The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-01-03
THE CITY OF RIO POISONING.
A Promised Investigation Los. i'm n
Maze of Official Red Tame.

The investigation started by the War De-
paEment with respect 10 the tainted beef
served the troops on the transport City OF
Rio, and which precipitated an epidemic of
illness. promises TO he LOST in maze of red
tape.
The Commissary Department officials say
that they furnished fresh beef 10 the trans
port, and that their responsibility ends
there. The officials Of the Qusrtermaster
Department say that so far as they know
the beef was fresh when they placed 1t in
the ice boxes on the transport, and thai Is
all they know Of II. The Surgeon Gene al
says his surgeon aboard the transport saved
the lives of the sick soldiers, with the ex-
ceDtion Of one man unable to Withstand he
attack By reason OF other infirmties, and
that was all that was required Of him. The
idjutant General says the matter has not
been officially reported to his office, and he
does not know what steps will be taken.
The City of Rio sailed from Portland
Ore October I, carrying 500 men OF the
Thirty-ifth Volunteer Infantry. On Octo-
Der % the men pariook heartily Of fresh
meat served at dinner. and in a few hOirs
2sg enlisted men and two officers were suf
fering from ptomaine poisoning. Patrick
Clcary a private. died, the others were
sick several days, but recovered.
The troops Of the Thirty fifth Volunteer
Infantry have landed a; Manila and been
sent to posts in the interior OF the Island
of I.uzon and. so far as is ktpwn, the OFF,
GERS Of the regiment have m de 10 report
fixing the responsibility Of serving poisoned
meat 10 the men.
OF the meat placed aboard the transport
about 1900 pounds had TO be thrown away
because il had become tainted, causing a
loss OF 800. The officials of the Commits
sary Department say that on several other
transports the fresh meat they furnished
was allowed TO become tainted and had TO
be thrown overheard; on both the Glenogle
and the Elder. il is said. several thousand
pounds of meat had to be destroyed because
il had not been properly cared for. on one
of the transports The troops are alleged to
have taken the ice from the ice chests
where the meat was stored and 10 have used
it in cooling the water used for drinking
and the result was that the meat was
found to be tainted before the vessel had
accomplished half her journey and could
not be eaten.
Colonel Weston. the Acting Commissary
General. said: The meat furnished the
CITY of Rio was fresh and sound. II was
purchased at san Francisco and placed
aboard the vessel in first-cass condition.
meat WAS not fresh. and this department
cannot be held responsible for what hap
pens to the meat or provisions after they
pass out of our control. / have not been
officially Informed regarding the poisoning
of the men on the transport. and know
nothing about it except what ! see in the
newspapers.
Col. j. Is. Bellinger of che Quarter
masters Department, who has charge OF
the transports. said Il was not in charge
of the transports al the time the meat
was furnished the City of Rio. which was
the first part Of October but so FAR as
know. the meat was placed In the ice boxes
OF the vessel and left San Francisco IN good
shape The City of Rio is a chartered
transport and none of the chartered vessels
has relrigerating plant on board-only
large ice boxes | have seen no official re-
ports about the spelling OF the meat, so
don't know the reasons 10 be assigned for
it. On all the transports owned by the
Government refrigerating plants have been
constructed and the best results obtained
Where the ice boxes are used greater care
is required to keep the meat fresh Whether
this care was taken by those in charge Of
the ice chests on the City of Rio ! don't
know