A RANCHMAN'S RECOLLECTIONS 



he had seen Daly's report, and, not knowing that 

 the meats were hung up for a test, was convinced 

 of its correctness. I have always felt, too, that the 

 charge that Gen. Miles had a presidential bee in his 

 bonnet and gave the interview out for political pur- 

 poses was without foundation. I knew him from my 

 earliest boyhood at Fort Leavenworth, and have 

 always had the deepest respect for him as a soldier 

 and as an individual. He was a great sport. I 

 recall that in winter when the snow fell they closed 

 the main business street for three hours every after- 

 noon, giving it over to racing. Gen. Miles always 

 brought in several good horses, and was probably 

 the most popular officer ever in command at Ft. 

 Leavenworth. 



Canned roast beef was put in by Gen. Weston 

 because it was available quickly. It was soon found 

 that so much of it was wanted that It took not only 

 the available canner cattle but good cutting cattle. 

 Canned beef usually is made from the lean parts of 

 thin cattle. The use of fatter cattle involved more 

 fat, which melted in hot climates. Roast beef was 

 used as a travel ration and, with the melted fats, 

 was unsightly; it was used excessively in camp, and 

 was not always mixed with vegetables. Packers 

 always let canned meats stand on the tables long 

 enough to detect leakers, but the Government was 

 pushing every packer In America for deliveries, and 

 did not allow enough time to detect leakers, the con- 



[66] 



