Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-06-07
lH' WILSON DENIES ALL CHARGES
.ttOmey for Nelson Morris & Go. Makes an
Extended Statement to COMMITTEES
'lL1GEs MANY CHARGES ARE ABSURD
FresheRing Up Canned Meats by Boiling,
He Says, is Impossible.
FLOORS ARE SCRUBBED EVERY NIGHT
Sanitary Conditions, He Insists, Are
as Good Can he Oh
tained In Slaughter
Houses,

| houses.
| WASHINGTON, June 6-The house com.
mittee on agriculture decided today to com.
ply with the request OF the O.Nslyo pack.
ers TO be heard on the Neill- Reynolds re-
port regarding conditions in the Chicago
packing houses. The request was made by
| Thomas Wilson. who said he was manager
Z. OF the Nelson Morris company, but in this
Instance was authorized to speak for all
| the Chicago packers. Before hearing Mr.
Wilson the committee notified the Depart
ment Of Agriculture, and Mr. Neill Score.
tary Wilson, DR.. A. d. Melvin, of the de-
partment and Mr.. Neill at once came to
the capitol and the hearing began shortly
before noon
Mr.. Wilson made a general denial Of the
existence Of conditions in the packing
houses as set forth in the Neill-Reynolds
report He began by inviting the commit
tee to come to Chicago and spend a week
in personal investigation sof conditions.
That. he said, would be the only way for
members to gain proper idea of what the
conditions really were. Some of the sug-
gestlons made in the report he said had
already been complied with by the pack
ers, suoh as additional sanitary facilities.
As to Canned Meats.
Az to the charge that canned meats wers
boiled in water to ''freshen them up" Mr..
Wilson said there was absolutely nothing
nths. Canned meat. he said. was az good
hve years after It had been put UP as It
was a few minutes afterward providing
no air had got to it. II air reaches the
meat it would be spoiled beyond being
freshened up What the cans were put In
hot water for was to soak or the old
label which, he said. was injury to the
appearance OF the goods on sale. He de-
MED absolutely that there were any dis
eased cattle or hogs butchered for food.
In every carload OF cattle or hogs he said.
some were likely to be dead and some dis
eased. The dead or diseased hogs and cat
tie were sent TO the Standard Rendering
company, which was a very different in
stitution from the Standard slauRhtsrihg
company. although the two were likely to
be confused In the mind. The rendeEinE
company turned the dead and diseased
meat into grease which was a oo-prosuct
in the manufacture OF soap.
Accounts for Strings.
Mr.. Wilson described in detail the oper.
alton Of preparing canned meats and when
asked by Representative Scott Of Kansas.
member OF the committee: How about
the rope and other foreign matter found
! with the scraps on the 'hoor?" Mr.. Wilson
explained that what was probably seen
, in this instance was the string on the
> I1nuokle end Of what had been dried beef
|, This string was used with which to hang
4 the beef in the smoke house and when
: the beef had been sliced off this knuckle
= end was left. There was a bone in It and
. he said IT was Impossible to use IL. The
bone would smash the machine II an at
tempt was made TO use II.
IT do not believe Mr.. Nein got any state
ment from anyone that they were going
n to chop these pieces up. II he did Il was
a someone who did not know or he did not
4 get the whole statement"
4 Representative Haskins asked about the
dirty floors.
e These floors" replied Mr. wilson, "sre
: scrubbed every night as clean as wood can
4 be scrubbed. They are as clean as any
1 Kitchen
L object TO omciaI Control.
Taking up the recommendations OF
y Messrs. Neill and Reynolds. looking TO the
. Improvement OF conditions. Mr.. Wilson
said the packers did not object to govern
! ment regulation OF sanitary conditions, bu,
: they did object TO the secretary or Asricul.
o ture being made the Judge OF what is san.
= itary
: why, he might call in outside talent
!. which was inexperienced as TO packins
= houses and the business OF slaughtering
= just as has been done recently" contin.
y ued Mr.. Wilson Certainly Wa should OBJ.
ject to that There are experts on tn,
F" question Of sanitaaiOn, and we have ne
objection to the closest scrutiny from
these"
Supervision Of every branch Of the pack
ing business was not objected to by tins
=" packers, said Mr.. Wilson. The govern,
It desires. 40 long as the packers DO mo-
have TO pay for them. he said the pack
/ ing business would be BENEFITED by the In
= spection OF the different branches 'fron
= the hoof to the can" Good inspection d
In what the packers want he declared.
NJ Objects TO DatinE Cans.
,r In addition to the question OF who shall
l. be the judge OF sanitation Mr, Wilson salS
Df that the only other suggestion made n
RI the Neil- Reynolds report 10 which tn,
,e packers would have any objection is tn,
requirement that the date Of canning b.
r placed on all canned articles. He salt
-y that would serve no purpose except to In
a. jure the canned meat business "Natur
ID ally a buyer will choose the article witt
ID the freshest appearing label" said Mr.
rs Wilson. when as matter OF fact tn
OF canned meat does not deteriorsts viii
Is age"
of In speaking Of the return OF goods h
said that constgnments are sometimes sen
back 10 the shippers because a nail hai
n been driven through a can In fastening ul
a box. This. he said. would cauee tina
Is can 10 spoil. and the consignes would In,
agine that the whole shipment had spoiled
Then, IL is possible in rare instances 10
air 70 have gotten into the can and cause'
It TO swell. He described such cans a
~ ''swelleTs," but said there Is no DANCE
"a OF these ever being eaten. and added viii
~ a laugh mot the slightest" No one aGks'
"a him why,
ct Would II be possible 70 put In can
er meat which has begun 10 putrifyf' Askei
a. CT tairman WadsWorth
Is Not unless the meat we're accompanies
70 by chemicals such a. Il would be suicid
n TO eat" replied Mr.. Wilson He declares
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