Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1909-07-13

Chaffee is the head. declares this order
is imperative, or the contractor will
be unable to maintain his organiza-
ton.
The report which will be submitted
to the council today, says that, in some
instances along the line bachelor
quarters have been established by some
of the employees and that food has
been purchased for these quarters from
dishonest employees of Desmond for
about 20 per cent on the dollar.
In April, the report says, Desmond
was in financial straits and kept his
stores pretty low, and that it was dur
ing this time that most of the COM
plants originated. But he now has
sufficient backing according to the ad-
vsory committee, and the same cause
for complaint will not again exist.
Chaffee Makes Complaint
Attached to the report is a copy of a
letter sent by General Chaffee to D. j.
Desmond, under date of June q, 1903,
which makes fourteen complaints.
Boiled down they are: The supply of
salt meats so low as to excite appre-
hension of starvation rations in case
the fresh beef supply should fall! SAM
tary conditions of kitchen, pantry and
meat safe at San Juan hill not good
and men at this mess not tidy.
At this mess, the general found a
baking of sour bread on the floor, five
sacks of worthless potatoes under foot
and ordered il all carted off to the pig
pen. Man in charge at San Juan hill
not capable in control of employees.
storeroom and bakery at Cinco disor-
derby, untidy, unswept.
The general appends this warning:
For some time there has been strong
opposition to your mess at Cinco, and
to overcome it due attention to cleanll-
ness and service must be forthcoming
from your employees"
Complaint against open cesspool for
kitchen water at Pine Tree camp and
to location of meat house, which was
under floor of kitchen; pink beans USED
too often while navy beans are pre-
ferred: ordered to use navy beans more
frequently: pink beans not sufficiently
cooked at camp IA of the Saugus dl-
vision.
Cook Found SloVenly
Mess at Austin excavator camp un-
satisfactory; cook slovenly, dirty, II
nothing more or worse. Storeroom OF
MoiaVe mess house not tidy. Many
| flies in kitchen at dry canyon. Cups
and saucers at camp 4, Saugus di-
! vision, in bad condition. Beets and
/ turnips found Wilted and worthless at
| points on Saugus division, because
! sent out before matureQ. FOunQ no
/ fresh fruits, canned or uncanned as
pie filing to take the place of dried
! fruits which We're not properly pre-
| pared. Suggests frequent personal in
! spection to see that provisions of his
contract calling for food in reasonable
variety and well cooked are carried
out.
Following is the average menu that
is served at all the aqucduct mess
tents:
Breakfast
Stewed fruit.
Choice of rolled oats. cornmeal mush
or milk toast
German fried or mashed brown potatoes
Steak. five times "A week
Hamburger and bacon once a week
Bacon and eggs on sunday morning;
two eggs per man.
Hot cakes and coffee every morning.
Hot biscuits rolls when possible
Dinner
Soup every day-Rice, bean, macaroni. yege-
table. split pea pearl barley, chill
con carne, lenti any good heavy
soup.
Roast. with brown gravy when possible, or
short ribs OF beef with Drowned po-
tatoes, or boiled beef with onion
Mashed potatoes four times week
Beans four times week.
One other vegetable.
Pie or pudding