The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1899-02-25
Daly's, however, was the first official

DUIIlT
Daly's, however, was the first official
report.
General Miles then read long sum.
mary of 100 letters received by him at
army headquarters giving the various
terms in which the army meat was
characterized. These included sem
balmed," 'tdecomposed," Injected"
'sspoiled," and the like.
Ate Some OF tho Beef Himself.
He said that he should fix Sept. 81
the date of DR.. Daly's reporD as about
the earliest at which the question of
chemically treated meat had been
brought to his notice 80 as to command
his full attention.
Colonel Gillespie took hand in the
inquiry when General Miles finished de-
scribing the nauseating qualities Of the
canned and refrigerated beef.
Did you, general, ever eat any of
this beef" Colonel Gillespie asked.
'.I presume did about the time we
were at Ponce" said General Miles with
some hesitation, Eyes, I presume did,"
sThen," said Colonel Gillespie, .'it
had not such characteristic qualities as
would permit you to detect it offhand?''
'No, SIR
General Miles then left the witness
6lair.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 22.-The sssione
of the Miles court of inquiry began the
day with Colonel William H. Powell of
the Seventh infantry, who was stationed
at Madison Barracks at the outbreak of
the war. He said that he started for
Tampa on April 10, with months ra-
tions, and did not come in contact with
the food from the commissary depart
ment at Tampa until about ready to
start for Cuba. The regiment went
through the Santiago campaign, and
after the city was captured and the
regiment quartered in the city he re-
ceived requests from his men for money
to buy stuff to eat. He investigated the
eo-called canned roast beef and had
some of it served at his table.
II could not eat it," he continued.
"It was stringy, unwholesome looking
mass, more like wet sea weed than any
thing else can think Of. The men
were sick and debilitated and could not
keep it on their stomachs. We had at
that time 152 sick. Soon after that the
fresh beef began to arrive and the men
ate readily and began to pick up in
health. Afterward were moved out Of
camp near the San Juan battlefield.
Here much Of our meat spoiled before
we could get It,"
Not in the Habit Of Complaining.
Colonel Davis inquired if ''any other
complaints had been received
81 would like to emphasize, said
Colonel Powell. that the enlisted men
of the army are not In the habit of COM
planning shey seera TO feel OH Cam.
paign that the officers are doing all that
can be done for them, and L can't say
that received anything that could be
termed complaints. The officers dis.
cussed the matter freely, and the quail.
ity of the canned beef was a matter of
common talk"
Regarding the refrigerated beef, Col
onel Powell said there was little to be
said against it, except that some of it
spoiled before it was received. There
were no facilities for cooking while in
the city except fire in the gutter, and
all food had to be boiled. The regiment
was very hard worked while in the
city, SO being on guard duty daily.
Some of these were so sick that they
fell down. at their posts and had to be
brought in.
Witness thought the men would be
better off in the country and he directed
his energies towards getting them out
of town, rather than to reporting on the
quality of the rations. He had tried to
get better quarters and failed, and tried
to get medical assistance to help his
own contract surgeon, but this failed
also.
Made No Ohcial Report Then.
s'You made no official report at the
time thenY' said Colonel Davis, 'snor
any effort to ameliorate the condition of
the men as to their meat rationr'
mo sir. I made no official report till
after returning to the States, when
was ordered by the war department. tc
report ON the canned roast beef"
s.Yes, understand said the re-
corder.
Colonel Davis then produced report
from witness, made from Governors
island. in which he condemned the
canned roast beef, saying it produced
disorders Of the stomach. Colonel Pow.
ell said he had made that report on an
order from the adjutant generals Office,
and that it was based on personal knowl.
edge and reports from his company com.
manders.
Gave Neither Pleasure Nor Strength.
Explaining his expression s'want OF
nutritive value" he said the beef gave
no pleasure in eating nor source Of
strength to the body. !.
In reply to 9 question from Gen.
II BROS