The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-06-06
MEAT INSPECTION
is a Farce Says a Former
Wichita Inspector.
Found Cripples and "SIOws"
Killed After Hours.
BEGAN AT KANSAS CITY
Declares That He Saw Too Much
Dishonest Work.
Pressure Brought to Bear Until
He Was Discharged.
BEGAN AT KANSAS CITY

Wichita June e.-The Beacon says;
Dr. J. c. Mines, a wichita man who
has been government meat inspector in
Wichita, Kansas City. Leavenworth and
Chicago, brands the present system OF
government meat inspection as a farce
Having, as he swears, performed his
duties honestly and efficiently, only to
be transferred continually from place
to place as dictated by the complain
ing packers. he was finally discharged
from the government service for "in-
subordination and conduct tending to
the decentralization OF the meat inspec-
ton service
DR.. Mines furnishes sworn evidence
to substantiate his astounding charges
BY his request DR.. J. n. AIuncey. of
Jessup. Ia. visited several Iowa abat-
toirs and found conditions to be exact
~ as charged by DR.. Mines.
DR. Mines is now in New York where
he has written a statement concerning
meat inspection and how it is avoided
This statement follows
My troubles as a government 1nspec-
tor began in Kansas City at the Armour
plant, subsequently with the George
Fowler company and then with the
Jacob Dold Packing company.
Owing to rigid insistence that the
inspection laws should be obeyed, was
transferred to the DOld plant in Wichl-
"a, Kansas, where I provoked the violent
antagonism oe the packers by being
equally inhexible This occasioned my
early removal to Waterloo. Iowa, where
] found that the inspection had been
done by a man who was not 2 veter-
mary and grossly incompetent. He was
half demented. having made two un-
successful attempts on his life, followed
by a third successful attempt.
II fcu7I there a system of INSPECTION
by which one inspector was virtually re-
uuired to be in two places al once to DO
the work at all In remedying this by
installing a double inspection the result
was Wholesale COMBINATIONS. owing to
the fact that tuberculosis was prevalent
In the neighborhood. The packers were
outraged. declaring they could not stand
the loss in competition with others who
We're not subjected to such a method
Soon the packers began circumvent-
ing me by killing a couple of hogs from
each disease-ridden lot. the remainder
being placed in feed pen until a car
load was assembled Then they were
loaded and shipped to Chicago. Had
those hogs been killed in Waterloo. the
losses would have been seven to twelve
per cent
Failing in their efforts to induce me
to relax my inspection, the packers
finally made complaint to Mr.. Salmon,
who detailed DR.. Morris Weeden. of the
look into the situation. He made care
full examination of forty-two hogs
which had been condemned, but held
under orders from Washington
'Dr- Salmon's explanation of this pro-
cedure was a desire to have methods all
over the country uniform with those of
Chicago According to Chicago methods
DR. Weeden decided to condemn the
lard and grease tanks-76 per cent Of
the whole number. I asked him what
he replied that it was much better in
Chicago. because they did not kill the
hogs so fast.
ION the following morning. after a
conference with the packers, DR.. Weed
en- came to the office and proceeded to
reverse his previous decision. going over
his notes with a net result that instead
of the IS per cent condemned to the
tanks, A per cent was condemned.
These hogs were then tanked and the
rest went for meat. was instructed by
letter from Washington to conform to
DR.. Weeden's methods. This was in
November 1908
During December condemnations at
this plant were numerous, but fewer
than previously; but Notwithstanding
this 7 seemed unsatisfactory; and one
day was casually informed by a pack
ing house weighmaster that new in
speetor was to arrive January l. 1904
I was asked by this man. To what
point are YOU to be tFansferred2'
MY official transfer came three days
later.
Transferred to Chicago. I was un-
der the direction of DR.. Dyson. who has
since resigned and entered the service
of the packers in the capacity of ad-
wiser in relation to inspection Enatters
Or. Wooden was his assistant being a
nephew of DR.. Salmon. chief of the
bureau. I was first detailed to inspect
hogs at the Armour Packing company's
plant the room being nicknamed the
'Penitentiary.' on account of its long
hours and Leavy work
The negligence Of inspectors at this
place almost beggared description the
inspectors coming and going at such
hours as they saw fit. resulting in