A RANCHMAN'S RECOLLECTIONS 



quired that issue bacon should be from the bacon 

 short, clear side of commerce; that he could not 

 under the law buy and can bacon bellies, which up 

 to that time had been the only cut used for canned 

 bacon. He instructed me to have the regular issue 

 cut put into from 6-pound to 14-pound cans, using 

 as few pieces to the can as possible, but with the 

 rind on, and as little waste as possible, sending sam- 

 ples to him, and duplicates to the commissary gen- 

 eral. I had worked on the product so long that I 

 was able to give my house by wire comprehensive 

 details. The samples were forwarded promptly, and 

 Gen. Weston recommended that bacon be used in 

 canned form. I learned later that one of the vital 

 reasons for this was that when lightering from a 

 vessel in the surf bacon saturated with salt water 

 becomes limp. The canned form gave the only pro- 

 tection, and in turn would keep and be free from 

 maggots in tropical climates, while any fat melting 

 from heat was available for general cooking. 



Years afterward Gen. Weston told me that while 

 in Cuba the carload of canned bacon that he had 

 bought and sent around the world came in on the 

 vessel and was lightered in the surf in perfect condi- 

 tion at a time when it was vitally needed. I think 

 it was sent to the San Juan Hill fighters. The com- 

 missary general turned the Weston recommendation 

 down, but just before the close of the war bought 

 heavily in ^-pound tins, canceling the bulk of these 



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