The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1906-06-15

future. II no legislation is passed,
then the excellent results accomplished
by the work of this special committee
will endure only so long as the mem
ory of the committees work is fresh
and the recrudescence of the abuses Is
absolutely certain.
81 urge the immediate enactment
into law of provisions which Will en-
able the department of agriculture
adequately to inspect the meat and
meat food products entering into inter-
state commerce and to supervise the
methods of preparing the same and 10
prescribe the sanitary condition under
which the work shall be performed.
| therefore commend to your favorable
consideration and urge the enactment
of substantially the provisions known
as senate amendment No. 29 to the
act making appropriations for the de-
partment of agriculture for the fiscal
year ending June 80, 1907, as passed
by the senate, this amendment being
commonly known as the Beveridge
amendment"
Abstract of the Report.
The report says that two and one
half weeks were spent in the investi-
cation in Chicago during which I'VE
went through the principal packing
houses in the stockyards district to-
gether with few of the smaller ones
A day was spent by Mr.. Reynolds in
New York city in the investigation OF
its leading slaughter houses"
The report says that in many of the
rooms where water is used freely the
floors are soaked and Shiny and the
dark, dingy rooms are naturally not
kept suitably clean. An absence ~of
cleanliness was found everywhere in
the handling of meat being prepared
for the various meat food products.
The parts that are sent from the cool
ing room to these departments where
various forms of meat products are
prepared are handled with no regard
whatever for cleanliness. The workers
climb over heaps of meat, select the
pieces they wish and frequently throw
them down upon the dirty floor beside
their bench.
The report says that the radical de-
feet in the inspection system is that 1t
is confined at present by law to passing
on the healthfulness of animals at the
time of killing but that the meat that
is used in sausage and the various
forms of canned products and other
prepared meat foods goes through
many processes, in all of which there
is possibility of contamination through
unsanitary handling and further dan
ger through the use of chemicals. Due
ing all these processes there is no
government inspection although these
products when sent out bear a label
stating they have been passed upon
| by government inspectors.
The report arraigns the sanitary pro-
visions in the buildings as abominable
and says the men and women plunge
their unwashed hands into the meat
to be converted into food products
The report says the burden of protect
| ing the cleanliness and wholesomeness
of the products and the health of thu
worker and improving the conditions
must fall upon the national govern
ment.
Department superintendent "seenl
to ignore all considerations except the
account book" and proper care of the
products and of health and comfort
of the employees is impossible and the
consumer consequently suffers. Tsber.
spongy wooden floors of the dark work
rooms from which falling scraps Of
meat are later shoveled up to be later
converted into food products.
In word" the report adds, I'VE
saw meat shoveled from filthy wooden
floors, piled on tables rarely washed
pushed from room to room in rotten
box carts, in all of which processes
it was in the way of gathering dir.
splinters, floor filth. 1t was always the
reply that this meat would afterwart
be cooked and that this sterilization
would pervent any danger from its use
A very considerable portion of the
meat so handled is sent out as smoked
products and in the form of sausages
which are prepared to be eaten without
being cooked.
A particularly glazing instance of un.
cleanliness was found in room wher;
the best of sausage was being prepared
for export"
Even the ordinary decencies of Lis
are completely ignored, says the repor
in discussing the arrangements fol-
men and women employed. The re
port says:
"The whole situation as we saw /; Il
these huge establishments tends neces
sarily and inevitably to the moral de
graduation of thousands of workers
who are forced to spend their working
hours under conditions that are entire
ly unnecessary and objectionable anc
which are a constant menace not only
to their own health, but to the healtf
these huge establishments tends neces
pared by them
/ The report urges compulsory examin
ation after slaughter, inclusive o