Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1890-03-21

Meat Inspector Needed.
The remarks of Mr. Siwdon In CITY
Council last night upon the resolution
requiring the clerk of the market 10
report TO the City Council every
month, like other city officers, the re-
suit of his work should startle the citi.
zens OF Wilmington and hasten with.
out delay the appointment OF meat
Inspector. Mr.. Sawdon is butcher,
and we must compliment him by say
ing that he is one OF the best IN the
market, says there is meat sold In the
market not fit TO be eaten, or to use his
own language, meat that he would
not feed to his dog" We must con-
fcss that We believe what Mr.. Sawdon
says Is true in regard TO the unlilness
OF much Of the meat offered in market
TO be eaten by human beings
II requires but critical glance in
passing through our markets 10 con
vince us Of the truth OF this. And yet
there seems TO be no way provided by
Law TO prevent this unfit meat being
offered tor sale. There is general
law that Furnishes for offering and SELL
ing unsound meat, but there seems to
be NO special officer entrusted with
the oversight of this matter. That it
10 an important matter there can be no
doubt, for 1t Is horrible TO think that
men are permitted TO offer meat In til c
market unfit 10 be given to dogs, US
Mr.. Sawdon expresses himself. Such |
meat always finds purchasers because
1t Is generally cheap, but often il is
cold for 4 IN,
suspicion. Many people go to marset
with short allowance OF money, and
they buy cheap meat. They know ii
J. not The best, but they have no idea
that 1t Is not fit for dogs to eat.
They naturally suppose that no per-
son would be permitted to enter tie
market and expose unsound, unhealthy
meat tor sale, aud so they purchase
this bad meat aud consume II. II The
effects OF this bad meat could be traced
out, we would no doubt find that ii is
the source OF many OF the diseases and |
sickness that make tat cemeteries. We |
do not want to pOse as "a needless |
alarmist, 10 Brighten people, but, in |
tho interest of the public good and |
public health, we would be recreant 10 |
high duty VIC owe the people did we
not warn them against The danger OF
tainted and unwholesome meats.
Mr.. Sawdon is right. We need Il
meat inspector as much and more |
than we need all inspector of weights
and measures, and IL that inspectorship
can be combined with the clerk OF the
market, so much the better, or better
still If practical butcher could be
selected as clerk OF the market, who
could be q meat inspector. The revela-
tion of a leading butcher that meat 10
sold In the market not fit to eat; that
he would not feed to his dog, may
cause feeling of revolt amongst the
consumers OF meat, but il it does /; can
do no harm. Better that than 10 be
tlileted with d seasc arising IRON the
consumption OF ,gini; d meats.
We have heard objections raised 10
having meat Inspector Some say
that he would be in hot water all the
time with the butchers, that he would
be liable 10 tips" from the nan who
had The worst meat, aud many other
frivolous objections that amount 10
nothing, though no doubt the tenptG-
ton for neat inspector to be venhl
and dishonest would be very great,
but the great point IL 10 have one aud
run tho risk of his being honest.
Should be prove dishonest lie would
not be alone, The city il paying 500
u onually for CLERK CT The martet,
m he gets twenty five cents besides
fromSyery person who wants space in
the maihet and be gris this twice a
year, making not less than $50 in the
aggregate, and with salary, space,
money and perquisites for adjusting
weights and measures. his income
must be thousand dollars year.
What docs the city get in return for
the money paid tie clerk Of the mar
kei2 Nothing whatever. All the
money collected goes 10 the Street and
Sewer Commission. The clcrh of the
market looks little after The weights
aud measures, and II he finds pound
OF light butter he runs his knife
through it. This Is all the city gets.
The Street aud Sewer Department
have their own collectors, why canno
they collect the curbstoae dues a
well as others? Then the clerk OF III,
market. with the large salary he gets
could be made a meat inspector II he i
capable for tho position, or meat in
spector could be made clerk OF Id
market either end. about preferred.
Now, we have no kind of objectio
10 the present Clerk of the Marke,
Mr.. Smeltz. He has made The mos
cnlcieneoA9ceT in that respect the cit
Las had tor MANY years. But he
now getting large salary and dom
but little practically for the city. II
should not object to having his dutit
enlarged to take in the inspection I
meat offered for sale in the market
and TO go little farther inspect Gait
upon tho hoof. The city should hay
something more TO show than II &c
for the large salary it pays for C!el
Of the Market.