The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-12-17
New Order Concerning the In
spectiOn of Cattle.
Mr.. FarnsWorth Must Not Go to
Slaughter Houses.
SAME AS BEEF TRUST
Meat Sold to Be Brought Before
the Inspector.
An Important Move Against In
dependent Packers.

Mayor Bergundthal today issued or
ders to Food Inspector Farnsworth to
cease making trips into the country to
inspect cattle and hogs to be slaughter
ed for sale in Topeka.
This order is due to the rapid increase
IA the amount of farm slaughtering
which is going on in the vicinity of To-
peka, and the establishment just out
side of the city limits of two independ-
ent slaughter houses, which '2andle
about 25 beeves a week. The work of
making trips out into the country 10
inspect these cattle on the hoof was TAX
ing too much of Inspector Farnsworth' s
time, and the only compensation to the
city was the paItry sum of ten cents
for each head of live. stock inspected.
Mayor Bergundthals order will create
a sensation among the private slaugh-
tering establishments, for it put them
on the same basis with the Kansas City
packing houses. Instead of getting their
beef and hogs inspected at ten cents a
head, they will in the future have to
bring their dressed meat to the city hall,
and pay the inspector 10 cents per 100
pounds for inspections, the same that is
paid by the out of town packing houses.
1t Is move which the Kansas City
packing houses have greatly desired, for
1t viii tend to shut off the independent
competition which has been holding
To accommodate people who bring
meat to the city hall to be inspected,
Food Inspector FarnSwOrth has chang
ed his Office hours In the future he will
be at his office in the city hall every
work day of the week except Mondays
and Fridays. from a. m. till u m. The
farmer with a load of dressed beef for
inspection must drive up to the city
hall during the inspectors office hours,
get his meat tagged, and pay the fee
before he will be allowed to sell it on
the local markets.
The new deal is due to an opinion
written by City Attorney Spencer. It
is as follows:
j. p. Farnsworth. Food Inspector:
I'm answer to your request for opin-
ion as to the construction of ordinances
governing inspection of meat. reply:
BY SectfOn-F2 of ordinance 1119 as
amended by ordinance 24s4 you are re
Quired to inspect any animal to be
slaughtered in the city of Topeka
BY section of ordinance 1119 you
are required to inspect all fresh meat
slaughtered outside of the city which
is brought within the city and offered
for sale to be used as human food.
1T is evident from these sections
that you are not required to inspect
live animals to be slaughtered outside
the city, and that you are not required
to inspect any fresh meat slaughtered
outside the city except that which is
brought within the city and offered for
truly, CHAS. F. SPENCER,
city Attorney
Every winter. the farmers and the
independent packing houses located
Just outside of the city of Topeka. take
advantage of the cold weather to
slaughter their own live stock, and put
it on the local markets. Thus they
get a bigger price for their cattle and
hogs than they could get by selling
them to the packing house for
slaughter. Several of these small
Strengthening concerns have taken out
permits to peddle. and go around from
one meat shop to another, offering
their meats for sale. Others have a
regular line of customers among the
butchers, whom they keep supplied
with meats
The meat inspection law in Topeka
is peculiar. It was drawn to give the
Wolff Packing company a little "in-
side track on the Kansas City con-
Germs. 1t provides a low schedule for
inspection of live stock on the hoof,
and a high schedule for dressed meats
slaughtered outside of Topeka. The
idea is that all the meat at the Wolff
packing house will be inspected on the