The Meatpacking Industry During The Early 1900's

The meatpacking industry during the early 1900's was unsanitary, unregulated and incredibly dangerous work. Children as young as three were often employed and forced to work long hours (sometimes 12-15 hour days) for very little pay. Enforcing simple things like hand washing and requiring the use of hairnets were unheard of. Therefore the meat was often contaminated with sweat, dirt, and human hair (among other things).

The machinery used to process the meat was also a problem. There were reports of workers falling into rendering tanks and being ground, along with animal parts, and sold as lard.

Regulation of the meatpacking industry began in 1906 after President Theodore Roosevelt read a book about the plight of the working class and the corruption of the meatpacking industry by journalist Upton Sinclair. The book was a Pulitzer Prize winner and covered the facts of the meatpacking industry of the time.

This book led to the 'Meat Inspection Act' and the 'Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906', which eventualy led to the 'Food and Drug Administration' (FDA).

You can download the entire book for free at American Libraries. Images are via The Library of Congress and are from a panoramic photograph taken by the Chicago based photographer Geo. R. Lawrence Co. in 1900.

Grub: Food In The 1800's

The Cowpunchers: A cowpuncher (anyone who tended cows on horseback) in the old west often spent a good deal of their time on the trails moving cattle. Many times these groups would have a “trail cook” who would prepare meals. A favorite dish was chili and as early as 1828 trail cooks were serving this combination of pork, beef, chilies, oregano, and garlic to the cowboys. It didn’t require refrigeration and was easy to make. It also didn’t originally have beans, those came later.

The Prospectors: Many prospectors were foolish when they thought they could get rich during the California gold rush. Knowing nothing about the local vegetation and little about cooking, scores of men died from a lack of vitamin C, commonly known as scurvy. The condition could have easily been cured by eating any of the several plants that grew wild in the area. Prospectors ate mostly meat, bread, coffee, tea…and lots of alcohol.

The Soldiers: During the Civil War most soldiers didn’t have much to eat. What they did have a lot of was hardtack (stale cracker type bread given to soldiers in the North) and cornmeal (in the South). The most popular dish in both armies was actually quite similar. Northerner troops called it “skillygallee” and it was a mixture of crumbled hardtack and fried pork. The southern version of this dish combined cornmeal, fried bacon and water. The Confederate soldiers called it “coosh.”

The Slaves: Enslaved Africans can almost single handily take credit for what is today known as “southern food.” Some of these so-called comfort foods, like sweet potato pie, also have European or French influences, but others, like watermelon and okra, were actually smuggled into the States by captured Africans and grown in secret.  

Reference: 500 Years of American Food