the contract for the meat was arranged hurriedly and at the lowest-possible price by secretary of war russell a. alger from the chicago "big three" meatpacking corporations, morris & co, swift & co, and armour & co. in the atmosphere of pre-regulation-era chicago, the companies took advantage of alger's inattention and favorable attitude to the industry (as well as the army's immediate need for large amounts of cheap beef to provision the expeditionary forces) by further cutting corners and reducing quality on the (already heavily adulterated) product they shipped for the us contract.