The Jersey City news., 1906-06-09
SATURDAY, JUNE 9, 1906.


The partial report of Mr.. James B.
Reynolds and Commissioner Charles 2.
Neill, delegated by President Roosevelt
to investigate the stockyards and pack
ing-houses of Chicago, is laid before the
people of the United States. says the
Newark Evening News" a more. com
piete revelation, it is ;ntimated IS vet to
come, covering further phases of re-
search. The character of the men MAX
ing the inquiry, the conditions under
which it was made. and the text of the
statements seemingly as free from coior
and exaggeration as a photograph. car
ry great force of conviction. In this case
it is not a novel which naturally induces
high lights and deep shadows. 1t bears
the apparel of truth clad in russell, to
borrow the Baconian phrase. Its sobri-
ety and naked statement of alleged facts
make the indictment one of tremendous
import. If the picture given of packing
house methods does not represent truth
in whole or in any. part, it should be a
simple matter for the. great meat trust
to rebut the 'pfainest of plain allegations.
Unless such a rebuttal is made, the con. con.
yulsion of moral and hpysical nausea
which every reader of the report must
suffer viii become a fever of indignation
rarely. if ever, aroused in the removal
of the lid from business facts.
The text of the report makes much re-
bearsal of detail assuperfnity. It de-
,1aros tba conditions of the yards in
which are. kept cattle, sheep and hogs 'as
vile in the extreme, an Augean stable OF
filth and unscientifc construction. The
buildings where the work OF siaughtter-
ing dressing and packing Is done "a are
pretty nearly everything which ought
not to be in accumulated foulness, III iacK
Of facility for light, cleanliness and sanll-
o.
tation. whether it is. a problem OF health
fulnlesssssF for the workmen. or for the
nroducts which it is their business %
nrenare The plants and apparatus used
are encrusted with filth, decay and vile
ness unspeakable. Lavatory and aiiieo
conyeniences are of the. erudest sort, are
barely screened from the working rooms
and, constantly exhale the most nolsome
.ton,,o,b s1n> some cases. says the re
port. s.the fumes of the urine swell the
sum. Of the nauseating odors arising from
+ba dirty bloodlstained. rotting wooden
floors. fruitful culture beds for the dis
aasa &C. oerms Of men and animals 1t is
distinctly stated that No model building
for the preparation of food products has
haan built in the stockyards of Chicago
sneb as exists. in the city of New .'ltt YORK
M zvorlSrnen are permitted to indulge in
such filthy and careless praotises as make
DESCRIPTION blush. This is true not only
IN +ha case of carcasses, but to faI
mora shocking extent in the preparation
as ,,aa+ connno,lnds and the vast variety
Of timed goods. The very conditions dit 7l'' o.
tteir working life are such that the op'
aratives would find it difficult to live and
aets differently, even if they We're IN
clined by native instincts.
The, damp, cold, noisome atmosphere
in which the operatives I'VE tpei1 -" :" = = :
ipg hours breeds much tuberculosis. Ihe
reekifg discharge of the spitum and 60
bacco spittle on the floors and amidst. the
piled up carcasses is noted Putrid frag-
ments and state scraps mixed Win, mas
celianeous rubbish such as bigskin and
bits Of rope are ii mai many cases 'l 0f PACK
ing house economics dumped 'll PEI. .inte a'' the
calarons and then timed as ported
ham, Yet all this and other proaacts
not less horrible go into market With 2
label Of United States inspection.