The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1910-02-11
No Jurisdiction Except Dur
ing Interstate Transit
Says Inspector
GIVES TESTIMONY
BEFORE COMMITTEE
Gives Away Many Of the Secrets
OF The Big Meat
Handlers.

FeCzure ne Purezu CT Animal IN
dustry OF the Department OF Agriculture
has inspection Jurisdiction only over
meats IN Interstate transit. Dr- J. T.
Repp. IN charge OF the inspection work
Of The bureau, this morning told the
Moore food inquiry committee that
contracts for meat 20 be furnished the
Districts penal Institutions and hos
pitals should be placed with outside
firms
In being cross-exau1tned on his test-
nouy By Representative COudrey, Dr.
Repp brought out the fact that his de-
partment does not inspect the meat fur
nished the District under contracts. this
being left TO local supervision
Approves Plan
DO Won not think it would be a
GOOD plan" asked 1Er- Ceudreyr 'to
nave the contracts placed Wits frrls
outside the District, so that you could
inspect the meat which is shipped into
the District"
..T think it would be a good plan
replied Dr. Renp. "and il ought 90 be
-eGufred---
interesting iUf0L-7z ton regarding the
practice Of packers in curing hams a7
the result Of which l- IS thought l-Hn-
able the committee VIII incorporate ID
the Moore bill a clause regulating the
handling OF cured meats as wei as
the storage OF fresh meats
Ham Secrets"
Right now. packers are taking hams
ont Of pickle before they are cured %
declared D-- Repp. and smoking them
and sending them out before the high
prices on that class OF meat drop
He asserted that while the proper
length Cf time Tor curing ham -= from
hams from rrE brine either Ds-a-7 SIX =
DAYS or allow them 20 remain there f1-
-70 days, as the market price demands
When asked whether hams which are
removed from brine before being cured
are injurious 90 health IT- Reup replied
thar they are apt 90 become soured tu
the smoking process which destroys
their UhoIesoueuess-
More than any other witness who Eas
-rpeared before the committee Dr
gepp gave testimony bearing directly
rsQon the one feature Of the Moore niI
which IS % 1.uir thH storage Of food
stuff IN tire District for a term not
longer thar ST. months
As To Fresh Meat
He asserted that fresh meet should be
storage no longer than two months
and THAI IN order 70 insure and protect
the health or The public i should moi
be kept In storage more than six
months
A6ouc the only disease that HaS---
been discovered IN cattle shipped TO rEe
District at some time OF u-re-. 1vfE-ua
from The testimony Of the various wit
raSSPS who have appeared before the
rouUitree. and according TO Ia Eeru
Is big Jaw Dr. Repp said be never
knew Of a case o. big -EE since rz
has been IN charge OF the Inspection
vcrE He said the disease wasn't one
which impaired the whOIescueuees OF
the meat Of the animal infected with g.
Isn't ft a trick Of the trade for pack.
e-s 70 pay farmers less for cattle az
fe-ted with big 5aW2' asked Represent.
affve johnson.
Is Disappearing"
yes. si-.'' replied Dr. Re77. but
think Fl IS one which has largely dis
well It zti1 prevails IN ny part o.
the country % said Representatlve John
son.
Dr. Reo- attempted % explain the
present nh prices Of hogs By sayinE
that IN -he fall OF 1907 hogs we're z
drug on the market. as they brougH-
no more tan Sz15 hundred Far
Uers became discouraged ar this DrlC.
and quit raising hogs, he said In thl
meantime the packers that falI used al
the storage space they could get and
later sold the meat for which the
lad paid Sf15 q hundred at 500 q nun
dred pounds