The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-06-05
STOCK YARDS CONDITIONS
 DEMAND GOVERNMENT ACTION

| ,fss t,gation of several of its leading gation statements of conditions and nractices In the packing houses to
 svidence, % were r1 offered @ us from numer- | ous sources. Most of these were re- l jected as being far from proving the a,sg racts ailegad and as Peins neyona We yne
 have made no statement as fact in
 the report here presented that was
 not verincd by our personal examina-
 unable to verify while in Chicago are
 still under investigation. The follow.
 Ing IS therefore submitted as partial
 and conditionss which iRh we ' found most
 house or class of houses. A more de-
 cifc instances of defects found in par
 i-Ccndition of the Yards.
 noted the condition of the yards them
 viaducts. and platforms: The pave
 with s %esiy desp o ssGs sss se
 which inevitably fill with manure and
 refuse. Such pavement can not be
 properly cleaned and Is slimy and l,,s ma | of ill-smelling dust when dry. The
 pens are generally uncovered except those for sheep. these latter are paved | NhU CON EfCN- HC ttoduet~ HaO pa@'1
 forms are of wood Calves, sheep.
 and hogs that have died en route are
 thrown out upon the platforms where
 ears are unloaded On a single plat | teen dead hogs. on the next ten dead
 hogs Tho only excuse given for de. lay in removal was that so often heard --the expense.
 l IL--Buildinxs. | MateriaL--The interior finish of
 most of the buildings Is of wood; the
 partition walls. supports, and rafters
 cement. The flooring in some instanc- | es Is of brick or cement, but usually
 of wood In many of the rooms where | water is used freely the floors are
 Lighting.-The buildings have been constructed with little regard to either as a rule, are very poorly lighted. A | few rooms at the top of the buildings are well lighted because they cannot es- | cape the Igat, but most of the rooms .I,s necessary at all times. Many inside
 rooms where food Is prepared are l without windows. deprived of sunlight ! the outside air. They may be best described as vaults in which the. air | rarely changes. Other rooms which
 windows so ciouded by dirt. and the walls and ceilings so dark and dingy | that natural light only penetrates
 dows, thus making artificial light in | portions of even these outside rooms
 necessary. These dark and dingy rooms
 are HentiiationKsystsmatio aHri ksy s ventilation of the workrooms Is not found In any of the establishments we visited. In
 feW ,IpIssaness electric fans mitigate CTS toll without relief in a humid at- mosphere heavy with the odors of rot ten wood. decayed meats. stinking of a T
 Eauipment.-The work tables upon which the meat Is handled, the floor
 carts ,.ss 9n which t Is carried abcut and
 which it is thrown are generally
 of wood In all the places visited put single porceiain S, lined receptacle | iron. iron carts, and iron tubs are be- ing introduced into the better estab- | lishments. but no establishment visited ! has as yet abandoned the extensive use ! of wooden tables and wooden reepta- cles. These wooden receptacles are fre- 1 quently found water soaked. only half cleansed, and with meat scraps and grease accumulations adhering to their l sides. and collecting dirt. This is large ly true of meat racks and meat con veyors of every sort, which were In nearly all cases inadquately cleansed. adhering to them. even after they had been washed and returned to service. Sanitary convenieces-Nothing shows to matters of cleanliness and sanitation women. The prevailing type is made room by a thin wooden partition rising to within a few feet of the selling These privies usually ventilate into the with a window cpening into the outer corners of the work rooms. and thus They are furnished with a row of seats. generally without even side partitions These rooms are sometimes used as rooms constructed in the same manner, room. often adjoin the. privies. the insanftary state of the atp,osphere
 Abominable as the above named con- ditions are. the one that affects most of of 1i' the food i products is I the frequent the privies washing sinks are either dirty dirt Neither are towels. soap or T toilet paper provided. Men and women return directly from these places to meat to be converted into such food | products as sausages, dried beef. and other compounds. Some of the privies the work rooms. and men relieve them
 selves on the killing floors or in cor ner of the work rooms. Hence. in some l eases sum of nauseating odors arising from
 the dirty blood soaked. rotting wooden floors fruitful culture beds for the
 disease germs of men and animals
 many of the unsanitay conditions are due to the fact that these buildings are old and have been built by piece meal, and that in the newer build | ings, being erected from time to time.
 the defects of the earlier structures are being. remedied. This contention Is not
 borne ont by the facts. One of the large plants erected within recent years buildings. It is true that three large
 model buildings have been erected, but I one is an office building. while the | other two contain only cooling. storag
 the preparation of food products has
 been built in the stock yards of Chi caKo.
 A Model Slaughter House In Contrast 1 Wsth Those of Chicago.
 In impressive contracts to the con
 of Chicago is an establishment that MT. Reynolds visited in New York city. It well merits description in those | particulars in which it is vastly sua The two upper floors used for cattle | pens are paved with well laid bricks | and cement, with side walls of brick, the top floor being covered to protect ing floor is paved with bluestone. slop- i ing toward well arranged drains and has a large air shaft for special ven tilation and abundant windows The | hard cement, with steel crossbeams and cement faced steel supports. The | lower side walls are covered with white porcelain brick. When the slaughter | turned on. and in not more than fjf- | teen minutes the room is so thoroughly