Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-06-04

meat products, nor on the alleged doctoring
In this fashion of tainted meat and of
products returned to the packers as having
grown unstable or unusuable from age or
from other reasons. Grave allegations are
made In reference to abuses of this nature.
Let me repeat that under the present law
there is practically no method of stopping
these abuses II they should be discovered
to exist. Legislation is needed in order
to prevent the possibility of all abuses in
The future. If no legislation is passed, then
the excellent results accomplished by the
work of this special committee will endure
only SO long as the memory of the commit
tees work is fresh and a recrudescenee of
the abuses is absolutely certain.
I urge the immediate enactment into law
of provisions which will enable the Depart
ment of Agriculture adequately to inspect
the meat and meat-food products entering
into interstate commerce and to supervise
the methods of preparing the same, and to
prescribe the sanitary conditions under
which the work shall be performed. I
therefore commend to your favorable con-
sideration and urge the enactment of SUBJ
stantially the provisions known as Senate
amendment No. 20 to the act making ap-
propriations for the Department of Agricul-
as passed by the Senate, this amendment
being commonly known as the Beveridge
amendment.
THEODORE ROOSEVELT.
The White House, June 4. 1906.
The Report.
The President
AS directed by you, we investigated the
conditions in the principal establishments
gr,E y to- +I, oya -
tie, sheep and hogs and in the preparation
of dressed meat and meat-food products.
Two and half weeks were spent in the
investigation in Chicago, and during this
time we went through the principal packing
houses In the stock-yards district together
with a few of the smaller ones. day
was spent by Mr. Reynolds In New York
city in the investigation of several of its
leading slaughterhouses During our In
vestigation statements of conditions and
practices In the packing houses, together
with affidayitS and documentary evidence,
were offered US from numerous sources.
Most of these were rejected as being far
from proving the facts alleged and as be-
ing beyond the possibility of verIfication
by us. We have made no statement as q
fact In the report here presented that was
not verified by our personal examination.
Certain matters which we were unable to
verify while in Chicago are still under in
vestigation. The following is therefore SUBJ
mitted as a partial report touching upon
those practices and conditions which we
found most common and not confided to
single house or class of houses A more
detailed report would contain many specific
instances OF defects found In particular
houses.
1-Condition of the Yards.
Before entering the buildings we noted the
condition of the yards themselves as shown
In the pavement. pens, viaducts and plat
forms The pavement is mostly of brick,
the bricks laid with deep grooves between
them. which inevitably fill with manure and
refuse. Such pavement cannot be properly
cleaned and Is Shiny and malodorous
when wet. yielding clouds of III
smelling dust when dry. The pens are
generally uncovered except those for sheep
these latter are paved and covered The
viaduets and platforms are of wood
calves sheep and hogs that have died en-
route are thrown out upon the platforms
where cars are unloaded. On single plat
form on one occasion we counted 15 dead
hogs, on the next 10 dead hogs. The only
excuse given Tor delay In removal was
that so often' heard-the expense.
II-Buildings.
Material.-The interior finish of most of
the buildings Is of wood: the partition
walls. supports and rafters are OF wood,
uncovered by plaster or cement The floor
ing In some instances is of brick or cement,
but usually of wood. In many of the rooms
where water is used freely the floors are
soaked and Shiny.
Lighting.-The buildings have been con-
structed with little regard to either light
or ventilation. The work rooms, as rule
are very poorly lighted. few rooms AT
the top of the buildings are we'll lighted
because they cannot escape the light, but
most of the rooms are so dark as TO make
artificial light necessary at all times.
Many inside rooms where food is prepared
are without WiQlnwS deurivad nf sy,pl fehf
and without direct communication with the
outside air. They may be best described
/ as vaults in which the air rarely changes
Other rooms which open to the outer air
| are SO large. the windows so clouded By
dirt and the walls and ceilings so dark and
dingy that natural light only penetrates
! twenty or thirty feet from the windows,
| thus making artificial light in portions OF
even these outside rooms necessary These
dark and dingy rooms are naturally not
| kept suitably clean.
Ventiiation.-Systematic ventilation Of tae
workrooms Is not found in any OF the es-
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