Emmons County record. [volume] (Williamsport, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-current, 1906-06-07
Tre COMMISSIONS REPORT.
Meat Products Handled without as
gard to Cleanliness.

gard to Cleanliness.
Washington, June 5.-The following
synopsis Of the report Of J. b. Rey-
nolds and Commissioner c. p. Neill to
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 investt-
CATION In Chicago, during which I'VE
went through the principal packing
houses in the stock yards district, to-
gether with a few OF the smaller ones
A day was spent by MIR. Reynolds In
New York city in the investigation Of
its leading slaughter houses" The re-
port says that in many OF the rooms
whore water is used freely the floors
are soaked and Shiny and the dark
and dtngy rooms are naturally not
kept suitably clean. An absence of
the handling of meat being prepared
Tor the various meat food products.
The parts that are sent from the cool
ingrOom to these departments where
various forms Of meat products are
prepared are handled with no regard
whatever for cleanliness. The work
ers climb over heaps OF meat. select
throw them down upon the dirty floor
beside their bench
instances Of Uncieanliness.
I'm a word" the report adds, I've
saw meat shoveled from filthy wooden
floors. piled on tables rarely washed.
pushed from room to room In rotten
box carts. In all OF which processes 1t
was In the way OF gathering dirt. splin-
ters 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
tlcularly glaring instance OF unclean.
ltness was found In room where the
pared for export
The report says that the radical de-
feet In the inspection system Is that Il
ia 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
many processes, In all OF which there
10 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 unwsshed hands into the meat to
be converted into food products
Health Of Employees Ignored.
Department superint endents seem
TO ignore all considerations except the
account book and proper care OF the
products and of health and comfort OF
the employees is impossible and the
consumer consequently suffers. Tu-
berculosis victims expectorate on the
sponey wooden floors Of the dark
workrooms. from which falling scraps
Of meat are shoveled up to be later
converted into food products Even
the ordinary decencies Of life are com
rletely ignored. says the report in
discussing the arrangements for men
and women employees The report says:
he whole situation as We saw ii
In 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 thsm.''