The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-06-05

inspect the meat and meat-food products
entering into interstate commerce and Il
supervise the methods of preparing thu
same, and to prescribe the sanitary con
ditions under which the work shall b,
performed. l therefore commend to youi
favorable consideration and urge the en-
actment of substantially the provisions
known as Senate amendment No 20 tC
the act making appropriations for the De
partmet OF Agriculture for the fisca
year ending June 80, 1907 as passed by
the Senate, this amendment being com
monty known as the Beveridge amend
ment. THEODORE ROOSEVELT.
The White House, June 4, 1906.
Report of Commissioners.
The President.
AS directed by you, we investigated the
conditions in the principal establishments
In Chicago engaged in the slaughter OF
cattle. sheep, and hogs and in the prep
aration Of dressed meat and meat-food
products. Two and a half weeks were
spent in the investigation in Chicago,
and during this time we went through the
principal packing houses in the stock
yards district, together with few of the
smaller ones. A day was spent by Mr..
Reynolds In New York City in the in
vestigatlon of several of its leading
slaughterhouses During our investigation
statements of conditions and practices in
the packing houses, together with affi-
dayits and documentary evidence, were
offered US from numerous sources. Most
of these were rejected as being far from
proving the facts alleged and as being
beyond the possibility of verification by
hos da a
fact in the report here presented that
was not verified by our personal exam
nation Certain matters which we were
unable to verify while In Chicago are
still under investigation. The following is
therefore submitted as a partial report
touching upon those practises and condi-
tons which we found most common and
not confined to a single house or class OF
houses. A more detailed report would
contain many specific instances of defects
found in particular houses.
l.-Condltlon of the Yards.
Before entering the buildings we noted
the condition of the yards themselves as
shown in the pavement, pens, viaducts'
and platforms. The pavement Is mostly
of brick, the bricks laid with deep grooves
between them, which inevitably fill with
manure and refuse. Such pavement can
not be properly cleaned and Is Shiny
and malodorous when wet, yielding clouds
If tll-smelling dust when dry. The pens
are generally uncovered except those for
sheen, these latter are paved and COW
erred The viaducts and platforms are or
wood. Calves. sheep, and hogs that nave
died en- route are thrown out upon the
nlatforms where cars are unloaded, On
a. single platform on one occasion we
counted fifteen dead hogs, on the next ten
dead hogs. The only excuse given ZOE
delay in removal was that so often hearo
the expense
ll.-Bulldines.
MateriaI-The interior finish of most OF
the buildings is of wood; the partitloIi
walls, supports and rafters are OIL "oou'
by plaster or cement. Ihe
flooring in some instances Is OF prlck OF
cement hut usually of wood. In many
Of the rooms where water Is used freely
the floors are soaked and Shiny,
Tiphting.-The buildings have been con-
structed with little regard to either fhghe
or ventilation. The workrooms, as a RUE,
are very poorly lighted A few rooms at
the top of the buildings are well lighted
because they cannot escape the lighe, put
most of the rooms are so dark as 10 MAKE
artificial light necessary at all tiihes'
Many inside rooms where food Is pre-
pared are without windows, deprived ol
sunlight and without direct communica-
ton with the outside air. They may %
hest described as vaults in which the air
rarelv changes. Other rooms which open
10 tho outer air are so large, the win
downs so clouded by dirt, and the walls
and ceilings so dark and dingy that ma
tural light only penetrates 20 or 80 feet
from the windows, thus making artlflciai
light in portions of even these outside
rooms necessary. These dark and dingy
rooms are naturally not kept suitably
clean.
Ventilation.-System ventilation of
the workrooms is not found in any of the
establishments we visited. In few In
stances electric fans mitigate the sitting
air, but usually the workers toll without
relief in a humid atmosphere heavy with
the odors of rotten wood, deeayed meats,
sinking offal, and entrails.
Eouipment.-Th work tables upon
which the meat is handled. the floor carts
on which it is carried about, and the
tubs and other receptables into which IL
is thrown are generally of wood. In all
the places visited but single porcelain
lined receptacle was seen. Tables covered
with sheet iron, iron carts, and iron tubs
are being introduced into the better es-
Establishments, but no establishment visit
ed has as yet abandoned the extensive
use of wooden tables and wooden recep-
tacles. These wooden receptacles are
frequently found water soaked only half
cleansed and with meat scraps and grease
Accommodations adhering to their sides. and
collecting dirt. This Is largely true OF
meat racks and meat eonveyors OF every
sort, which were in nearly all cases mad
eauately cleansed. and grease and meat
scraps were found adhering to them, even
after they had been washed and returned
to service
Sanitary Conveniences.-Noth shows
moro strikingly the general Indifference to
matters of cleanliness and sanitation than
do the prvies for both men and women.
The prevailing type is made by cutting
off a section of the workroom by thin
wooden partition rising TO within few
feet of the ceiling. These privles usually
ventilate into the workroom, though few
are found with a window opening into the
outer air. Many are located in the inside
corners of the workrooms, and thus have
no outside opening whatever They are
furnished WITH row OF seats, senefaity
without even side partitions. These rooms
are sometimes used as cloakrooms by the
employees Lunch rooms contracted in the
same manner, by boarding off section OF
the workrooin, often adjoin the privies,
the odors of which add to the generally
insanitary state of the atmosphere.
Accountable as the above-named condi-
lions are, the one that affects most direct
w and seriously the cleanliness of the
food products is the frequent absence OF
any lavatory provisions i'm the privies
Washing sinks are either not furnished at