Meade County news. [volume] (Meade, Kan.) 1900-1918, 1906-06-07
THE GREAT PACKING HOUSE SCANDAL
People of the Country Demanding Publication
Of the Neill-Reynolds Report.
The Public Has Right to Know How the Meat Sold Them
Prepared Declares United States Senator
the UnutterabIe Conditions Prevailing in Various
Packing Centers of the Country.

Washington, D. C. = Influential
persons from all parts of the country
are writing their senators and repre-
sentatives in congress demanding that
the Neill packing house report be given
to the public. A well known senator
is quoted as saying that the people
have a right to know how the food
sold to them is prepared and if the
public generally make the demand
strong enough the report exposing the
horrors of the packing houses will be
published.
Representative Sulzer of New York
has introduced a resolution calling up
on the President, IF not Incompatible
with the public interest" to send to
the house at his earliest convenience
the reports of Charles P. Neill and
James B. Reynolds lin connection with
their investigation of the Meat trust
the stock yards and the meat pack
ing houses of Chicago and other places
and all data, exhibits and correspon-
dence in any way relating to the
same
Almost without exception the Eastern
newspapers demand the publication of
the report on the ground that greater
damage and distrust will be occasioned
by the presidents failure to do so than
could possibly result from the publica-
ton.
One New York paper printed inter
views with Mr.. and Mrs. Richard Blow
of Washington Crossing, Pa, who, it
is alleged, went to Chicago one week in
advance of the commissioner of labor
and obtained for him the essential
facts presented in his report. Blow
is detective and his wife is an inves-
tigator of child labor conditions. The
conditions pictured by Mrs. Blow are
so revolving as to be almost imprint
able.
How subbIy Creek Was SKINNED.
Chicago, H., How Bubbly
creek, an arm of the Chicago river,
was skinner by the employees Of the
packing companies was related b. TT
William X Jaques, who hes been
named as one of the authorities for
the charges made against the stock
yards management in the Reynolds
Neill report DR.. Jaques was city
chemist of Chicago from 1896 to 1904,
and during that period had charge of
the meat inspection work for the city.
Upon invitation of Mr.. Reynolds"
he said, 81 showed him some sights in
the stock yards that he declared were
worse than anything he could have
imagined, and simply sickened him.
Together we watched employees of the
| packing houses at work skimming the
grease off 'Bubbly creek the slip into
which the refuse of the slaughter pens
is permitted to find its way. Nj.
Reynolds asked the workmen what it
was that he skinned from the water,
and the workman answered in Ian
guage that was truthful, but imprint
able.
What is done with it?' said Mr..
Reynolds 1t is made into grease,
the workman answered. My God.
doctor. is it possible that such filth
can find it's way into grease or lard
| that is used for any sort of cooking,
or otherwise in the preparation of
food?' said the commissioner, address,
ing me. l had to confess that in view
of the keen competition in the matter
| of showing profits by the various COM
panies, it was very possible the stuff
| finds it way into cooking condiments
| and especially as cooking lard brings
a much higher price that axle grease
or other lubricants, which can be pro-
| duced much more cheaply from pc
| troleum."
Kansas City's Inspector Talks.
Kansas City, Mo-, - Eastern
newspapers are bombarding their
Kansas City correspondents for infor-
nation regarding the local meat in
spection regulations. "They suppose"
said Meat Inspector Cutler, that the
packing houses are in Kansas City and
| that we govern the method of inspec
| ton. AS matter of fact. we make no
inspection here, and across the line
they do not seem to make much more
that is effective if the Neill report is
| to be credited"
Referring to the handling of meat
on the killing beds and on the counter,
Inspector Cutler said:
"The packers in Washington are
protesting that if the government
forces the packers to pay for the in
| spection of meats, it will drive the
small packer, the independent packer.
out of business. There is a chief in
spector detailed to Kansas City, whose
salary, paid by the government, is
S., 800 a year. He has ten deputies
who get S1,400 a year, and go inspec-
tors, who get s72O year. This brings
the governments pay roll up to $780,