The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1910-11-04

: -
investigating the condition, of the food
factories, which is a, fine thing. They
have a white list, and buy of those on
this list, and this is working to bring
about general reform of conditions.
Mankato has the worst bakeries of
any place that 1 have. visited. / was
accompanied in my visits by num-
Der of persons who will bear out my
statements of fact.
Candy factories. There has been some
talk about the Greek candy Kitchen,
will vary from my rule of not men.
tioning places by name. Many had
an idea, seemingly, that | would find
most to criticse there. However, the
Greek candy kitchen is the cleanest
candy making establishment in the
city. 1t is so much cleaner than the
others that in justice to it this should
be mentioned. 1 find this SO in most
cities.
The Greek store has much exposed
fruit and very dirty areas in the
walks, and poor ventilation in the
basement, but the tables were clean,
and the rough stone walls had been
whitewashed recently and were clean.
Needs of the Grocery Store.
1 notice that it is common in Man
kato to have no place to wash hands.
Every grocery store should have places
with running hot and cold water and
sanitary paper towels, so that people
that handle your food may have clean
hands. Sanitary paper towels are also
fine in the schools.
Sanitary soap should be used-the
liquid soap in globes. The women
of this town can have just what they
want if they will take the proper
steps.
Meat Markets.-One had well tiled
floors and enameleI tops in front,
but the cooling room was not very
good, as it had wooden floors and was
dirty. The extra refrigerator was
exceedingly dirty. An ordinary broom
was used to sweep, with no dust
layer. Only cold water was used for
washing and there were no towels.
The smoked meat hung against filthy
wall. In another market a very
dirty smoke room was found in the
rear, with no screen to keep flies out.
Fortunate in One Thing.
Mankato is fortunate in having a
federal inspected packing house. 1t is
not model, but it is very good for
a city of this size. There are some
things about it to be criticised, un-
paved yards, unsanitary sort OF closet,
but entirely separated from the meat
rooms, etc. Six or seven butchers
have their killing done there, as
the terms are reasonable. One or two
have slaughter houses of their own,
and one of these that L visited was as
vile, filthy and unsanitary a place for
killing as 1 have ever seen.
When L mentioned to chief city
official about going out to see these
places, he replied that it was outside
of the city limits and out of the city's
supervision. This is wrong view to
take. Every city has not only the
right but the duty to supervise the
food supplies from outside as well as
inside of the city. The worst thing
that 1 saw was the danger of keeping
meat from diseased animals, where kill.
ing is done without inspection. Where
there is no provision against it, it is
reasonable to think that you may be
eating diseased meat. You should re-
quire that all meat be slaughtered at
the packing. At Owatonna, even the
farmers do it there.
Milk. At one place visited they
claimed to pasteurize milk by heating
it to ITO degrees for moment and
then cooling it. An exceedingly dirty
cooler was used, but it may ordinarily
be clean, as they claimed for it. Such
pasteurization is no safeguard, but is
cloak for old and dirty milk. No
nasteurization at such temperature
is any good. 1t is better to get milk
that don't need pasteurizing. Many
milk bottles returned were unwashed
and some were not thoroughly washed.
Housewives should thoroughly wash
the bottles before returning them
Visited the Diaries.
Diaries. One place visited was fairly
good, but some things were needed.
and the owner promised to make the
improvements suggested. 1 found other
milk places not up to the standard.
/ The worst found in the city. limits
was where eight cows and two horses
arc kept crowded in small building.
The premises were dark and dirty, the
building inadequately lighted and the
pals used dirty. In another place five
cows were kept in barn ten by thir-
teen feet. There is necessity for
proper cooling of the milk at all
places, as germs multiply rapidly.
The work of testing the cows for tu-
berculosis, which was begun in this
city, should be kept up. 1t is mis-
take to advertise for the lowest bidder
for testing cattle. The work should
be well done, and not hurried through
with for want of adequate pay. An
injustice is apt to be done in the con.
demning of healthy cattle. The work
should be done by someone, not tied
up by the local dairy interests. 5. II
can best be done. by someone under