The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-12-29


unpalatable when served without additional
cooking and without vegetables aud condi-
ments- The ration was not used TO any
great extent In the camps In the United
States. but only on the transports 20 cuba
and Porto Rico. and for short time in
Cuba by part OF Skaters army in The
trenches. where objection TO its use could
also be raised account OF the Inability
to cook and serve it suitably. A few issues
were also made In Porto Rico And yet.
despite the improper preparation OK the
lood, owing 10 unavoidable Circumstanc noes
plants OF its unpalatabiIity reached the
War Department
EXPLODED BY EXPERTS
After the charges made by General Miles
the most expert and scientific men in the
country were therefore employed by the
government 10 further the investigation
such physiological chemists as Prof r. IL
Chittenden of Yale. and Prof w O. At
water of Wesleyan University, as well as
DR.. w. ID. Bigelow. chemist in the Bureau
OF Animal Industry In the Department of
Agriculture. The court OF inquiry VISITED
several of the large packing houses accom-
panied by DIR. Bigelow. The results of per-
scnal examinations and OF Investigations
o. the experts employed conclusively
showed that there was not one 1ot or
little of evidence or excuse for the state
nlent that canned fresh beef was the pulp
after the beef extract had been removed.
The imputations with respect 10 canned
fresh beef were most carefully and thor
oughly examined and reported upon by two
impartial tribunals, one being composed OF
eminent citizens. ex-soldiers and a distfn-
guished general officer OF The regular army
q refer TO the War Investigation Com
mission); the other, the court of Inquiry,
consisting wholly of officers of the regular
army OF high rank and unimpeachable in
tegrity especially assembled to investigate
this question. There was no subject to
which the Dodge commission devoted more
time or more thoroughly investigated than
the assertions o. the senior major general
OF the army.
What did these tribunals find? That
there was no foundation for the charge that
canned fresh beef was not a part OF the
ration, or that had been furnished as
the pretense of experiment. or that IL was
the pulp from beef. The court OF inquiry
properly found that canned fresh beef was
an unpalatable ration. without condiments
when not cooked and when not served with
vegetables. In the haste under which the
Santiago expedition left Tampa proper pro-
vision for cooking he food for the men on
the transports seems TO have been either
neglected or impossible on account of the
lack of time. General Miles arrived at
Tampa on June l fer the purpose OF rem
Cering such assistance TO the commanding
general of the Santiago expedition as his
military experience AID his rank could give.
He was the special representative of the
War Department delegated 10 overlook
ton and embarkation III General Miles
did not look into the question of food for
the Santiago expedition he was cupable
as though he had failed to inspect all other
important matters. There was no shortage
ir vegetables. The Unexpected delay OF
eight days on the transports off Tampa.
resulting from the fright of the ghost fleet.
prolonged the use of tlP canned beef on
the transports and intensified the dislike
for IT, which was crea'ed by improper
cooking facilities and lack of accessibility
to the vegetables.
NOT A COLOSSAL ERROR"
Besides finding that canned beef was
unsuitable when not cooked with vege-
tables. the court of inquiry also expressed
the opinion that The purchase of seven
million rations by the conmissary gen
eral during the first two months OF the
war with Spain was a colossal error, for
which there is no palliation This. OF
course. IS a question for judgment as be-
tween the court of inquiry AID General
Eagan. The ration was not a perishable
article, and l do not think that the ex-
preston colossal error as appiPd to this
purchase, was warranted. Moreover. the
Navy Department purchased annually $780,
00C pounds, or e67,000 rations, of this same
canned beef. Again, the War Department
IL now sending TO the PHILIPPINES 10000
rations of canned beef a month fora force
less than 10000. This is at the ate OF
force about one-fourth the size of the army
for which General Eagan provided 7O00.00
r&tions during the war with Spain, when
he expected to feed and did feed, our Gu
ban allies, besides many starving Clban
reconcentrados.
General Miles's charges with respect 20
refrigerated beef were much more serious
than his imputations regarding canned beef
His allegations, i'm substance, were hat
the beef furnished the army had been ati-
ficially preserved by injecting into IL chem
To rxrlatn fr,fsf hsa laf
he had overwhelming proof that this em-
balmed beef had been treated with chm
icals. 1t is significant TO observe what the
War Investigation Commission says: OF
the witnesses examined by this commission
General Miles and DIR. DAILY are the mly
ones who make this charge of chemiclly
treated beef.
Astounding as this statement may sem,
General Miles did not base his allegations
upon personal experience or submit any
proof in support of them. His starting
and scandalous accusations appear to- have
been based entirely on the verbal stae-
ments OF DR.. A. III. DAILY, volunteer mao- p
and surgeon upon his staff during the var
with Spain, and upon a single letter Sb-
sequently sent him by this volunteer.
1.-The processed beef at Tampa exhibited
by Mr.. Powell, referred 10 i'm DIR. Davis
letter, was brought TO Tampa by the n
venror of the method by which IL vas
treated on his own responsibility and at rs
own expense. Neither the process nor tie
meat he furnished, nor the inventor. NJ.
contractors who supplied the army with
beef. then or since. The inventor requested
permission to exhibit his artificially pr
served beef and was allowed TO do so in lB
private capacity. He requested and p
ceived permission 10 put two quarters
his own beef on one CT the transports.
spoiled when at sea a few days later AM
was thrown overheard. None of il wa
ever issued 10 the troops Mr. Powell nevc
again approached the government I'm ih
matter, and he has stated under oath tina
his secret process was neither used thci
nor since by the contractors who fLTnishe,
refrigerated beef to the army.
ON A SINGLE EXHIBIT.
Upon this single exhibit. his individual
experience in eating some OF this meat at
Tampa and some refrigerated beef in Porto
Rico, and upon the alleged chemical tests
made by himself of meat claimed 20 be re-
frigerated beef. this voluntee- doctor based
his opinions and his evidence. As matter
OF fact, the inventor Of the Powell process
of treating meat swore the beef exhibited
by him at Tampa and eaten 10y Dr. DAILY
was treated by fumigation, and that
neither boric nor salicylic acid was used at
all I'm the operation. DIR. DAILY made him
self further ridiculous. la his letter 10 Cen
eral Miles. by referring TO the taste and
condemned by the board the Panama
Scientific evidence was submitted 10 the
effect that boric acid does not deconpose
when used as a meat preventative. ana that
il has neither taste nor odor.
AT the time, then, that the Panama In