The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1913-10-16
North Dakota Club Women
Assume Wild Interest in
Public Heath Of State


sis, the wiser plan is to at once see to
it that we have statewide inspection
or milk and meat the same as we have
OF food. It would mean not only a
| lasting name for our state, health and
happiness and good morals, but, on a
cold cash basis, an addition in large
number Of the dollar worth of our
state, and it's standing in the CONNER
cial world. The united effort Of the
women's clubs of the state co-operat-
Ing with Prof. E. F. Ladd, food COM
| missioner, can bring this thing to pass
B: Beneficial Results.
CAS- an example of the many bene-
fetal results toward public health and
sanitary living to be obtained through
food and market inspection, the &C.
, complishment of the women of Grand
| Forks in securing for that city the
| first municipal slaughter house in the
state Of North Dakota stands out pre-
eminently. In that city the site has
been selected and excavation complet-
ed for a thoroughly modern and per-
fectly equipped city abbatoir, which
is being erected at a cost of $4,000.
Before freeze-up this fall all fresh
meat sold and eaten within that city
will be slaughtered, dressed and stored
under the most sanitary conditions
possible and every pound will pass a
thorough inspection for tuberculosis
before it is offered for sale or con-
sumption. Because this splendid pub
lie health improvement has been
secured solely through the unceas-
ing efforts of the Women's Civic
league of that city and because
slaughtering conditions there, as terri
BILE as the city inspector found them,
probably were no worse than exist to-
n ~ thnfs oiti nf h@ fot
because the same result could be
gained in all North Dakota cities if
the example of this city were follow
ed, a brief resume of their campaign
undoubtedly will be as interesting as
any work that has come to the notice
of the federation's public health de-
partment. -- .-
"The Grand Forks city abbatoir will
be used for the killing, dressing, stol.-
ing and sanitary handling of all meat
products used in Grand Forks with
the. exception, of course, of packing
house meats that has government in
spection. The building will be a one
story structure with full basement and
Of brick and concrete construction
throughout. 1t will be equipped with
the most up to date slaughtering
necessities, running hot and cold
water, sewerage, perfect refrigeration
system and inspection and all local
slaughtering must not only be done
at this plant but further bear the
stamp Of nfhciai inspection before it
can be offered for. SALE The arrange
nent 5of the Building Will include a
cattle killing floor, hog killing room
with q rendering plant, storage and
hyde rooms, cooling room, office rooms
and either the ammonia or ice refrig-
erationt system, that having not vet
been definitely decided though the city
council has already sent it's repre-
sentative on an inspection trip to
other cities for that purpose.
The plan for. the abbatoir manage
bent Is not yet decided but the mayor
and city council have several PROPOSE
t1ons under consideration. Statistics
which secured during the campaign
by getting from the several city
butchers the exact number Of animals
killed during the year proved that
the plant will not only. be self sup
porting but pay the interest on the
bonds and a. balance each year to-
ward redeeming the bonds The
management Of the plant, however,
whether in the hands of one man en-
ployed by the city or party to whom
1t will be rented for period Of years
will at all times be under direct con-
troll of the city.
Slaughtering.
Nov a word on past slaughtering
conditions in Grand Forks in marked
contrast to what they will be as soon
as the abbatoir is completed this
fall.
About two and one-half years ago
when the only inspection for sanitary
living maintained in that city was that
h shTI h. Nnv
league for a few. months out Of the
year l made a., trip to the several
slaughter houses. The filthy condi-
tions found cannot be pictured in
words and any one of you who might
have made a similar trip at that time
surely would be so turned against
meat slaughtered at any one Of those
places that you could not let 1t pass
your lips again until that trip had
long been forgotten. ~
In the first place the houses were
but shacks which gave shelter only
from the sun and wind. There was
neither running water nor sewage, no
screens nor protection from dust.
germs or foul odors from the piles of
decayed offal just outside the door.
All killing, dressing and cooling was
done in one room and the water used
was hauled in barrels from the CITY.
time for scalding hogs until it be-
came SO thick with filth that it was
chick as syrup. The rendering tank
was but step from the scalding
tank and before it was filed with tall
low thrown into it from time to time
to be dried out, magots thrived by the
hundreds, only to be destroyed when
me tank was heated up,
"You can imagine my disgust when
on one of my first trips to these
slaughter houses found exactly this
condition in one Of the rendering
.anks. I had gained access to the
lace by climbing high board fence
and shortly after my arrival the
butcher appeared. 1 asked him what
allow. Why, I just came out to try
it out was his reply. But what
about these magots crawling ali
through it?' asked. o, I'll cook them
all up together and that will DESTROY
them, was his matter fact answer
In the winter time offal was heap
ed in piles higher than the building
warm weather Of spring. In the sum
mer time it was piled on stone boats
and often swollen and decayed before
1T was burned. No such thing as
scrubbing, whitewashing or cleansing
was ever thought of.
~ Killing on Farms.
Much killing also was done all
farms in the country and the same
hauled to the city through the heat
s..d dust and sold. This will not be
tolerated under the municipal plan.
4'The fact that it took the women
of Grand Forks over two years to
secure this municipal slaughter house
was due only to a state law which
limited the use of municipal funds
and this had to be amended before
Grand Forks could take action. The
Civic lea p1la Jadias hegan fl1air ~, -, q