The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1906-06-15
FILTH And DIRT.
Horrible Exposure Made in Re.
port IT, the President
AS TO MEAT PACKING.
How Food is Prepared for the Free Born
American Citizen Employees Peet
Clad Ia Dirty Shoes Climb into
and Besmear Meat They
Prepare for Shipment,

and Besmear Meat They
Prepare for Shipment,
sometime ago President Roosev vel,
appointed Messrs. j. b. Reynolds Il
Q. P. NELL to examine the methods If
use at the great packing houses ii
chicago and elsewhere. Below ",
puoiish some extracts from TIER re-
port:
Ihe President: AS dlrec ted bv yor
we investigated the conditions in III,
Prlnolpsi establishments In Chicap,
IN the slaughter of c.ttla
sheep n hogs, and In the prepnra.
olon or dressed meat and meat T. or
produces. Two and q half weeks werf
spehG IN q Investigation in Cnicapo
and during this time we went thrcnot
the principle packing houses In the
s6ook yards district, together with 3
lew OF the smaller ones. A dav was
spent by Mr.. Reynolds In New York
oioy Ia a investigation statements
Vi conditions and practices Ia the
packing houses, together with afl1ds-
vlvs q documentary evidence, were
OHofed US from numerous sources.
most Oh these were rel ,cted az being
1ar from proving the facts alleged and
az being beyond the possibility of YER
incation by US. We have mada no
statement as a fact In the report hero
presented that was not verified hv onr
personal aka tnation. Certain mat
Eets "nlcn we were unable to verify
WINE IN Oh1cago are still u1der inyas,
0igation. Lac following Is, therefore,
fupmiG6ed as a partial report touch.
Ing upon those practices and condi.
lions which we found most common
n not confined to a single house or
class OF houses. A more detailed re-
port would contain many specific In.
lance OF defects found In particular
hOuj
Before entering tho buildings ws
noted the condition Of the yards them.
selves as shown in the nen pen.
Vladucts and platforms. The pave.
ment III mostly Of brick, the bricks
laid with deep grooves between them
which inevitably fill with n and
fefuso. The pens are generally un
covered, except those for sheep, these
latter arc paved and covered. The
viaducts and platforms are Of wood.
Oalves, sheep and hogs that have died
en- route are thrown out up N the
Platforms, where cars are unloaded.
"a q single platform on one occasion
we counted Is dead hogs, on the ntxt
10 dead hogs. The only excuse given
Ior delay In removal was that so often
heard--Uhe expense.
BUILDINGS.
Material. The interior finish Of
mtst OF the buildings is or WOOD: the
PARTITION walls, supports and rattsrs
are or wood, uncovered by plaster or
cement. The flooring in some in.
staI COS Is OF brjck or cement, but
usually of wood. In msny of the
rooms where water Is used freely the
floors are soaked and Shiny,
Lighting. The buildings have been
constructed with little regard 60 either
light or ventilation. The work rooms
as q rule, are very poorly lighted. A
few rooms at the top of the BUILDINGS
are well lighted because the cannot
escape the light. buI NO OF tie
rooms are 30 dark as TO make Sr lcIal
light necessary at all tn, eS. Many
inside rooms where food Is pr. pared
are without windows, deprived o. sun.
llgh6 and without direct cummunlaa-
zion with the outside air. They may
pc BEST described as vaults in who
Ghe a1f rarely changes. Other ryo rs
which open to the Queer cir are 30
large, the windows SO clor5ed by dirt
ana the walls and ceilings SO dark ard
dlngy that natural lignt only poDe
Crates twenty or thirty feet from the
windows. thus making artificial Highs
IN portions OF even these outsi4e
rooms necessary. These u@lx aud
dingy rooms are naturally not kept
suitably clean.
Ventilati IN. Systematic %yAnttla-
Clon or The work rooms Is not founG
10 any or the establishments we Visit. |
ed. In a few instances electric fans {
mitigate the stitlinG air, but usually
jhe workers toll without relief I'm q I
1umid atmosphere, heavy with the c
)dors Of rotten wood, decayed 9 c
offal and entrails. c
Equipment. The work tables upon
Thion the meat Is handled, the floor
'arts on which 1T is carried about and e
he tubs and other receptacles Into Z
Vhicfl 1T is thrown are generally OF T
wood. In all the places visited but q b
ingle porcelain-lincd receptacle was o
cen. Tables covered with sheet iron, il
carts and iron tubs are being ID c
reduced into the better establish n
nents, but no establishments Visited C
as as vet abandoned the extensive b
se Of wooden tables and wooden re-. 8!
eptacles. These wooden re%ceptaoles u
re frequently found water soaked, q
My half clea sed, and with meat Il
craps and grease accumulatiops ad- a
caring to their sides and collecting n
irt. This IL largely true OF meat ii
acks and meat %conyeYors Of every q
ort, which were In nearly all cases Ia
lade lately %c!eansed, and grease and p'
leat scraps we're found adberlng to tt
nem, even after they had been wash.
! and returned to service. &c
Sanitary Conveniences. Nothing CO
lows more s~trlkingly the general In So
Florence to matters OF cleanliness yt
nd sanitation than do the privles for IN
9TH men and women. The preysti ot
e type Is made by cutting Of a sec Va
on OF the work room by q thin wood OF
| Partition, rising to within a few pa
ct OF the ceiling. These privies pi
'ually Ventilate into the work room, Sc
Tough q few are ( ind With q win SIP
wv opening into the outer air. Many XII
Q located In the inside cornors of the ri