The Washington times., 1907-10-27
MARKING OF MEAT
BASIS OF PROTEST
BY THE DEALERS
Appeal Made to Board
of Directors of Cham
Der of Commerce.
1t Is Asserted That Beef
is Penetrated With Ink
and No Good Done.

Protest has been made 10 the board
Of directors of the Chamber Of COM
merce against the method now pursued
by the Department or Agriculture for
the marking of meats Tor identification.
A number of prominent decicis have
signed a petition TO the board asking
that an investigation be made into this
matter.
The chief basis OF protest is that the
marks OF Identification are smears nf
purple ink, which not only penetrates
into the meat but which soils the stall
cloths, hands, and aprons OF empl 5yf 8
Of such establishments. IL IS pointed
out that this has induced many custo-
mers not 10 buy the meats which are
marked in this way, and many dealers
have been compelled 70 eliminate tnsni
from their stock.
SiEners of Petition.
The petition was signed by Marion P.
Walker. Golden & Co, Z. p Dicke1son,
F. ". Bueter, J. T. Keaung, Joseph II.
Lee c. G. Deckert, r. Lee Horton, "A.
Hulery & Son, +. w. Scheele, Charles
n. EbeI. John Lynch. George NJ Hunt,
c. w. Norton. z. n. Reid, Robert F.
StonneH. J. J. Lynch. John II. Johnson
jr. A. Z. Smith. Charles S Murray,
L. C. Rosenburch, John R Kelly. EdW-
Brooke. David Alexander. Hermann OPP
penheiner, R n. Hilleury. r. W. ClaX-
ton. BENJAMIN Bailey, John II. Jonn-
son. ST., William Jonnson.
rybe executive committee OF the board
directed President Harper to appoint
committee OF five members TO lnVesu-
srats the matter and report TO the podIu
at its next meeting. Tuesday, OcJoDer
%. The following members were naLheo'
Allen D. Albert. jr., chairman w u
carter, John II. Magruder, Augustus -
Tavlor, and Washington Topham.
Present Method of Marking.
1,ouirv was made at the Department
90 Agriculture, where It was said By
Dr Melvin, Chief OF the Bureau OF AM
nal industry. that the present method
81 rnarlxine, meats IS by the Hse OF a
metal STAMP which was adopted about
Tulv as a substitute for label, which
ba5 not given complete satisfaction
This method was developed in the Bu-
-ean of Animal Industry. and the ink
now in use was an ihvention Of one OF
the chemists of the Department Of Agri-
culture. The stamp was designed with
the view 10 making it legiole 70 retail
customers when tlse goods were placed
on the shelves, and officials OF the De
partmeut declared they had no reason
10 believe, although they did not know,
that the stamp had failed in this re-
gard
In reply 10 DR.. Melvin, representatives
Of neat dealers have supplied the COM
al 90 nile ~
showing stamps little more than daubs
or splotches Of purple ink, and totally
iuegible, Members of the committee
have inspected $50 stamps in cooling
houses and on market stands. OF that
number 10 were legible as to the ab-
attoir number, and 4l9 We're totally IL
legibIe. OF those that were legible as
TO the abattoir numbers, IA were found
in cooling houses, and twenty-six had
been exposed 10 the air. Four marks
were entirely decipherable- having
been made by a stamp and three by the
device now discarded.
Statement of Committee.
1.-THE committee will undertake this in
quiry with full sympathy for the
meat dealers. but. or course. without
prejudice against the department None
Of the material now at hand win be
adopted without careful examination
into the source Of ii. Information mas
come to the committee that the health
departments Of Chicago, Denver, Cleve-
land. Atlanta and Ogdensburg. n. Y,
and the meat inspection service Of the
Dominion OF Canada. after studying All
modern methods, have adopted others
than that now used by the Department
OF Agriculture. Letters has been ser~
to those offices. and the views Of the
officials In charge viii be carefully
weighed.
1T was clearly 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 committee. therefore
is to gather information whichs win en-
able the board Of directors TO answer
these questions:
''Does this new method contribute to
such an enforcement?
"And. II 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 de-
vice which might be substituted for the
stamp and cannot possibly receive anv
representations in favor Of any such
device. -