Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1906-06-09
CHICAGO PACKING
HOUSES ARE DIRTY

by Commissioners of Labor Neill and
Reynolds of New York. 1t was SUBJ
mitted to congress by the president. In
a message accompanying the report,
President Roosevelt describes conitions
as revolving and urges immediate dras-
tic legislation according to the Beve-
ridge amendment.
The report is not nice reading, as the
statements are sickening and show
packers in general have displayed
disregard not only to common rules of
sanitation but even to decency. The
report says the stockyards pavements
are mostly of brick filled with manure
and refuse not properly cleaned; Shiny
and malodorous when wet and dusty
when dry. Stock which died EN- route
is thrown on the platform.
Interior buildings are mostly of
wood, and the floors usually of wood,
are soaked and Shiny, and the rooms
are poorly lighted, lilly ventilated and
many without windows. A systematic
ventilation was not found anywhere.
But one porcelain receptical was found
for meats. The sanitary convenciences
for employees shows the employers are
mediterranean to cleanliness.
Retiring rooms, which adjoin the
working rooms, are usually cut off from
the latter by low partitions; many are
without side air opening. Conditions
that affect most directly the cleanli-
ness of food products are the frequent
absence of labatory provisions in the
privies. Washing sinks are either I'M
furnished at ell or small and dirty;
neither towels, soap or toilet paper be-
ing provided. Men and women return
directly from these places to plunge
their unwashed hands into the meat
products and sausages.
I'VE saw meat shoveled from the
filthy floors, piled on tel les and rarely
washed, pushed i'll rotten box carts al
ways gathering dirt, splinters, floor
filth or expectations of tuberculosis
from diseased workers.
LAS an example of the disregard of
the employees of cleanliness in hand
ling dressed meats we saw killed q
cleaned hog started to the cooler fall
from and slid part way into the filthy
men s privy, where 1t was picked up
by two employees, placed on truck
and carried into the cooling room with
no effort made to clean it. The radical
defect in the present system of inspec-
tion will not go far enough being con-
fined on the healthful animals at the
time of the killing. There is no gov
eminent inspection in preparing sau-
sages and other products although they
bear tables stating Government in
spected.
The Investigators found an absence
of cleanliness everywhere in handling
meat and report that workers climb
over heaps of meat and select the
pieces they wish and frequently throw
them upon the dirty floors beside the
bench. In cutting meat on the bench
as they work it is usually held against
the aprons which, as a rule, are indie
scribably filthy. Men were seen to
stand on the meat tables with their
shoes covered with filth. During the
lunch hour they are seen to sit on the
sspot where the meats are cut under
the superintendent eyes.
The phrase on labels, Quality
guaranteed" beneath the inspection
mark was pronounced unwarranted and
unjustifiable, as the state inspectors
have not known what else may have
been placed in cans additional to I'm
spected meat" The report refers to
mistreatment accorded employees, es-
pectially women, and closes with
number OF recommended tons which are
covered in the presidents message.
The Chicago Tribune says that one
of the immediate effects of the presi-
dents disclosures of packing house con
ditlons was seen in an attempt in at
least three of the packing houses to
remedy the conditions condemned in
the report. Floors were cleaned, walls
scraped and light and ventilation inn
proved. The surroundings of the
workers in these three plants were i'm
proved 90 per cent in one day. The
general manager of one big plant spent
the morning in down town plumbing
establishment picking out the latest
sanitary plumbing
Besides renovating the plumbing, the
packers put up variety of signs all
over the lpants enjoining cleanliness
The foremen were told that the rule
against expectorating must be enforced
or discharge would result.
Another rule posted conspicuously
was that forbidding the use of tobacco
in all food producing rooms.
Beverage and the president, in
message, threatened to destroy the
packers foreign business should con-
gress fail to provide federal inspection
of meats through all processes. Failure
to pass this legislation means, the pres
ident says that he will be compelled
Ito order that inspection labels and
certificates on all canned products shall
not be used hereafter.
The purpose of the meat inspection,
bill is to make certain that the Ameri-
can people shall get from our packers
just as good meat and meat food pro-
ducts as the European people get from
them.
The European government demand