Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, 1906-06-14
THE REPORT.
Text the Document Submitted by
the Investigator.
The White House, June

Text the Document Submitted by
the Investigator.
The President: AS directed by you,
we investigated the conditions in the
principal establishments in Chicago in
the slaughter of cattle, sheep and hogs
and the preparation of dressed meat
and meat food products. Two and
half weeks were spent in the investi-
cation in Chicago, and during this
time we went through the principal
packing houses in the stock yards dis
trict, together with few of the small
er ones. A day was spent by Mr.. Rey-
nolds in New York city in the investi-
cation of several OF its leading slaugh-
ter houses. During our investigation
statements of conditions and practices
in the packing houses, together with
affidavits and documentary evidence,
were offered us from numerous sources.
Most of these were rejected as being
far from proving the facts alleged and
rs being beyond the possibility of veri
| tication by us. We have made no
statement as fact in the report here
cur personal examination. Certain
matters which we were unable to YER
ify while in Chicago are still under
investigation. The following is there
fore submitted as a partial report
touching these practices and conditions
which we found most common, and not
confined to a single house or class of
| h1nCaG A 1atoiIa1
contain many specific instances of de-
fleets found in particular houses.
Condition of the Yards.
Before entering the buildings we
roted the condition of the yards them
selves as shown in the pavement
pens, viaducts and platforms. The
pavement is mostly of brick, the bricks
which inevitably fill with manure anC
refuse. Such pavement cannot be prop.
erly cleaned and is Shiny and malodor.
GUS when wet. yielding clouds of Ill
smelling dust when dry. The pens are
generally uncovered except those fol
, sheep; these latetr are paved and GOV
cred. The viaducts and platforms ar,
Va "oous NuiNOoS uObS l1d
have died en- route are thrown gu
uron the platforms where cars are un
loaded. On single platform on on,
/ occasion We counted Is dead hogs, oil
/ the next ten dead hogs. The only ex
Cuso given for delay in removal wa
that so often heard-the expense.
. Buildings.
Mutnrial Tho n I'm -
. most of the buildings is of wood; tn
}. partition walls, supports and rafter
!. are of wood, uncovered by plaster O
n cement. The flooring in some instance
= is OF brick or cement, but usually O
4 wood, In many of the rooms wher
|. water is used freely the floors ar
r soaked and Shiny.
e Lighting.-The buildings have bee
!. constructed with little regard I
n either light or ventilation. The work
q rooms, as a rule, are very poorly light
y ed. A few rooms at the top OF tn
a buildings are we'll lighted because the
a cannot escape the light, but most {
the rooms are so dark as to make art
. fetal light necessary at times. Man
= inside rooms where food is prepare
: are without windows. deprived of SUI
,. light and without direct commune;
. ton with the outside air. They ma
: be best described as vaults in whiC
: the air rarely changes Other room
a which open to the outer air are
a large, the windows so clouded by dir
q and the walls and ceilings so dai
= snd dingy that natural light only pen