The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1906-06-08
MOST REVOLVING
STATE OF AFFAIRS
REPORT OF PACKING HOUSE CON.
DITIONS AT CHICAGO SENT
TO CONGRESS.
FILTH AND SLIME EVERYWHERE
OF SHOCKING MA.
TURE REVEALED AND REM
EDIES OUTLINED,

Washington, June 6. - Horrifying
revelations almost beyond belief are
made in the special report on the
conditions in Chicago packing houses
prepared by Commissioner Of Labor
Neill and James B. Reynolds, New
York, which was submitted to con
gress by the president yesterday.
In the message accompanying the
report the president describes these
conditions as revolving and urges i'm
mediate and drastic legislation to
remedy them, along the lines of the
Beveridge meat inspection amend
ment
Greatest Evil in Canned Goods
The president states that he has al
ready instructed that inspection labels
shall not be placed on any carcass un-
inspected at the time of slaughter. If
the inspection of meat and food prod
ucts at all stages of preparation is not
secured by the passage of the legisla-
tion recommended the president says
he will be forced to order that inspec-
tiOn labels and certificates o@n all
canned goods be not used hereafter.
He says the evil seems to be much
less in the sale of dressed carcasses
than in the sale of canned and other
prepared products. He says that the
report preliminary uncovers alleged
abuses in the use of preservatives of
tainted meat. He believes that the
cost shauld be paid va fee levied on
each animal inspected, which would
not exceed eight cents.
Report Not Nice Reading.
The report is not nice reading, some
statements being actually sickening.
1t is shown that the packers generally
have displayed the utmost disregard
not only for the common rules of san
itation. but even of decency.
In describing the methods OF hand
ling meats and the personal practices
of employees, the president and investi-
gators are compelled to use plain
language. The commissioners spent
only two weeks and half in the pack
ing houses, but they found enough in
that time to more than corroborate
the most serious charges made by in.
dependent investigators. They con-
fine their report to what they actually
saw, and state the practices and con-
ditions. They describe only the ones
found most common and that are not
confined to a single house,
Filth Is Prevalent.
Starting with the conditions in the
yards, the report says the pavements
are mostly of brick, which fill with
refuse so that they cannot be proper
ly cleaned and are "slimy and
malodorous when wet. and yielding
clouds of ill-smelling dust when dry"
Calves, sheep and hogs that die en-
route are thrown on platforms and the
only excuse for the delay in their re-
moval is the expense.
The interiors of the buildings were
found to be mostly wood. Floors
were soaked aud Shiny and the rooms
were poorly lighted and lilly ventilated.
Many inside rooms where food is
prepared are without windows and
are merely vaults where the air rare
ly changes"
Systematic ventilation was not
found in any of the establishments
visited. During the entire investiga
ton there was found only single
porcelain-lined receptacle for meats.
Little or No Sanitation.
Taking up the subject of sanitary
conveniences for men and women en-
ployed, the report says nothing shows
more strikingly the Indifference in
matters of cleanliness and sanitation.
Retiring rooms adjoin the working
rooms and are usually cut off only by
low partition.
"Abominable as the above-named
conditions are. what effects most di-
rectly and seriously the cleanliness Of
food products is the frequent absence
of ordinary lavatOry provisions. Wash
ing sinks are either not furnished or
are small and dirty. Neither towels
nor soap are supplied"
The investigators found the absence
of cleanliness everywhere in Chicago
In the handling Of meats. They say:
Amid Slime and Filth.
1.-The workers climb over heaps of
meat and select the pieces they want