The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1906-06-06

1
Washington, June 4.-The The long
expected report of the special COM
missioners who investigated the Chica-
go stock yards was transmitted to
congress today, accompanied by a
special message from the president
The salient portions of the report fol-
low:
The President:
AS directed by you, we investigated
the conditions in the principal estab-
lishments in Chicago engaged in the
Slaughter Of cattle, sheep, and hogs
and in the preparation 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 prin-
cipal packing houses in the stock
yards district, together with few Of
the smaller ones. A day was spent
by Mr.. Reynolds1in New York City in
| the investigation of several Of its
leading slaughter houses. During our
investigation statements Of conditions
and practices in the packing houses,
together with affidavits and documen-
tary evidence, were offered us from
| numerous sources. Most Of these
were rejected as being far from prov
| ing the facts alleged and as being be-
yond the possibility Of verifcation by
u.s. We hare made no statement as a
fact in the report here presented that
was not. verified by our personal ex-
animation. Certain matters which we
were unable to verify while in Chicago
are still under investigation. The fol-
lowing is therefore submitted as a
partial report touching upon those
practises and conditions which we
found most common and not confined
to single house or class Of houses. A
more detailed report would contain
many specific instances of defects
found in particular houses.
Before entering the buildings we
poted the condition of the yards them
selves 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 ma
nure and refuse. Such pavement can
not properly be cleaned and is Shiny
and malodorus when wet, yielding
clouds Of ill-smelling dust: when dry.
The pens are generally uncovered ex-
cept those for sheep; these latter are
paved and covered The viaducIs and
platforms are of wood. Calves, sheep,
and hogs that have died en- route are
thrown out upon the platforms where
cars are unloaded. On single plat
form on one occasion we counted Is
dead hogs, on the next ten dead hogs.
The only excuse given for delay in re-
| moval was that so often heard-the
expense.
Nothing shows more strikingly the
general indifference to matters Of
cleanliness and sanitation than do the
privies 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 a
few feet of the ceiling. These privies
| usually ventilate into the workro6m,
| though few are found with window
| opening into the outer air. Many are
located in the inside corners of the
| work rooms. and thus have no out
| side opening whatever. They are fur
| nished with row Of seats, generally
without even side partitions These
rooms are sometimes used as cloak
| rooms by the employees Lunch rooms
constructed in the same manner, by
| boarding off a section Of the work
room, often adjoin the privies, the
odors of which add to the generally
insanitary state of the atmosphere
Abominable as the above-named are
the one that affects most directly and
| seriously the cleanliness Of the food
products is the frequent absence Of
any lavatory provisions in the privies.
| Washing sinks are either not furnish
ed at all or are small and dirty.
Neither are towels, soap. or toilet pa
per provided. Men and women return
| directly from these places to plunge
their unwashed hands into the meat to
| be converted into such food products
as sausag ges, dried beef, and other
| compounds Some Of the privies are
situated at long distance from the
workrooms and men relieve them
selves on the killing floors or in COR
ner of the workrooms. Hence, in
some cases the fumes Of the urine