The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1899-03-10
BEEF INQUIRY AT CHICAGO
COMMISSIONERS VISIT THE STOCK
YARDS IND PICKING HOUSES.
Everything Naturally Found in Ex-
cellent COnditiOn-CIose Inspection
of Alleged "Falke' Condemned TANK
The Members Taste of Old Canned
Beef

Chicago, March 9.-The court of in
quiry to examine the beef question be-
gan it's work to-day in this city, where
are located the factories which had the
contracts for supplying the army with
animal food. A short executive session
was held at the army headquarters in
the Pullman building and it resulted in
decision to defer the taking Of testi-
mony until after an inspe ction had been
made of the packing houses at the stock
yards, where the refrigerated beef and
canned beef are prepared.
The whole day was spent at the stock
yards and the going over of the four
hundred acres of floor space in one Of
the establishments was all the court
was able to do. The court began in the
packing room. The next place visited
was the cooling room. Here were found
several halves of beef which had been
condemned, either because the beef was
badly bruised or gave evidence that the
animal had had tuberculosis
This condemned beef had been placed
by itself and while the court was pres
ent men came in to remove 1T to the
rendering tanks preparatory to turning
it into a fertilizer. The court examined
these tanks carefully, possibly in view
of the statements that the carcasses
passed through them. There certainly
was no evidence of such passage.
From this room the court was taken
n in which tho rnpat iG
pared for canning and saw the men at
work cutting up the meat. The next
room visited was the canning depart
ment. Here the cooked meat was
brought in in huge caldrons, deposited
on a platform and put into cans by ma
chinery, the cans removed and sealed,
only pin hole being left open in the
top. Next the cans were put under an
iron tank, where they were subjected
to heat of $50 degrees-the sterilizing
process.
While the court was in this room
number of cans of roast beef which had
an old appearance and which some said
had been in Porto Rico, were opened.
The meat inside was good and the mem
bers of the court tasted it, but of
course. expressed no opinion. Subse-
quently the court was shown through
the printing, packing and other branch
es and also. .witne ssed the shipment of
lot of refrigerator beef. Barring the
killing room everything about the es-
tablishment was very clean.
Before leaving the yards. the court
went to the bureau of animal indus
try--a branch of the department of
L.. .,.f-
nation from w. S, Devoe. who is in
charge. They read the law governing
the inspection of animals and inquired
as to the details Of the work of inspec-
ton. Inspectors are stationed in the
yards proper and they condemn any
diseased cattle they see, and that are
on view. The inspectors at
the packing houses supplement their
work by examining the carcasses after
slaughter and throw out any bearing
evidence of pulmonary trouble.
o-morrow morning the court will go
to the stock yards again and spend the
entire day there in going over three
other packing houses. 1t is not likely
that any testimony will be taken before
morning. 1t is quite possible
that the evidence taken will be con-
fined to that of the foreman, or work.
men who have personal knowledge of
the preparation of refrigerated beef and
roast beef for consumption. No
witnesses have vet been subpoenaed |
While the board may hear any one who
appears, it is probable that it will not
the line of inquiry followed at
Washington. Colonel Davis said:
I'VE have examined everybody from
the private to the major general who
ate any of the beef in Cuba or had in
formation about its condition there"
At least one packer is to be exam
med. the one who furnished the most of |
the canned roast beef to the army.