The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-01-25

Declaring that the findings OF the food
inspectors of the District health depart
ment. relative TO the condition of the
markets. slaughterhouses. and provision
stores. are not altogether in accord with
those embodied in the recent alleged
statement of Assistant Secretary of Agri-
culture Hays before the House Committee
on Agriculture. Health officer W. c.
Woodward yesterday submitted &c the
Commissioners a lengthy communication
discussing the criticisms OF the District
officials purpOrted 10 have been made by
the Assistant Secretary of Agriculture.
Dr. Woodward is making a personal in
vestigation of the conditions Of the mar
ket houses, provision stores, and commits
sion houses, a report Of which will be
submitted TO the Commissioners within
few days
Commissioner mcfarland announced
/ yesterday that without waiting for DR..
/ 'Noodwards report on the whole subject,
1 the Commissioners have ordered hear
/ ing for next Monday on the question Of
/ the repeal Of the police regulation which
permits the display of meats and provi-
sions in front Of the stores on Louisiana
avenue and street between Ninth and
Tenth streets northwest. In his letter To
/ the Commissioners. DIR. Woodward says:
Health Department Not Notified.
If the Department of Agriculture has
/ ever become aware Of the existence Of in
/ sanitary conditions In local slaughter
houses, it has never communicated that
/ fact to the health department of the
/ District Of Columbia, nor has any letter
/ ever been written by the Department Of
/ Agriculture. that has come 20 my lnOwl-
/ edge, recommending the erection of a mu-
nicipal abattoir On the contrary. pres
sure by the health department having
1 been found To tend strongly 10 drive into
an adjacent State establishments slaugh-
terlng animals for consumption in the
/ District Of Columbia. the attention Of the
+ Department Of Agriculture was invited,
under date of August 9, 1904, 10 the i'm
portance of establishing. under the then
existing regulations governing the
slaughtering of cattle for interstate com
meroe. a proper inspection service.
The Department OF Agriculture having
announced its inability to establish such
an inspection service. the health depart
ment felt that nothing could be gained
by action that would drive slaughter
houses from the District Of Columbia int'
territory where they would be free from
all inspection whatsoever. and did tbs
best IL could TO keep under inspection
slaughterhouses located in the District
But as soon as practicable. after ~
efficient system of interstate inspection
had been provided for by Congress, III,
health department, on its own initiative
took action looking toward the improve
meut of local slaughtcThOuses. knowinl
that IN view Of the newly established in
terstate inspection service there would b,
no iuducement for persons desiring 20 IS
cape inspection 10 leave the District @
Columbia and to locate in other yuris
dictions. Legislation that was drafted j.
the health department for that pUrpOs'
is now pending in Congress.
Assistant Secretary Not Specific.
50 far as relates TO the alleged disgust
ing conditions. prevailing in the markets
} and provision stores in the District OF
Columbia. it is "a matter Of exceeding
great regret that the Honorable Assistant
Secretary of Agriculture has not been spe
cifc in his statements as 10 whom ND
where these conditions have been found
and that his reference 10 the single local
ity definitely described does not mention
E which OF the establishments therein 10
Gated were complained of. and the partic
ular nature Of the complaint in each case
II is 10 be regretted, too. that he ia,
s not furnished specific information as Z,
how the results of the Investigation
, made 10y the Department OF AgTicultuU
ia the District of Columbia compared will
the results of such Investigations. if any
the Department OF Agriculture has mad,
in other cities throughout the United
States.
Difference I'm Investigators.
In connection with the JfscreD3ncv thaY