Perth Amboy evening news., 1906-06-06

en- return .directly from these places to
plunge their unwashed hands into the
meat to be converted into such food
products as sausages, dried beef and
other compounds. Some of the privies
are situated at a long distance from
the workrooms, and men relieve them
selves on the killing floors or in a
corner of the workrooms; hence in
some cases the fumes Of the urine
swell the sum of ~nauseating odors arts
Ing from the dirty, blood soaked, rot
ting floors. fruitful culture beds for the
disease germs Of men and animals.
New Buildings. 1t is stated that
many Of the insanitary conditions are
due to the fact that these buildings are
old and have been built by pIecemeal
and that in the eve buildings being
erected from. time to time the defects
of the earlier structures are being rem
edied. This contention is not borne
out by the facts. One of the large
plants erected within recent years has
most OF the defects of the older build
ings. 1t is true that three large model
buildings have been erected, but one
is an office building, while the other
two contain only cooling, storage and
sales rooms. No model building for the
preparation of food products has been
built In the stockyards of Chicago.
lila Model slaughter House In Com
trast with Those Of Chicago.
In impressive contrast to the condi-
tions that we saw in the stockyards of
Chicago is an establishment that Mr..
Reynolds visited in New York city.
1t well merits a description In those
particulars in which it is vastly SUI
perior to similar concerns in Chicago.
The two upper floors used for cattle
pens are paved with well laid bricks
and cement, with side walls of brick,
the top floor being covered to protect
the cattle from the weather. The kill
ing floor is paved with bluestone, slop-
ing toward well arranged drains, and
has q large air shaft for special ven
tilation and abundant windows. The
ceiling and upper side walls are OF
hard cement. with steel cross beams
and cement faced steel supports. The
lower side walls are covered with, white
porcelain brick. When the slaughter
ing of each day is finished water is
turned on, and in not more than ff-
teen minutes the room is SO thoroughly
cleansed that all perceptible odors and
traces OF the work are removed.
Other rooms, such as those for cool
ing and storage, are of similar con-
struction to the killing floor. White
porcelain lined bricks and curved tiles
Join floors and side walls that nc COR
ners may retain dirt and refuse. Ven
tilation is everywhere excellent and
light abundant, both these matters
having evidently received careful con-
sideration in planning the building.
The privies contain separate sections
with self flushing bowls, white porce-
lain lined wash basins, shower baths
and mirrors. Towels and toilet paper
are provided, and everything is kept
clean. The effect of all these excel
lencies Of construction and arrange
ment is evident in promoting care Of
the products and in elevating the NOR
ais of the workers.
The same principles of sanitation and
the same care of the health and clean
liness Of the workers would revolution
ize the ~stockyards of Chicago, and the
attainment of such a standard should
be the concern of the national govern
ment and of the city Of Chicago.
Under existing conditions the burden
Of protecting the cleanliness and
wh~olesomeness Of the products and the
health Of the workers and Of improy-
ing the conditions under which the
work is performed must fall upon tho
national government.
IV.-Trentment of Meats and Pre-
pared Food Products.
U~ncleanliness In Handling Products.
An absence of cleanliness vas also
found everywhere in the handling Of
meat being prepared for the various
meat food products. After killing, car
casses are we'll washed and up to the
time they reach the cooling room are
handled in a fairly sanitary and clean
ly manner. The parts that leave the
cooling room for treatment In bulk are
also handled with regard to cleanliness.
but the parts that are sent from the
cooling room to those departments of
the packing houses in which various
forms of meat products are prepared
are handled with no regard whatever
for cleanliness. In some Of the largest
establishments sides that are sent to
what is known as the boning room are
thrown in a heap upon the floor. The
workers climb over these heaps Of
meat, select the pieces they wish and
frequently throw them down upon the
dirty foor beside their working bench.
Even in cutting the meat upon the
bench the work is usually held pressed
against their aprons, and these aprons
were as a rule indescribably filthy.
They we're made in most cases of
leather or of rough sacking and bore
long accumulated grease n dirt. In
only a few places were suitable oilcloth
aprons worn. Moreover, men were seen
to climb from the floor and stand, with
-. ILL.,. It'll. RBA nnfrrCn Of tho