Twice-a-week plain dealer., 1906-06-08
hEYNoLDs-NE1LL REPORT.
Synopsis Of Document Transmitted
Congress.

Washington, June 5.-The follow.
ing is a synopsis OF the report
OF ]. B. Reynolds and Commis-
sioner Neill to the president on con-
ditions in the Chicago stock yards. The
two officials recently Investigated the
charges of the horrible conditions
there on the instance Of the president,
and the report has been anxiously
awaited.
Rooms Dark and Unsanitary.
The report says that two and one
half weeks were spent in the investi-
cation in Chicago, during which we
went through the principal packing
houses In the stock yards district to-
gether with few OF the smaller ones.
A day was spent by Mr.. Reynolds In
New York city in the investigation OF
Its leading slaughter houses" The re-
port says that in many OF the rooms
where water Is used freely the floors
are soaked and Shiny, and the dark
and dingy rooms are naturally not
kept suitably clean. An absence OF
cleanliness was found everywhere In
the handling of meat being prepared
for the various meat food products.
The parts that are sent from the cool
ing room to these departments where
various forms of meat products are
prepared, are handled with no regard
whatever to cleanliness. The workers
climb over heaps of meat, select the
pieces they wish, and frequently throw
them down upon the dirty floor be-
side their bench.
I'm a word" the report adds, I'VE
saw meat shoveled from filthy wooden
floors, piled on tables rarely washed,
pushed from room to room In rotten
box carts, in all OF which processes it
was in the way of gathering dirt splin-
ters, floor filth; it was always the re-
ply that this meat would afterwards
be cooked, and that this sterilization
would prevent any danger from Its use.
A very considerable portion of the
meat so handled Is sent out as smoked
products and In the form of sausages,
which are prepared to be eaten with
out being cooked.
"a particularly glaring instance OF
uncleanliness was found in room
where the best grade of sausage was
being prepared for export"
Inspection System Defective.
The report says that the radical de-
feet in the inspection system Is that
1t is confined at present by law to
passing on the healthfulness Of ami
mails at the time Of killing, but that
hot &c
the various forms of canned products
and other prepared meat foods goes
through many processes, In all OF
which there is possibility of contain
ination through unsanitary handling
and further danger through the use oi
chemicals. During all these processes
there is no government inspection, al
Though these products when sent out
bear label stating that they have
been passed upon by government In
spectors. The report arraigns the sani-
tary provisions in the buildings as
abominable, and says the men and
women plunge their naked hands into
the meat to be converted into food
products. The report says the burden
| OF protecting the cleanliness and
wholesomeness OF the products and the
health of the workers and improving
the conditions must fall upon the ma
tional government.
Account Book Supreme.
| Department superintendents seem
to ignore all considerations except the
account book" and proper care Of the
products and Of health and comfort OF
the employees is impossible, ind the
consumer consequently suffers. Tu-
berculosis victims expsctefate on the
spongy wooden floors OF the dark
work rooms, from which falling scraps
of meat are later shoveled up to be
later converted into food products.
Even the ordinary decsncies OF life
ere completely ignored" says the re-
port in discussing the arrangements
for men and women employees. The re-
port says:
Situation Unpardonabls,
"The whole situation, as we saw II
in these huge establishments, tends
necessarily and inevitably to the moral
degradation of thousands Of workers,
who are forced to spend their working
hours under conditions that are en-
tlrely unnecessary and objectionable
and which are constant menace not
only to their own health, but to the
health OF those who use the food
products prepared by them"
The report urges compulsory exam.
ination after slaughter, inclusion oi
goats, now exempt from inspection In.
tended for foreign or interstate com.
merce, in the list subject to the inspec.
tion of the bureau Of animal indus.
try, and that they should be equally
controlled by the regulations OF tht
secretary OF agriculture. Increase O
inspectors for night inspection AMI
special work: legislation prohibitipi
declarations of government inspectio,
CT food products unless subject t,
government inspection at every stag
OF preparation; prohibiting interstat,
transportation OF any meat or mea
food products not inspected and la
be!ed; urges considering the question
CT specific labelling Of all carcasses soil
as fresh meat which upop examination
after slaughtering show signs OF dis
e,ea but are still deemed suitable fo
food; and recommends study of in
spection standards Of other countries
| The Wise Tramp.
/ frams-Please, ma'am, couldn't youq
spare me little
Housekeeper-Go right away frem
here, or I'll call the dog, you lazy,
dirty