Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1834-12-25
GREAT PORK MARKET.


,he known world. The number of hogs slaugh- |
tered annually, and the perfection and science
20 which the art Of hog killing has been brought
is indeed astonishing. The business of butcher
inc. is carried on distinct from that OF packing,
and by different persons. The most extensive
establishment of the kind, Is the one on Deer
Greek. owned and conducted by John w. Cole
man. At this place, last year, 10O,s64 hogs
were slaughtered. There are four houses STU
ated at different points on the ground occupied,
which is a lot of eight acres-the GROUND Is uiVi-
ded into pens, some forty or nifty IN numoer,
where the hogs Of each owner are put by them.
selves. preparatory to the massacre. About Az
men are emoloyed in each house, and each has
his separate and allotted duty to periom, and re-
ceive on an average about 81 rs per day. Each
house has two scaldng tubs, one at each end, so
that the work OF death and dstructon' goes on
double in each building At each end OF the
house is small pen. into which they crowo ao
or so hogs or as many as can possibly De got IN;
then walks in on their backs the dark and bloody
executioner holding in his hand large sledge
hammer with which he deals death TO the un
attending victims-after which they are dragged
inside the house, knife passed into the throat
and after bleeding a few seconds, thrown INTO a
kettle of hot water from thence to dock,
where the bristles are scraped on win iron
scrapers, made expressly for the purpose-then
strung up by their hind feet and dressed-thence
removed to another room, where they remain 10
cool until morning, and then taken on wagons
TO the packing houses. lt Is out little over
one inmate from the time the erecutfoner enters
the men and Knocks the hog doun, tiHhe is strung
,,D and dressed The bleeding, scaldlng scrap
in stringing I'D, and inside dressing, is all &C
complished in about a minute. ms VIII DC
thought marvellous. but 1t is no more strange
than true Ihave frequently witnessed with as
constituent the operation, AT one OF Mr.. Cole
mans slaughter houses, he has man that opens,
removes the offal, and completes the dressing OF
three hogs in minute-to this man (who is a
sort of king among the hog killers he pays S23
per day. ,,,d
have them completely dressed and strung up
tnreparatory to- removal in the morning to the
nnsckino houses sir hundred and fifty in a day,
which Is altogether, at this one establishment
t,eenty-sir hnndred-and this done from day
light in the morning till dark, say at this time,
about eleren hours, allowing 80 minutes for din
ner. Mr. Coleman informed me, that he has al
ready killed this fall between so and 10000 has
been at work but or weeks-the only pay ne
receives is thelotfal consisting OF rough fat, soap,
yrease and bristleS-this is generally worth,
nett 20 10 25 cents each hog. 1t is supposed he
cleared at this business last season lana the
season lasts but about three monthsl some NJ
teen or twenty thousand dollars. The whole
number of hogs killed last year in the city and
vicinity is ascertained 10 be little rising one
hundred and tucRfy three thousand Deer Greek
Is a stream running into the Ohio river on the
estern suburb of the city-about hall mile up
this stream, these slaughter houses OF Mr. Cole
man are situated-and during the whole hog
season. this stream, from the houses 10 the n
yer, is running blood, and generally goes oy the
name of bloody river.'
Others are engaged in the s'aughterlng ousl-
ness, but not on so large a scale as Mr.. Coleman,
who is, what Yankees call, smart man.
From the slaughter houses, the hogs are con-
viewed i'm large wagons, that hold from 20 10 ~,
to the various packing houses, which1re situa-
ted in almost every part Of the city, and there
weighed cut up packed, &c. The purchasers
nav for them as per the weight alter being dress
ed. These packing houses are upon the most
extensive scale The capital employed every
year in the hog business is immense, proDa-
bly about tuo millions Of dollars. One of the
most extensive packing houses in the city, IS
owned and conducted by Miller Leo-thelr
building is of brick, three stories hign, lEo Ieet
long, go wide with out buildings, sheds, &c. that
cover for aught know, an acre OF ground
These men, who are very enterprising, nave
high reputation for the uniform excellence OF
their Pork, as also for their superior Hams their
sugar hams are said to be as good as any GU
red i'm any part of the Union. There are other
PORK Houses equally large, and on as exten'
siye a scale. At one Of these large Pork Houses
thew can mack and have ready for shipment
t,uo hundred and fifty barrels Of Pork IN one day,
and am informed, upon PINCH three hundred
barrels could be turned out, and that with mir-
IN men in about fourteen or fifteen hours. IL Is,
indeed astonishng, the rapidly with which they
nut hog out of sight, when they once get fair
hold of him. As at the slaughter houses, per-
feet system is kept up, every man has his ahot- |
ted duty to perform, and there is consequently |
NO interference with each other; every thing
goes on { like clock work':-when the hogs are
received, they are first weighed, by the weigher,
then passed to the " blocking men," who place
them on the several blocks, 1.-TWO are generally
used) when they are received by the "Cufters,"
and are very quickly despatched-the various
qualities separated and thrown into their res
pective places. One man weighs for the bar"
rels, (2Oo pounds) and throws the meat IN the
" salt bor," from which the "-Packer" receives i
H. and when the barrel is packed is turned over
TO the Cooper" who heads it-itis then bored,
filed with strong brine, plugged, branded, and
ready for shipment. Fifty pounds of Turks ISL
and. or other coarse SALT is allowed to each bar.
rel OF Pork. =
,,g into the kettIes-the leaf lard goes into one
Las,le and the rough lard into another-there
-, q .I