The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1910-02-28

I
the ''inedible" portions OF the animals
killed are cared for in a room built
under government specifications
These specifications provide that there
must be two entrances, with room
between the main portion of the
building and that used for handling
inedible meats. This is true on the
main floor, as well as in the basement,
where the inedibles are handled in the
form of oil, and material from which
the fertilizer is made.
Cooked With Steam.
Condemned carcasses and such por-
tons of the animal as cannot be used
for other purposes are placed in large
steel tanks, sealed each night by gov
eminent inspectors. Steam is then
turned into these receptacles, and each
morning the inedible fat is drawn off,
and material for the fertilizer re-
, moved from the building. The fed
eral inspectors demand that the fer
tilizer be handled in a separate build
! ing 100 feet from the main factory,
and this is done, the blood being also
transferred to this smaller plant to be
prepared for poultry food and fer
! tilizer In case it is desired to hold
the condemned animals until the fol-
lowing day, they are placed in spec
tally prepared room, the key to which
is carried only by the government in
spector.
The sewage Of the entire building
is conducted through catch basins in
the basement, where all particles of
fat may be gathered by the fine
screens. The water is then forced by
pumps into another basement outside
the building, where another set of
screens is provided. In this manner
everything is saved, as the fat thus
gathered is used in the manufacture
of soap grease, which is contained in
barrels labeled in large letters, In
edible grease" as required by the
meat inspection law.
Refrigerators.
After going through the various
processes, the meats ready for the
market are placed in five large re-
frigerators, having an immense ca
pacity, and with a temperature of
from 80 to SO degrees continually. The
overhead rails extend into these
coolers" and it is never necessary to
handle the articles while transferring
them from one part of the building to
another. The smoked meats, kept on
the second floor where they are pre-
pared for market, are carried upward
on a powerful elevator, supplied with
the overhead tracks, and it is but
the work of a moment to switch from
one track to another, thereby reach |
ing any portion of the building.
The company maintains its own
storeroom in the basement, where
practically everything used in the con-
duct of the business is kept in whole
sale lots.
About IS men are now employed at
the packing house by the Walla Walla |
Meat &. Cold Storage company, all
being under the direction of the fed |
Beaky The men are provided with |
steamheated dressing rooms, and
toilet facilities such as are specified
by the government. They are not
permitted to wear their working gar
ments other than in the work room,
and the strictest vigilance is main
tanned throughout, to prevent any
contamination of meats being pre-
pared.
After each suspected animal is
slaughtered, the knives and appliances
are washed in a strong disinfectant,
and in this manner the danger of
spreading infection from one carcass
to another is eliminated. The av
erage person would be surprised tot
learn with what degree of care the
big plant is conducted to maintain a |
perfect sanitary condition, and con- |
sumers would then be in a position
to judge for themselves whether there |
were any grounds for criticism such |
as was recently given out in Olympia |
regarding diseased animals sent to the
state penitentiary.