The Washington herald., 1907-10-27
MARKSINJURE MEATS
Butchers Don't Like Govern
ment'S Purple Stamp.
SOILS HANDS AND CLOTHING
Chamber of Commerce Asked to In
vestIgate and Urge n Change In
system Now Used by Department of
AgrIcuIture-Big Savings Claimed
over Old Plan of Labels.

At the instigation Of some OF the most
| prominent butchers and meat dealers of
Washington, a special committee of the
Chamber Of Commerce is making an in
yestigation into the methods prescribed
| by the Department of Agriculture for
marking meats for Identification after in
spection
The matter was brought to the atten-
ton Of the executive committee in the
| form Of a petition signed by about
twenty butchers and meat dealers. which
embodied complaint against the re-
Quirements of the department as some
thing detrimental to them and their busi-
ness, and praying for the good offices Of
the chamber for relief. The petition fol-
lows:
I'VE. the undersigned. dealers in meats
in Washington, u. c., request you 10 in
vestigate the method that is now being
used by the United States Department
Of Agriculture for the marking of meats
for identification. We feel that the pres
ent method is a serious detriment 10 our
business. We, therefore appeal to you
with the hope that we may get some re-
lief A careful investigation Will prove
that the marks. which are supposed to be
means OF Identification, are smears Of
purple ink that dishgure and penetrate
into the meat soil our stall cloths, hands,
and aprons As our customers seriously
object 20 buying meat with this smear
thereupon. 1t Is necessary for US 10 cut
out the pieces thus marked.
Committee of Five Appointed.
The executive committee directed
President Harper TO appoint a special
committee Of five members to conduct a
special investigation into the facts al
legged in the petition and report to the
board Of directors This committee is
composed of Allen D. Albert, chairman,
". C. Carter. John T. Magruder. Au-
gustus c. Taylor. and Washington Top
ham. The committee will hold its first
meeting next Tuesday afternoon, at 4;5o
o'clock.
Meanwhile inquiry has been made of
Secretary Wilson, and Dr. A. d. Melvin,
chief of the Bureau of Animal Industry,
has submitted a statement TO the COM
mIttee substantially as follows:
That present method consists OF
metal stamp, and was adopted about July
/ in substitution for a label which had
not given complete satisfaction. That re-
ports as to stamp from inspectors are
/ becoming more favorable. That this
method was developed in the Office Of the
bureau. the ink being an invention OF one
Of the chemists in the department That
stamp was designed TO be legible 10 re-
tail customers on meat when exposed for
sale. and that he had no reason TO be
Ueve-though he did not know-that the
stamp failed In that regard. That the
stamp made possible a saving OF Ni1OJo
which would have to De spent If labels
were bought. and that such a saving
though not important enough 10 justify
deterioration Of service, was regarded by
the department as a first consideration
Markings Not LegibIe.
In reply to DIT. Melvin, representatives
Of meat dealers have supplied the com
mittee with scores Of pieces Of meat
showing stamps little more than daubs.
OF splotches, OF purple ink, and totally
iUegible. Members of the committee have
inspected 5S9 stamps In cooling houses
and on market stands. OF that number
10 We're legible as TO the abbatoir num-
hers and 5l9 We're totally tHegible- OF
those that were legible as to the abbatoir
numbers. IA were found in cooling
houses and twenty-slx had been exposed
10 the air. Four marks were entirely
decipherable, one having been made by
stamp and three by the device now
discarded.
Chairman Albert. Of the committee,
said yesterday:
"The committee will undertake this in
quiry IN full sympathy with the meat
dealers but without prejudice against
the Department None Of the material
now AT hand Will be adopted without
careful examination into the source Of
IT, Information has come to the com
mittee that the health departments OF
Chicago, Denver, Cleveland. Atlanta. and
OgdensburC. n. Y. and the meat in
spection strvice of the Dominion OF Can
ada, after studying all modern methods.
have adopted others than that now used
by the Department Of Agriculture. Let
ters have been sent those officials and
the views Of the officials in charge VIII
be carefully weighed.
Purpose to Get Information.
1T was manifestly the purpose Of the
executive committee that the influence Of
the chamber should be on the side of an
efficient administration Of the new meat
inspection law. The only province Of this
special committee, therefore is TO gather
information which will enable the board
Of directors to answer these questions;
Does this new method contribute to
such an enforcement?
If so, does it do that at an avoidable
cost to the dealer in the form OF spotted
or discolOred meats?
"Manifestly, the committee cannot take
any interest In any particular device
which might be substituted for the stamp,
and cannot possibly receive any repre-
sentatiOns in favor of any such device"