The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1906-09-19
new PACKlNCToWN
Many Changes and Improve
ments In Chicago Stockyards.
ALL OF THE PLANTS REMoDELED

An Enormous sum Has Been Speno
By Packers In Improving Their
Buildings-Modern Lavatories and
Fine washrooms Drainage Has
Been Al~tered-Clean Uniforms For
Employees.
Hip, hip, hurrah! The transforma.
ZION of Packingtown is nearly complet.
ed. A touch here and there and Sec.
rotary Wilson's dream Of a city beau
tiful at the stockyards will be realized.
Never in the annals Of Chicago has
such a rush to carry out the letter of
the law been recorded, says the Chi
cago News. Work has continued at
high pressure since the packers under
took to remodel their plants, and the
result is said to exceed the most san
guine hopes Of government officials.
Day and night shifts have worked in
cessantly at the plumbing, reftting and
rebuilding of the numerous depart
ments at the larger plants, and the de-
mand for men at the yards has been
so great that downtown buildings have
actually suffered for want Of labor.
The principal change has taken
place in the sanitary arrangements of
the various plants. Modern ~lavatories
while other conveniences for women
and men employed in the industry
have been installed wherever neces-
sary. The Mushrooms ut some Of the
plants would do credit to any large
hotel in the country. Experts. In fact,
IRE inclined to think that the new ar
rangements as worked out ut the
yards are superior to anything yet at
tempted in Chicago. The flooring,
walls and partitions are built Of a
light slate. making that portion Of
the building cool and healthy, while 1t
Is easy to keep clean. All the plants
have erected similar places. and the
work people, approaching the CON-
forts supplied by the packers In this
connection. are assisting in keeping
everything in order.
The drainage of the stockyards, a
big problem witt, the packers, has been
altered in order to meet the require
ments Of the law. In their desire to
go one better. however. the manufac-
turers have called upon their engineers
to submit a scheme whereby a unified
plan Of sanitation for the whole Of
Packingtown might be inaugurated.
The present system, it is pointed out,
covers the rules set down by the de-
.artment controlling the industry un-
der the new law. but the packers them
desire to introduce n sort Of
model arrangement. They prefer. they
say. to show the government they have
a margin In hand in the matter Of
drainage rather than trudge along close
to the edge of the preclpice with u sys-
tenn just capable Of keeping them out
of trouble with the department Of agri-
culture.
- One Of the novel rules introduced at
the plants Is that Of the clean uniform.
Every tailor shop in the city Of Chicago,
1t Is declared, has had 4 share Of this
work and thousands Of suits for the
men and slips for the women. in three
colors. have been supplied to the pack
Ing houses. The colors are red, white
and blue. and each workman has to
change his suit daily. The man IN red
clothing otficlates In the killing rooms,
the man in blue Yields the AK and saw
In the cutting departments and the
nan In his immaculate white linen suit
attends to the lighter duties where his
uniform Is not SO liable to smears. All
the laundry work is done on the prem
ises. Special departments have been
erected for this purpose.
Other arrangements on Il par with
the improvements carried u IN the
suggestions Of the government officials
have been inaugurated wherever pos
slble, and it is claimed by the packers
that when little piggy goes to market
In future he will find his environments
pleasant. clean and strictly in accord
ance with the rules set down In the
newly promulgated law.