The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-03-07


the Secretary of the State Board
of Health Was Saved From the
Wrath and Blows of the Stock
yards Manager-SequeI to Il
Legislative Committee Meeting.
You're a liar! You're a liar!'' said
DR.. H. NJ. Bracken, secretary of the
state board of health, as he shook his
finger at Gen. NJ. d. Flower, president
of the Union Stock Yards Company Of
st. Paul. AS the representative of the
state board of health thus politely ad-
dressed Mr.. Flower, the doctors pom
padour stood up like the head dress of
an Indian chief, and he shook so with
excitement that his gold bowed spec
tacles danced on his nose.
Gen. Flowers eyes blazed with an
ger, and he doubled up his fists and
drew back with his right as if to land
or, DR.. Bracken's jaw. Friends stepped
between the physician and the stock
yard magnate and prevented any blows
being struck.
The row occurred just after pub
lie meeting of the senate and house
committees on public health at the
capitol last evening. DR.. Bracken,
several of the subordinate employees of
the health department, had been for a
couple of hours presenting arguments
in favor of the passage of the bill
which provides for the inspection of all
cattle killed in the state, under the
direction of the state board of health.
Gen. Flower and F. B. Kellogg, his
attorney, had also been arguing against
the passage of the bill, unless there
ich
cept animals and meats which had
been previously inspected and tagged.
When the committee went into ex-
ecutive session the gentlemen who
favored and those who opposed the bill.
together with the attorneys, walked
into an adjoining room.
DR.. Bracken Immediately commenced
sition to the bill, intimat ting that the
stock yard manager had promised to
favor the measure.
Gen. Flower denied this and said in
effect that he did not think much of
any inspection under the supervision
of the state board of health.
Why he said, that fellow that
you had out to New Brighton as an
inspector was so good that they passed
lumpy jaw cattle right under his nose,
and he never knew the difference"
This was where DR.. Bracken became
excited and addressed the epithet men
toned above to Gen. Flower
Il was tempted to hit him. remark
ed Gen. Flower a few moments after
ward, but then 1 recollected that it
would not be gentlemanly and might
place me in false position, although
it's pretty hard to be called a liar
without wanting to hit the person.
The joint committee, after short
executive session. adjourned, with the
understanding that each committee
should take such action with the bills.
similar ones being introduced in the
house and the senate, as was deemed
proper.
The bill provides for an inspection.
either before or after slaughtering, by
inspectors appointed by the state
beard of health. The inspection applies
to all counties in the state and to cities
and villages containing over 1000 in
habitants. The inspectors are to be
paid in fees, rs per cent being allowed
them for their service.
F. B. Kellogg argued that the gov
eminent inspector was at the plant Of
Swift & Co., and argued in favor of
an amendment which would allow
either animals or meat which had been
inspected Or tagged by the government
inspector to pass without the state in
spection or the payment of fees. The
fee part was what Mr.. Kellogg, on the
part Of his clients, particularly OBJ
jected to.
Harris Richardson, attorney for DR..
Bracken and the state board of health.
contended that the government inspec-
ton did not protect the people and that
the government inspection did not an
ply to cattle, hogs or sheep that were
sold in the state. The government in
spection was lax, and the fees would
not be as large as was expected
Mr. Kellogg and Gen. Flower
state would cost the packing houses
at South st. Paul about $4,000, and a
part of this would simply be paving
over again for the work now done by
the government inspection.
Or. Bracken insisted that Swift &
Co. should be required to pay the
same fee as any other firm doing bust
tered cattle or other animals in the
state.
Mr.. Richardson charged that the
government inspector had collected
fees from shippers at the stock yards.
and presented bills which showed this,
Gen. Flower denied the statement.
and upon examination of the papers
expressed the opinion that the secre-
tary of the board of health and the
attorney had made a mistake. as the
bills were simply from a public weigh
er. who was employed by the buyer
and shipper to determine as to the
condition Of the hogs which were
weighed.
One of the members of the commit
tee after adjournment expressed the
opinion that the bill was nothing more
than an opportunity for the selection
of some forty or fifty inspectors bv
the state board of health. under the
guise of bill for the benefit of the
public health.