New-York tribune., 1906-06-08
STANDS BY HIS REPORT
MR. NELL UNDER FIRE.
Members of Committee Cnticise
Chairman's attitude Tozcard Him.
IFrom The Tribune Bureau. }


Iore the House Committee on Agriculture to-day
the charges made by Mr.. Reynolds and himself
against the packing houses of Chicago Mr..
Nehi followed Thomas E Wilson the packers
representative who occupied the morning ses-
sion In pointing out objections to the Beveridgs
amendment and IN defending the methods en-
ployed by the firms he represents
There viii be further testimony before the
committee tomorrow by DR.. 4 d. Melvin. chief
OF the Bureau OF Animal Industry who viii be
asked to tell about the present inspection rerl1-
lations. and by j. B. Reynolds. who assisted
Commissioner NELL In the investigation. Chair
man WadswOrth of the Agricultural COMMITTEES
said that decision had been reached as m
whether the committee wouId go to Chicago to
make personal inspection OF the plants. The
open hearings have induced several OF the pack
ers to ask that they be allowed 70 testify before
the committee, and additional hearings may be
granted
While Commissioner NefI was testifying to-
day he was subjected to a rigid cross-exarntna-
ton by Chairman Wadsworth and Representa-
tive Lorimer. which was In sharp contrast 10
their attitude toward Mr.. Wilson
ATTEMPTS TO PREVENT REPORT
When Mr. Nell took the stand he said he
wished TO make statement but before he was
aIloWed 70 do this Chairman Wadsworth asked
VINO sent Mr. Reynolds and himself TO Chicago
MI scott of Kansas. also wanted to know the
training Mr. Neill had previously had to pre-
pare him TO make the inquiry.
1 simply claim 10 be man OF average in
teihgence. Mr. NeiH replied He said he had
worked in a Chicago packing house for six
months. while in university settlement
Mr.. Neiu then related partinr ipte-viavv
with DR. Dyson, consulting veterinarian in Chi
caso. representing the packers DR. Dyson ha
said. suggested that NeilI and Reynolds go TO
Washington. make report but inform the
packers Of the conditions found and make sus-
gestions for remedies, then wait thirty days ana
come back and see if conditions had not been
hettered- This. he indicated. was TO prevent
injury TO the trade
Mr.. Neill said he replied that he was not au-
thorized to make any trade or deal: that he did
not know what the Presidents plan was bu+ he
HeVed IL was 10 obtain adequate legislation. Ife
showed letter he had received from DR. DYSON
IN which 1t was suggested that sanitary COM
mlttee be appointed and that it have thirty
Gays TO accomplish improvements. pending
which no reports should be made
Dr- Dyson, he said, had the next dav subsrt
tuted another letter explaining that the language
Of the first one looked like a trade" in that a.
promised improvements on consideration thar -
report be made. In the second. letter he ,+o+az
that he was authorized to speak for the Iarpar
Chicago packers. In it he emphasized the a.,,,
age that would result to the farmers Of the
country from discrediting the sanitary conditions
OF the packing houses. The letter gave assurance
that the reforms would be made Mr. NeiU said
he submitted these letters that the whole chapter
might be complete. and for the further reason
that Mr. Wilson had made repeated statements
that the packers would welcome legislation
Mr. Neill rather discouraged a visit Of the
committee to Chicago az this time. saving that
of he
to negligence. and could have been renedied
Immediately
DENIES FLOORS WERE CLEANED
Mr.. NeilI denied the statement Of Mr.. Wilson
that the floors were scrubbed daily. The dirt
I'm some of the rooms was caked on the floors
which had not been washed for weeks
Was this in any Of the houses represented bv
Mr. Wilson, was asked.
Yes. sir"
You take direct issue with Mr.. Wilson on the
fact that these rooms were not cIeanedr'
Yes sir, I do. There we're floors there that
were black There no ventilation These
rooms were not chill rooms These without
exception were the most satisfactory part or tba
plants and no fault could be found with them
But you did not mention anything creditabla
in your report" remarked Chairman Wads-
worth. Were you there simply to find fauIt9.
NO; understood that we were 10 ascar
tain conditions that needed legislative rem,
edies." answered Mr.. NeiL
In the bOning room Mr.. NeiII said he had see,
dirt He took issue with Mr. Wilson's state
ment of yesterday One instance he remem-
bered specifically in the Nelson Norris housa
He saw one of the msn who had Just finished
his boning walk over the dirty floor to a nile or
meat the floor, climb onto the pile with his
feet. knees and hands pick up piece and throw
IT fifteen feet onto the floor beside his bancb
The dinner signal sounded at that time. and he
saw men climb upon their tables. get their
lunches and sit down on their tables 10 ear
This, he said. directly under the eye OF the
superintendents
Representative Scott asked what was meant
by the odor of decayed meats in the. report 4,
view of the statement Of Mr. Wilson that as a
business proposition, decayed meats could not ba
left around
fIt was certainly odor Of decayed meat"
said Mr.. Neill 1t may have been from the rot
ten meat soaked wood"
What do you mean By 'stinkng' - asked MIR.
Wadsworth- zone would infer you meant a bor-
rible. rotten. sinking condition"
That's what il was" said the witness v-,o
suggested that ventilation might be the remedv
There was one OdOr from a fertilizer room and
another from the meat rooms
THE REPORT ATTACKED.
This sentence in the report was read:
In word we saw meat shoveled from, sl,b,
wooden floors piled on tables rarely washed
taken from room 70 room In rotten box carts in
all Of which processes IL was in the way Of satb
ering dirt. splinters. floor flth and the expecto-
ration OF tuoerculous and other diseased work
ers-
How do you know II was tuberculOus expec-
toratton?" asked Chairman wadsworth.