, 1872-12-16

I"o afteslan wells at the Stock Yards,
| but the water from them but little
| more than answers: for Watering the cattle.
They do not perceptibly help the stream, If the
South Fork were at present pure, it would be
questionable whether it would be wise to nut
about two niles long, an and t:Sout 25ees caresn
unless precautions were taken to prevent q
dealey Slough Oil gTander scale.
THE BOARD OF HEALTH,
tnner the charter, has jurisdiction for five
Is bound to look afttr the condition Of this
stream, and of the Stock Yards. At present,
however, as 3 close inspection shows. both
require looking after. Owing to the ice, it was
impossible to see how the South Fork Was, north
Of Egan avenue. Just south Of that point theta
is 8 small dam, thrown across it boIne time
ago by the Stock Yards Company, ii order to OBJ
tam water. They found it did not answer the
purpose, and let 1t go. The dam remains, how
ever and at this point, on side OF the stream,
Above the dam, over which the water cannot
How more than twice year, the stream is per-
1ect!y pure. Below, it is exceedingly foul. On
the lett bank, stream OF liquid manure from
the pens has poured into the river, so that for
quite distance from the shore there is nothing
but g. mass Of water-soaked manure On the
right bank. the sewer from the distille1y empties
In IN steady stream, and with most manifest
smell. T is plain that, if this is not stopped,
tho whole length Of the river will become one
mass OF corruption.
GAEAsE COLLECTORS.
short distance north of the Stock Yards two
sewers, running from the yards and the render
ing establishments there, discharge into an open
canal, and empties into the South Fork. Through
one Of these sewers, which is exposed for little
distance before reaching the ditch, flows stream
from the rendering establishments, so rich in
animal matter that some people have built
cabin near by. put boards across the sewer, run
1nHn few ir,rhpa rtf. tho fch he
grease which collects on the surface, put it in
holes dug in the clay till the water evaporates,
and then sell it. At the mouth Of the other
sewer there is a strong smell, but very little
uffa1, that remaining in the sewer further up.
These sewers hare numerous man-holeB in the
yards, and
THE STENCIL
from them, at some points, is outrageous. Out
street and south of Egan avenue, there are some
slaughter houses, and the blood from them runs
freely along the ditch on the east side of Halsted
The smell from the rendering establishments at
the Yards is so offensive that, when the southwest
wind blows, the people living north Of Egan
avenue are compelled, like those on Michigan
avenue, to shut their doors and windows. So,
when the west wind blows, the residents on the
lake shore south Of Thirty-frst street find them
selves driven to similar e1ped;ent. There were
lying, On Saturday, on the platform at the Stock
Yards, over
FOUR HUNDRED DEAD HORSES,
some Of which had been there go long that little
remained but the skeleton.
Since these manifest nuisances now exist at tho
Stock Yards, and the people southeast of Bridge
port complain as loudly when the wind is in the
southwest as do the people on Michigan avenue,
north OF IWenty-second street, the question
arises whether the present condition Of things
would be improved by concentrating all these
establishments at point which has not been
practically under the control OF the Board Of
Health and whether it is wiser to have them
on running stream where they are under con-
trol, or on q stagnant one, where, apparently,
they are not.
DR. RACCH, IN HIS REPORT,
points ont what he considers to be the econom-
ic1 advantages of the removal. The meat
would in summer be brought to the city in re-
and would not be SO apt to spoil. But the meat,
which is now brought up at night BY teams, re-
quiring little over an hour, does not 60 direct
to the consumer, OF even the market man. It
goes to the commission men, now on jackson
during the day. It is alleged, further, that meat
which has once been chilled putrides more rap
idly upon exposure to the atmosphere than that
which has not been. It is also claimed that cat
tie lose nothing by being driven from the Stock
therefore, nothing to compensate for the greater
cost Of delivering the meat by cars, which in
crease will come upon the consumer.
THE FEAR
has also been expressed that, if the business
is concentrated at or near the Stock Yards, no
outside firm will be able to compete with. the
Stock Yards and Transit Company, and that the
result will be the establishment Of monopoly
in the slaughtering and rendering bust
ness, and that, competition being removed,
one set of men will have it IN their power to fi1
the price Of about every pound OF meat sold in
Chicago.
Still, the possibility Of monopoly is not so
alarming. But it does seem questionable
whether the health and comfort of the people
will be advanced by concentrating this business
at o point which apparently cannot be drained,
and where the prevailing summer winds will
bear to the city whatever unwholesome smells
NAV be created there.