The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1915-05-21
Build Cattle Killing
Plant Urged Mayor
From Saturday Daily.

hogs. and cattle for consumption at
Mankato. the meat dealers think the
city ought TO erect the plant hut the
city officials are OF the opinion that
the meat dealers should themselves
organize cooperative company. and
have a plant of their own for their
common use.
All of this developed at confer
once held last evening ut the city hall
building between the meat dealers OF
the city and most of the leading city
officers. The result was that on the
suggestion of Dir. A. r. Schmitt, city
health officer. motion was passed
providing for the appointment OF a
committee of butchers. who viii make
thorough study OF the subject in
conjunction with the members OF the
local board of health. the city council
and any others who may be inter
ested.
Mayor \. G. Meyer last evening
appointed this committee as follows:
Charles Wagon. Charles +. Gunstrom.
C. VI. Roberts. Norman VI. Herman
son and Krank Nitzkowski.
Slaughter Houses Unsanitary.
Another important development NJ
the meeting was the fact that the
slaughter houses about Mankato are
Ia large extent utterly unsanitary
and unfit for the killing OF any ami
mails for human food. Mayor Meyer.
who was with the party that examin-
ed them late Yesterday afternoon. as
stated in last evenings Free Press,
was emphatic In his condemnation.
He said both the local board Of
health and the state board OF health
should take the proper steps to have
such places Eui out of business.
DIR. Schmiti remarked that he be-
lieyed that many of the local meat
dealers in order 10 avoid the neces-
sity OF patroniSing such filthy places.
had put in little slaughter plants of
their own. These were clean and
sanitary but they were contrary 10
the ordinance on the subject. People
objected 10 killing going on in the
city limits and as the ordinance for
bada that the ordinance would have
Ia be carried out.
City Attorney Phillips in reply 10 q
query stated that the ordinance for
babe any killing nearer than seventy
rods TO the city. This is little less
than quarter Of a mile.
Killing OF Calves.
Several meat dealers remarked that /
they did not see why there should be |
any objection to killing chickens in
side the city limits and as TO calves.
they thought these little animals
might be butchered without causing +,
any one 10 complain.
Mayor Meyer remarked that he did /
not think the ordinance was meant 10
cover the matter of the butchering OF
chickens. He did not think there could
he any objection TO the killing of
calves inside the city limits. There !
was not much waste product or offal !
Ia a calf II was not so with regard TO 1
a Log or a COW. however. He stated ,
that he would be in favor of modify ,
ing the ordinance so as to allow ex-
plicitly the butchering of calves and |
chickens inside the city. He remarked !
that the matter of butchering calves |,
had for a long time been passed over
in silence. while that was being done
in the city. although the ordinance |
forbade IT,
As Money Saver.
There was no small amount OF !
discussion on the question Of what
could be saved by killing the cattle |
and hogs near Mankato and having
them disposed OF right here. rather
than buy OF the big packers. II was
the consensus of opinion that while
the big packers could dispose of the |
whole body OF the animal with great
or economy than could be done at
small slaughter house. yet money
could be saved by using the small
sla ut.s. IA n
Of buying from the big packes. Some
Of the meat dealers argued that the
city could run the slaughter house
and make II pay just by using the by
products for itself. They stated that
this had been proven again and again ;
by men who had made money. allow
ing the use OF their slaughter houses.
and asking no other compensation
than the offal
Mayor Meyer expressed grave
doubts as 10 whether n city-owned
plant would pay with the amount OF
business that would be brought to Il,
though there was a general agree
ment that farmers would be apt 10
come To Mankato In larger numbers.
II there was a good public slaughter
house near the city. where their live
animals could be taken.
Point Made BY Meat Men.
Several OF the meat cutters made
the point that If the city could not
take that risk, the local meat dealers
could hardly be expected to take II,
but the mayor replied that II they had
the benefit OF the use of the plant for
their private business. II might pay
them 10 lose little on the business of
the plant itself. On the other hand. II
the city owned the plant. and Il did
not make money. the city could not
make up for this Improbable ven
ture through the retail sales. for the
city would not be in the retail meat
business.
ID. A. Little. representative of the
state dairy and food department. said
that in his opinion the main reason
why local butchers bought from the
big packing companies. was that To-
cally there were not good facilities
to do the killing and dressing. Kill
ing of large animals inside the city
might be- done In a very sanitary way
and yet prove a nuisance.
y. II. Lund of North Mankato, an
other inspector Of the same depart
ment. said that IL the butchers had a
good sanitary place. he did not see
any reason to forbid the killing of