Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1906-10-04
THE REPORT ON SALE OF DIsEAs-
IID CATTLE.

We print elsewhere the full report
submitted to Governor Bell by At
torney- General Fits with reference TO
the investigation of the charge that
Irregularities have existed in connec-
ton with the sale Of cattle condemned
by the State cattle commission to be
used for food purposes. 1t appears
from the report that uncertainty ex-
lists with reference to parts of tho
laws of different years dealing with
the subject of cattle afflicted with
bovine tuberculosis; that the commits
sioners have mlsinterpreted at lea st
one OF the provisions of the law; that
there has been laxity in relation to
the disposition of carcasses of con-
denrned cattle after the same have
been turned over to rendering plants,
the commissioners having relied upon
tho honesty of slaughter house man.
ayers to market extent; that the sys-
tenn of bookkeeping has been so
to it's ultimate destination any parti-
cular herd of condemned cattle; and
that the chief source Of information
at hand are the lists of checks from
Strengthening houses and drovers which
members of the commission turned
over to the state treasurer
The law originally provided that
condemned cattle were to be killed
and If any animal was found to he
afflicted with tuberculosis, the carcass
was to be destroyed. Tho act of 1902
proved that the carcass should be
buried. The act Of 1904 relating to
this subject repealed the burial provi-
sion and provided that the condemned
animal shall be disposed of as direct
ed by the commissioner in charge. The
commissioners supposed they had au-
thorlty to dispose of the animal either
alive or dead, but Attornoy-General
Fits shows that part of the earlier
law still stands so that he questions
the right of the commissioners to dis
pose of cattle before the same are
slaughtered 1t will also appear that
the whole trouble has followed from
this Interpretation of the law.
It became customary for the commits
sicncrs to soil animals condemned to
drovers. relying largely upcr, the latter
to carry out the intent Of the law. Many
in Massa chusetts whore the regulations
of the United States government in rela =
tion to the Inspection of cattle have been
,.dopted. The United States regulations
permit the sale for food purposes OF
carcasses of animals showing slight.
classified or encapsulated LESSONS confined
named in the regulation
When a small number of cattle were
condemned out of particular herd it
appears that tho commissioners gave the
owner the option of having the animals
slaughtered at home at his own expense.
Where considerable number of cattle
were condemned they were shipped to
Somerville, Mass, or to Havrrhill. Mass.
or to the rendering plant in burlington.
In such cases there was 40 system or
regulation as to marking the cattle for
identification. but as rule an *" was
clipped in the hair on each animals hip
AS rule also the commissioners had no
supervision over cor,1emned animals az
ter the latter were turned over to the
drover.
Another remarkable situation is that
the commissioners left it entirely to the
New England Dressed Meat and Wool
company of Somerville what should be
paid the State for the condemned cat
tie. The report says there is no eviderce
that the persons thus doing the business
have been other than square and honest
but that the commissioners have sned no
light on this point. Some of the cattle
sent this company were used for fertilizer
purposes. but the majority were used
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