The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1892-06-28
The Beef Trust.

Mr.. EDITOR The present law
relating to the slaughtering of
animals and the regulations which
the Board of Health adopted under
the same have tended to concen-
trate the control of the butchering
business in the hands of a corpora
ton known as the Beef Trust;
monopoly which counts among its
shareholders men who would in
dividually hold themselves above
the purposes Of the corporation,
but who have been induced to take
stock by the persuasive methods
inaugurated by the Trust.
A one-sixteenth interest in this
Stearine Bonanza lately sold for
5000, an implied value of over
100000, I would like to wager
that the Trust does not pay taxes
on one-fifth Of this amount; and l
am told the total available assets
of the concern would not realize
more than the cost to the real
estate of the one-sixteenth interest
above mentioned, if sold to-day
without the exclusive privilege en-
joyed by the present stockholders.
/ need say nothing as to the re-
cent rise in the price of beef to
consumers, that was probably done
to recoup the trust on contract
made with a manufacturer of fer
tilizer a short time ago by which
he was to- pay 5000 per month for
the refuse from the slaughter
house, privilege that was farmed
out to one of the stockholders at
one time for $50 per month.
Viewing the matter from the
standpoint of the public health l
fail to find any improvements in
the method of slaughtering nor in
the treatment of stock while in the
pens to compensate for the many
pecuniary advantages of the COM
bine. Only yesterday | saw pen
ned up some eighty head cattle, be-
, tween fifteen and twenty calves
and some sheep. The cattle were
in a pen with a trough and tap in
it but no water to quench their
thirst. The trough in the calves
pen was perfectly dry and covered
to depth of two inches or more
with droppings and other refuse
in the sheep pen saw nothing at
all. Not blade of grass or pint
of water in sight at IL o'clock noon
and the sun beating down on those
brutes until they perish for want
of shade and nourishment. Add
to this the laying around of car
casses on the floor until they are
stiff instead of being hung uo and
dressed, and you have Il very good
idea of the amount of care
the public health receives at
the hands of the Trust. Mr.
Editor: The public health re-
quires that as wholesome meat as
it is possible to obtain shall be
placed at our disposal as COM
munity, and there is only one fail
and just course in the matter under
review. Let the Government erect
a slaughter-house in every district
on these islands, slaughter-house
equipped with the necessary means
for rapidly and humanely dispatch
ing animals and dressing the car
cases for market, with a shaded
corral and facilities for watering
and feeding stock while confined
therein.
Make it unlawful for any person
to kill and prepare meats for Other
than home consumption in any
place not designated as public
slaughter-house.
These public slaughter-houses
could be operated on different
plans. Two such suggest them
selves to my mind: 1st. To allow
all corners to do their own slaught
ering, paying a rate to be fixed by
the Government at a certain
amount for each kind of animal tt
be killed, for the use of the place
I'd. To license a public slaughterel
for each district, the Government
to fix the rates per head to be
charged for killing and properly
dressing any animals offered, also
the charges per head for feeding
stock while in corral The plan
first outlined would reimburse the
Government by the fees to be
charged. The second would dc
the same through the amount paid
for the license; the latter plan with
proper regulations would seem tc
me the more practicable. [ am
only offering these suggestions with
a view to provoking further discus
sion, and possible action on the
part of the Legislature.
J. EMMELUTH.
June 81, 1892.
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