to the
commissary general, dated at the firms
Washington office, July 1G, and read in
part as follows:
AS supplementary and explanatory
of our bid to supply dressed beef in
Cuba, we wish to say We have exclu-
sive control of the Powell process for
preserving fresh meats and that this
process has been tested at Tampa, Fla,
testing having been completed with sat
isfactory results. This test was made
under the supervision of Col. John
Weston of your department.. who has
advised you of results We are ad-
Vlsed, however, that he received four
cases of beef which we sent him from
Chicago duly refrigerated and treated
according to the Powell process. Part
OF these carcasses We're enveloped in
SACKS or canvas and part We're not.
Ihese carcasses were hung in the air
on deck of the transport ships lying
at wharf in the heat of the sun. Those
which were not wrapped fermented in
less than 72 hours. while the pieces COW
cred or wrapped kept about 100 hours.
We believe such results have never be-
fore been accomplished in the history
of the fresh meat business We believe
we are absolutely safe in the assertion
that this is the only process or method
which will secure the results required
by your specifications. Very truly
yours, ARMOUR & CO."
The testimony began to-day with DR.
L. Clifford Cox, assistant surgeon in the
volunteers of the District of Columbia.
tie was at Tampa and in Cuba and
testified that the command was at
tackled with diarrhea to the extent of
an epidemic after eating refrigerated
beef at both places. AT the second at
tack of this eha,-ater the reginantal
surgeon had ordered that the issue Of
the beef be stopped. When this was
done the diarrhea ceased.
William Decaindrey, who has been
chief clerk in the office of the commits
sary general of the war department for
20 years, related his connection with
the work of letting the beef contracts.
AT the instance of General Eagan, he
had first sent out 40 or so kilograms to
dealers in beef. asking for bids to sup
Ply itIliSGidtS Dttl GI 1OT DeeI on the
block, General Eagan having supplied
the form. Mr.. Decaindrey had been in
structed by General Eagan to prepare
the original draft of the contract for
the beef supply and after some rear
ranging submitted draft, feeling con-
fident that it was complete. It was
then that men whom he understood to
be representatives of Swift & Co.
brought up the question as to the
fY3n hn rI@
after issue. Memoranda for changes
containing the 72-hour clause were
brought to him by Captain Davis, as
sistant commissary general. Details
We're lacking and the suggestions as to
the time seemed to be conflicting He
had tried to get details from Captain
Davis in regard to the 24-hour clause
and was told by him that the under
standing was that the refrgerators
were to be built on shore and in the
rear of the moving troops. the inten-
ton being to have the beef exposed for
the minimum of time only He had at
the time pointed out the apparent con-
f1ict between the "a and the 72-hour
clauses. In one other provision General
Eagan had interlined in his own hand
writing a clause referring to the time.
reading as follows:
(Which shall not be more than "a
hours from the time of storing the same
in such refrigerators.
This clause, Mr.. Decaindrey said. he
had not at the time understood, but
he had no authority to strike it out.
When the 24-hour clause was inserted.
General Eagan appeared dubious about
it, but said nothing more. Mr.. Decain-
drey said he had been so worried by
the apparent Inconsistency in the con-
tract that he had kept all the memoir
anda relating to the matter.
Are they on file now?' asked Major
Lee.
"They are not in the file boXes.'
The witness then stated. in reply to
questions. that Captain Davis was in
charge of these boxes. and that Captain
Davis was the especial confidant of
General Eagan. Asked if he had any
reason at the time the contract was
drawn to suspect that any of the data
had been withheld by Eagan or Davis.
Mr.. Decaindrey replied that he had no
H1@HN nrr F0H0r