Packing-houses

Mary Eleanor O’Donnell reports on the conditions found among women strike-breakers in the stockyard plants of Chicago. She describes her experience working as a strike-breaker in the kitchen at Swift & Co.’s, noting the unsanitary environment and difficult working conditions. O’Donnell provides 15 facts she found from her investigation into the condition the strike-breakers housed in stock yard plants, including the violation of city laws, “the bringing of paupers and criminals to the city to fill the places of strikers,” the “distribution of impure, vile foodstuffs,” unsanitary conditions likely to spread disease, and the disregard of moral laws.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-08-19

Mary McDowell reports on the reasons behind the strike in the Packinghouse district of Chicago, which is more peaceful than previous strikes. Labor unions have been more successful in organizing. McDowell also discusses the living conditions of the district.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-07

Mary McDowell reports on the reasons behind the strike in the Packinghouse district of Chicago, which is more peaceful than previous strikes. Labor unions have been more successful in organizing. McDowell also discusses the living conditions of the district.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-07

Photograph of a painting by Einar H. Olstad of the meat packing plant established by the Marquis de Morès across the Little Missouri River from the town of Medora, North Dakota. Also depicted in the painting are horseback riders and a Northern Pacific train.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt National Park

Creation Date

1960-1970

President Roosevelt advises Secretary of Commerce and Labor Straus that any investigation into labor conditions should be conducted by the Bureau of Labor over the Census Bureau, as this is not “merely a statistical investigation.” Citing the Labor Bureau’s effective investigation into the meat-packing industry, Roosevelt states that the Bureau of Labor should not be punished for its previous efforts and that any investigation put forward is to yield positive results that would persuade Congress to enact legislation if need be. Roosevelt has not witnessed any “dereliction of duty” from the Bureau or the Commissioner of Labor Charles Patrick Neill.   

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-02-20

President Roosevelt asks Commissioner of Labor Neill to inspect the beef-packing buildings of Chicago on January 1, 1907, and report to him on the differences in conditions there compared to his recent inspection.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-06-28

President Roosevelt warns Secretary of Agriculture Wilson to be careful of further leaks from his department regarding the governmental investigations into beef packers. Roosevelt believes that the department should announce that the report is merely a preliminary one, as he is also unsatisfied by its current state. At present, it does not give any clear, definite answers, and Roosevelt has submitted it to Commissioner of Labor Charles Patrick Neill for revision and further development.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-04-11

L. E. Minot asks for Theodore Roosevelt’s support for the creation of a stock market surrounding the buying and selling of meat. Minot proposes a plan that involves securing agreements with cattle ranchers and other suppliers, as well as establishing suitable stock yards and packing houses. The goal is for this stock exchange to impact the entire country, and give rural districts access to farther markets. In addition to Roosevelt, Minot has sent this proposal to many leading figures such as the Secretary of Agriculture James Wilson and politicians such as Woodrow Wilson and William Jennings Bryan.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-08-31

A. E. De Ricqles is willing to provide a statement on the Garfield report regarding the packing house proposition for President Roosevelt’s information.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-04-29

Commissioner of Corporations Garfield writes to President Roosevelt about investigations he conducted of the meat-packing and petroleum industries. Garfield discusses the positive negotiation process with Standard Oil branches in Kansas. Garfield also discusses the difficulties of working with the meat-packing industry and with cattle raisers.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-04-22

Article about the Marquis de Mores, his founding of the town of Medora, and the failed attempt to sustain a meatpacking plant in the Badlands of Dakota Territory. The article also describes his mansion, the Chateau de Mores, and its evolution into a house museum run by the state of North Dakota.

Photographs of the Marquis de Mores and the Chateau accompany the article.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

Frank Nelson Doubleday is letting President Roosevelt know that they have succeeded in having Upton Sinclair revise his book and he thinks that the book has a good influence on the packers. Doubleday specifically mentions that they are asking Sinclair to cut what Roosevelt refers to as a “ridiculous socialistic rant” at the end of the book.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-03-23