Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-06-09
HAS HEARD ENOUGH
Wadsworth Committee viii
Take No More Testimony.
SINCLAIR WANTED TO COME
Informed That He is Not De-
<issi sired.
DEPARTMENT EXPERTS REPORT
Statements by Nein and Reynolds
Substantiated in All Essen
- tial Particulars.
SINCLAIR WANTED TO COME
DEPARTMENT EXPERTS REPORT

The House committee on agriculture
doesn't care to hear any more testimony
concerning conditions In Packngtown. The
committee may have once hailed from Mis-
souri,. but 1t has been shown" Even Upton
Sinclair, whose book, THE Jungle started
Gil this fuss about Packingtown and its
alleged horrors. will not be given chance
tc tell the committee OF his first-hand in
vestigations.
Yesterday Mr.. Sinclair sent the agricul-
tural committee the following telegram:
Having spent several weeks making
frst-hand study OF conditions In the
Chicago packing houses. L request hear
ing before your committee. 1 will be in
Washington Saturday, If notified by
wire this afternoon
Testimony Not Wanted.
Chairman Wadsworth fired back this re-
ply:
Il am directed by the committee on agri-
culture. House of Representatives, to say
that the committee does not deem 1t neces-
sary for you to be here.
"wADSWORTH Chairman"
Mr.. Sinclair wasn't to be downed so
quickly, however, and he wired Mr.. Wads-
worth as follows:
Il consider what l said on the Chicago
etockyurds previous to any rumors OF a
government investigation Is at least as val
liable evidence the testimony of any
paid agent OF the packers. 1t to test
my charges that investigation was begun
IN Chicago and, consequently, 1 consider
that l have interests at stake, and respect
fully demand a hearing.
But it looks very much as II the inquiry
was already canned and sealed, the com
mittee having decided not to make a smell
ing trip TO Packingtown and not to hear
any more witnesses.
Representative Wharton of Chicago made
a statement to the committee based on the
fact that he had been a guide in the pack
ing houses. He declared that there were no
places where guides were not permitted to
take visitors
Representative Crumpacker of Indiana
discussed the constitutional questions in
volved In the bill and asserted that the
Beverage measure unquestionably Is in
valid ana already had been declared so
by decisions Of the courts.
The Reports of Experts.
The reports from Agricultural Depart
ment experts, bearing out in all essential
particulars the NeIl-Reynolds reports,
which were forwarded to the committee
yesterday by President Roosevelt probably
had somthing to do with the termination Of
the hearing. The department reports deal
with concrete facts and specific instances.
These reports We're full enough to make
thick books when printed, and were so d.
meet and so automatically exact in their
statements that they could not be gainsaid
They were not read In full, but they were
passed in parts, and the members of the
committee soon learned that the President
had sent them communication that could
not be picked to pieces
Some of the statements in the depart
ment report in addition TO those printed in
yesterdays Star. follow:
The water closet opened directly from
the killing floor and the partition did not
reach the ceiling. One employe was OBJ
served HTlultiQR In the gutter of the killing
floor"
The smoke room conditions were said to
be very good; also the dressing room for
the beef killing gang. The water closet
is located in a corner of the killing beds
In the main tank room water closet is To-
Gated. which is apparently not flushed and
was found in an insanitary condition
In the sausage drying room water was
dripping from the roof on sausage.
The cooking and canning room was
very dark and steamy. with a noisome at
was observed Water was dripping from
the ceiling on girls employed soldering.
One meat suffer was being worked in such
a way that quantity of meat was falling
on the floor. From the ceiling above the
conveyor large fakes and patches OF white
wash were hanging. partially detached.
Abattoir No. 90 the report says, remains
one of the typical country slaughter houses,
being indescribably filthy. In the sheep
killing room the floors were encrusted with
dirt TO the depth OF about two inches.
THE condition of this house is disgrace
full and more insanltary conditions for an
abattoir cannot well be imagined. The cool
ers are old-fashioned being chilled by the
primitive method of blocks of lee
The gut room was located in one corner
OF the building in close proximity TO the
killing floor and tanks. The ceiling was
low and the room generally WAS IN the most
filthy condition of any gut room we have
vet observed. There were no water closets
IN this establishment"
The report concludes with recommended
lions for inspection legislation. which seem
to have been followed In the Beverage
amendment.