Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1906-06-07
TIE COMMISSIONS REPORT.
Meat Products Handled Without Re
gard 20 Cleanliness.


Washington, June 5.-The following
synopsis OF the report of j. B. Rey-
nolds and Commissioner c. p. Neill 10
the president on conditions in the Chi
cago stock yards has been submitted
to congress by the president:
The report says that two and one
half weeks were spent in the investi-
cation in Chicago, during which I'VE
went through the principal packing
houses In the stock yards district, to-
A day was spent by Mr.. Reynolds in
New York city in the investigation of
its leading slaughter houses" The re-
port says that in many of the rooms
where water is used freely the floors
are soaked and Shiny ard the dark
kept suitably clean An absence of
cleanliness was found everywhere in
the handling of meat being prepared
for the various meat food products.
The parts that are sent from the COOL
ingroom to these departments where
prepared are handled with no regard
whatever for cleanliness. The work
ers climb over heaps of meat, select
the pieces they wish and frequently
throw them down upon the dirty floor
beside their bench.
Instances of UncIeanliness.
In a word" the report adds, I'VE
saw meat shoyeled from filthy wooden
floors, piled on tables rarely washed,
pushed from room TO room in rotten
box carts, in all of which processes it
was In the way of gathering dirt, splin-
tiers and floor filth. 1t was always the
reply that this meat would afterward
be cooked and that this sterilization
would prevent any danger from its
use. A very considerable portion of
the meat so handled is sent out as
smoked products and In the form Of
sausages. which are prepared to be
eaten without being cooked. A par
ticularly glazing instance of unclean-
illness was found in a room where the
best grade of sausage was being pre-
pared for export"
The report says that the radical de-
feet In the inspection system is that IL
Is confined at present by law to pass
ing on the healthfulness of animals at
the time Of killing, but that the meat
that is used in sausage and the vari-
Gus forms of canned products and
ether prepared meat goes through
many processes, In all of which there
n possibility of contamination through
unsanitary handling and further dan-
ger through the use of chemicals
During all these processes there is no
government inspection. although these
products when sent out bear label
stating that they have been passed
upon by government inspectors. The
report arraigns the sanitary pro-
visions in the buildings as abominable
and says the men and women plunge
their unwashed hands into the meat to
be converted into food products.
Health Of Employees ignored.
Department superintendent seem
to ignore all considerations except the
account book" and proper care OF the
products and OF health and comfort OF
.he employees is impossible and the
consumer consequently suffers. Tu-
berculosis victims expectorate on the
spongy wooden floors of the dark
rorkrooms, from which falling scraps
Of meat are shoveled up to be later
converted into food products. Even
the ordinary decencies Of life are CON-
pletely ignored" says the report in
discussing the arrangements for men
and women employees. The report says:
1.-The whole situation as we saw II
b these huge establishments tends
necessarily and inevitably to the moral
degradation Of thousands OF workers,
who are forced to spend their working
hours under conditions that are en-
tirely unnecessary and objectionable
and which are constant menace not
only to their own health but to the
health Of those who use the food prod
ucts prepared BY them" 49,