The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1906-06-19
BIC DECREASE IN
CANNED MEAT .
SALES
Local Dealers Report that Bust
ness in that Line Has Fallen of
from rs to 40 Per Cent.

Since the publication of the report
on conditions in the packing houses
a. Chicago, local consumption Of
canned meats has fallen of heavily,
some merchants reporting a decrease
Of from rs to 40 per cent in sales of
packing house products. The sales of
hams and bacon has increased heavily
one or two Of the merchants stating
that the sales of smoked and sailed
meats in this city IS heavier than in
many years. There has been no de-
crease in the sale of canned goods
other than the products Of the pack
ers.
The report of conditions in the
Chicago packing houses" said Lez
Jacoby yesterday, has knocked the
bottom out of this meat business.
have always carried a large stock of
this line of goods, but since the report
was made public the sales have
dropped off fully 25 per cent, possibly
more. Just to cite an instance: One
Of my customers who generally kept
a supply Of canned meats etc. on hand
came to me a day or two after the re-
port was published in The Journal and
asked me to take back what stock she
had on hand and give her other goods
in exchange for it. did so, to accom-
modate her. She said that, after read
ing the report, she had no further use
for that kind of stuff. Another III
stance occurred 4 day or so ago when
a gentleman came into the store to
get a supply of goods for a camping
trip. While l was suggesting things
for the trip l naturally mentioned
canned meats but he would have none
OF it. The party went out we'll sup
piled with bacon and ham, but without
canned goods. Tho gentleman in Ques-
ton said that, while the ham and
bacon might not be all in the way of
cleanliness that was desirable, at least
he could see it, and would rather take
his chances on something that he
could see than upon something that
he knew not Of"
Sol Calm had the following to say: |
yes, there is a noticeable decrease
in the sales of canned meats but II
do not think it is as great as one
would suppose. In fact, were our. at
tention not directed to the decrease byI
reason of the investigation into cOEdi-
tons at Chicago l hardly believe we
would notice it much. / should say
the decrease in our sales by reason OF
the report on the packing houses has
not been over 8 or 10 per cent. The
sale of hams has, if anything, inCreaS-!
cd. and we are selling more to-day
than we have during any summer that
have been in business"
Another gentleman in the grocery |
business. who does not care to have
his name mentioned, said: at is a
mighty good thing that we do not
know all about the things We eat, for I
if we did and were not willing to eat
our share of dirt we would certainly
starve to death. For instance, take /
sugar. How many people know that
blood is used in its refining? It's
fact, for / have seen it. And. how do
we know where that blood comes |
from? If the floors of packing houses
are dirty what are we to think of the
troughs into which the blood from
slaughtered animals flows? Wouldn't
a little investigation along these lines
be a good thing? Why not investigated
into the manufacture Of clothing.
shirts, etc. The analyne dyes used in
some grades are certainly poisonous
and it is possible that the wearing Of
such poisoned articles may be detri-
mental to health. Yes, there are lots
of things that need investigating.
The concensus of opinion among
number of merchants who were seen
by The Journal representative was
that the canned meat business had
been injured to such an extent that it
would take a long time for it to re-
cover, if it ever did. Hams and salt
meats have taken the place of the
canned meats formerly used to a great
extent. and native beef and mutton
have. to large extent, supplanted the
product Of the big packing houses.