The Topeka state journal., 1906-06-06
PACKERS HEARD.
One of Morris Men Appears Be
fore the Committee
And Undertakes the Defense of
the Big Four.
A GENERAL DENIAL.
Is Made of the Conditions Re-
ported to Exist
By the Commission Sent Out by
President Roosevelt.
GENERAL DENIAL.

Washington. June 6.-The house
committee on agriculture today de-
cided to comply with the request Of
the Chicago packers to be heard on
the NeiiI-Reynolds report regarding
conditions in the Chicago packing
houses. The request was made by
Thomas Wilson. who said he was an
employe of the Nelson Morris COM
pany, but in this instance was au-
thorized to speak for all the Chicago
packers
Before hearing Mr.. Wilson the COM
rnittee notified the department of ag-
rieulture and Mr. Neill, Secretary
Wilson and Dr. A. D. Melvin. of the
department. at once came to the cap
itoI and the hearing began shortly be-
fore noon.
Mr.. Wilson made general denial
of the existence Of conditions in the
packing houses as set forth in the
Nein- Reynolds report. He began By
inviting the committee to come to
Chicago and spend a week in personal
investigation of conditions. That, ne
said, would be the only way for mem
bers to gain a proper idea of what
the conditions really were. Some of
the suggestions made in the report. he
said, had already been complied with
by the packers, such as additional
sanitary facilities.
As to the charge that canned meats
were boiled in water to 'freshen them
up'' Mr. Wilson said there was abso-
Iutely- nothing in this. Canned meat,
he said. was as good five years after II
had been put up as II was rVe minutes
afterwards, providing no air had got
to it If air had reached the meat It
would be spoiled beyond being fresh
ened up. What the cans were put in
hot water for was to soak off the Old
label which. he said was an injury to
the appearance Of the goods on sale.
He denied absolutely that there we're
any diseased cattle or hogs butchered
for food. In every carload of cattle or
hogs, he said. some were likely to be
dead and some diseased. The dead or
diseased hogs and cattle we're sent to
the Standard Rendering company,
which was very different institution
from the Standard SIaugh ter1ng com
pany. although the two were likely to
be confused in the mind. The render
ing company turned the dead and dis
eased meat into grease which was a
coprOduct in the manufacture of soap.
Mr. Wilson described in detail the
operation OF preparing canned meats
and when asked by Representative
Scott (Kan.) member of the com
mittee. How about the rope and 9TH
er foreign matter found with the
scraps on the floor % he said what was
probably seen in this instance was the
string on the knuckle end what had
been dried beef. This string was used
to hang the beef in the smoke house
and when the beef had been sliced Off
this Bnuckle end was left. There was
a bone IN it and he said it was impos-
sible to use it The bone would smash
the machine if an attempt was made
to use it.
ct do not believe Mr.. Neill got any
statement from any one that they
were going to chop these pieces up. If
he did it was from some one who did
not know or he did not get the whole
statement.
Representative Haskfns asked about
the dirty floors.
These fioors," replied Mr.. Wilson,
.sare scrubbed every night as clean as
wood can be scrubbed. They are as
clean as any kitchen"