The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1906-06-07
PACKERS GIVEN PERMISSION BY
HOUSE COMMITTEE TO AN
sMER NELL REPORT.
DECLARE MANY STATEMENTS UNTRUE
OF GOVERNMENT
INVESTIGATORS TAKEN UP
INDIVIDUALLY.

Washington, June THE house
committee on agriculture has decided
to comply with the request of the Chi
Cago packers to be heard on the Neill-
Reynolds report regarding conditions
in the Chicago packinghouses. The
request was made by Thomas Wilson,
manager Of the Nelson Morris COM
pany, but in this instance was author
lied to speak for all the Chicago pack
ers. Before hearing Mr.. Wilson the
agriculture and Mr.. Neill Secretary
Wilson, DR.. A. D. Melvin of the de.
partment and Mr.. Neill at once came
to the Capitol and the hearing began.
Mr.. Wilson made a general denial of
the existence of conditions in the
packinghouses as set forth in the Neill-
Reynolds report. He began by invit-
ing the committee to go to Chicago
and spend a week in personal investi-
cation of conditions. That, he said,
would be the only way for members to
gain proper idea of what the condi-
tions really were. Some of the sug-
gestions made in the report, he said,
had already been complied with by the
packers, such as additional sanitary
facilities.
AS to the charge that canned meats
were boiled in order to "freshen them
up Mr.. Wilson said there was abso-
lutely nothing in this. Canned meat,
he said, was as good five years after
it had been put up as it was five min
utes afterwards, providing no air had
got to it. If air had reached the meat
it would be spoiled beyong being
freshened up. What the cans were
put in hot water for was to soak off
the old label, which, he said, was an
injury to the appearance of the goods
on sale.
No Diseased Animals Used
He denied absolutely that there
were any diseased cattle or hogs
butchered for food. In every carload
Of cattle or hogs he said some were
likely tosbe dead and some diseased.
The dead or diseased hogs and cattle
were sent to the Standard Rendering
company, which turned them into
grease, which was a co-product in the
manufacture of SOAP
Mr., Wilson described in detail the
operation of preparing canned meats
and when asked by Representative
Scott of Kansas, a member of the COM
mittee, chow about the rope and other
foreign matter found with the scraps
on the foor?" Mr.. Wilson explained
that what was probably seen in this
instance was the string on the knuckle
end of what had been dried beef. This
string was used with which to hang
the beef in the smokehouse and when
the beef had been sliced off this
knuckle end was left There was
bone in it and he said it was impos-
sible to use it. The bone would smash
the machine If an attempt was made
to use It.
Representative Haskins asked about
the dirty floors.
These foors," replied Mr. Wilson,
"are scrubbed every night as clean as
wood can be scrubbed They are as
clean as any kitchen"
Taking up the recommendations of
Messrs. Neia and Reynolds looking to
the Improvement of conditions Mr..
Wilson said the packers did not object
to government regulation of sanitary
conditions. but that they did object to
the secretary of agriculture being
made the judge of what is sanitary