“You see a lot of drunken men coming out of saloons, but you never see a drunken chicken coming out of a chicken coop.”
When Dr. Emerson asserted that 150,000 chickens were slaughtered in New York City every year in violation of the law regulating slaughter houses, several men and women jumped to their feet. All at once the men protested:
“But we slaughter them in a more sanitary way than the licensed slaughter houses.”
When this period of excitement had somewhat subsided, a little woman arose quietly and, on the ground that she kept two chickens for their eggs, protested against further reference to the killing of fowls as “slaughter.”
J. Howland Leavitt, Superintendent of Highways of Queens, endeavored to calm the chicken owners by assuring them that it must be the idea of the Department of Health to improve bad conditions without being too strict with those persons who complied with the health regulations.
“For instance,” said Supt. Leavitt, “I keep chickens within sixty-five feet of a school house. They do not disturb any of my neighbors, and there has never been any complaint about them, to my knowledge.”
“Have you ever received a permit to keep those chickens?” asked Dr. Emerson.
“No,” replied Mr. Leavitt, and the chicken owners were forced to laugh--for the first time.
On behalf of citizens of Queens and Richmond Boroughs in their districts, Aldermen Burden of Flushing and O’Rourke of Richmond made certain objections to the proposed ordinance. Alderman Burden said his constituents were satisfied with the present law, and only asked for adequate inspection. Alderman O’Rourke said it would be more in keeping with the Mayor’s policy to apply home rule to chickens and leave each Assistant Sanitary Superintendent with jurisdiction in his borough.
The fears of the chicken raisers were somewhat allayed when Commissioner Emerson read a letter from one of their number suggesting a few modifications to the proposed ordinance. He took a vote on the suggestions and the majority indorsed them.
Before the meeting was closed the chicken owners voted their thanks to Dr. Emerson for his patience in hearing their complaints.
Are women less brave than men in time of danger?
J. C. McDonnell, chief of the fire prevention bureau, precipitated the second chapter in the controversy yesterday when he appeared before the judiciary committee of the city council and reiterated his contention that public safety demanded the substitution of men for women ushers in Chicago theaters.