The Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1885-1886, 1886-08-30

the advantage or the Waterw0rkS and good
market for the offal
The only other location suitable is near
the old distillery upon piece of ground
owned by Mrs. Mary E. Cary, which con-
sists of 22-100 acres and Mr.. Joseph
Bracket, her agent, says it can be bought
for $500. The objections we find to this
location are its close proximity to the bone
factory, the atmosphere being at times
tainted with decomposing matter and the
bad road through the lumber yard.
The first objection could be obviated by
the prompt disposal of the dead animal
matter or if necessary, byimproved methods
of conducting the business. The second
by either widening a street through the
lumber yard or opening new one around
1t. The advantages are that part of this To-
cation is above high water mark it is out of
the way, abundant water supply and good
market for offal.
We would further say that as we have no
power delegated to US to build a slaughter
house, we would respectfully urge upon
your honorable body that immediate steps
be taken by you to carry out the suggestion
contained iin the above report
G. G. CRAIG, Nj. D. Prest.
GEO. E. BARTH, NJ. D.
CHAs. c. CARTER, NJ. D.
PHIL MILLER, Marshal.
ROBERT KoEHLER, Clerk.
And these defendants further answering
aver that the said city was further induced
to build said public slaughter house from
the fact that 1t made an effort to control
said slaughter house business and secure
proper inspection of the meats furnished
therefrom by the passage of an ordinance
icening and regulating said slaughter
houses and the meat markets of said city, a
copy of which said ordinance is hereto at
-tached and marked Exhibit D" and made
a part of this answer, but that the effort
on the part of said city to remedy the evil
resulting from the filthy condition of said
slaughter houses by icening the same, was
failure; that said slaughter houses were so
situated that they were wholly without
means of drainage; and there was not
sufficient supply of water to cleanse the
same; that the butchers Strengthening there
had no means of disposing of the offal and
refuse matter and that the same was con-
slant source of danger and disease to the
inhabitants of said city. That the same
were also constant cause of complaint and
annoyance to the Board of Health of said
city from the time of the passage of the
abattoir as aforesaid That it came to the
knowledge Of said city through its officers
that said butchers were continuing to feed
and fatten hogs on the rotten and sinking
offal thrown from said slaughter houses and
that from time to time diseased animals un-
fit for human food were being slaughtered
there and by reason thereof and by reason
of their detached locations it was impossi-
bic to properly control and regulate the
same under said ordinance hcening said
butchers and slaughter houses. That upon
an inspection of said slaughter houses a
short time prior to the passage of said
abattoir ordinance by the Commissioner of
Health and the Mayor of said city, it was
ascertalned that said slaughter houses were
in the same disgustingly filthy and abomina-
BILE condition as they were before the passage
of said ordinance, that there was no other
way or manner of effectually and fully
meeting the necessities and properly regu-
late and control said slaughter house bust
ness than to build or cause to be built
general slaughter house.
That by reason thereof and for no other
reasons whatever, the City Council of said
city determined to build said abattoir sole
ly and only for the purpose of effectually
abating the slaughter house nuisance,
secure the proper inspection of animals
and meats used by the inhabitants of said
city for food, and to preserve and main
tain the public health
These defendants aver and charge the
fact to be that it was the necessity thus
set forth and charged, that induced Bailey
Davenport to generously donate said lands
to said city and induced said city to accept
fho and
ter house, and that the question of the re-
ceipt of revenue therefrom by said city
was not in any manner an inducement TO
said city to build said slaughter house.
That the only revenue said city ever got or
expected to get from said abattoir, was the
necessary expense of maintaining the
same as sanitary measure for the pre-
seryation of the health of said city.
And defendants further aver that there
were and are many other special facts and
reasons of like character, TO those above
set forth which then existed, and which
aided and operated in inducing said city to
build said abattoir, enact said ordinance
and take the action complained of in said
bill of complaint, but sufficient has been
herein set forth in detail to show the court
the pressing necessity for said city to
build said abattoir, enact said ordinance
and do all of said acts complained of, and
on the hearing hereof, defendants will
show said further and additional reasons
by evidence before the court.
And defendants further admit that at a
meeting of the City Council in July, 1885, it
appointed and instructed Mayor, the
Health Commissioner and the Health Com
mittee to procure plans and proceed with
the erection of a city abattoir on said
ground donated by Bailey Davenport for
said purpose; and defendants aver that the
construction and erection of said city abat-
toir was SO induced only for the purpose
of carrying out the sanitary measures of
said city, and for the police regulation of
the butchering of animals, inspection of
meats and vending and sale thereof within
the limits of said city.
These defendants admit that under such
authority and instructions a brick buildinp