Baton-Rouge gazette. [volume] (Baton-Rouge, La.) 1819-1856, 1843-11-18
THE PORK TRADE OF CtNCfN-
MATT.

THE PORK TRADE OF CfNCfN-
MATT.
The history OF the pork business IN tho city
| IL interesting, when one contemplates its pre-
sept magnitude Twenty years since, VIC arc
| told, il was 50 magnificent that not one house
was engaged in ii exclusively, and tho whole
number ii hogs them cut in one season did
not exceed 10000. At that period, the hogs
were killed (as Isolated farmers now kill
them 10 the country out Of doors. and then
hung ppe, il pole. The butchers charged the
farmer t2I to 90 cents per head for killing
them, and The offsal AZ at present. From this
insignificant beginning the business has in.
creased, so that the number Of hogs killed
this year will probably reach 10000. and the
butchers now frequently pay 10 to % Cents
preuii1 am per bead for the prinizegs of Killing
them. And instead Of q few houses inciden-
tally engaged In The business a part Of the
year, there are now 20 pork houses exclh.
siveIy engaged in it, and which use q capital
Of nearly two millions Of dollars, which, by
the way. has been mostly foreign this season.
owing 10 the disasters Of the last three years
The district Of country in the Yves deye-
ted Ia tbs raising Of pork AZ an article OF
commerce, includes Ohio, Kentucky. Ipdianss
Illinois, Missouri, Iowa, and Il part Of Tennes-
see ; but the bulk Of the business IL done
within Il circle Of 800 miles in diameter, with
Cincinnati as lis centre, including the eofifi4
guous parts Of Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana
Hogs are, however, frequently driven 10 this
market from n distance Of 100 miles. AZ not.
ygiibsssn djue large numbers are killed at va
IONS places IN tic Wabash and Miami val.
teys. nj Madison, Ia. Portsmouth, Cbillieothe,
81 sIsa- I4a3u.sa sHfIf 1SnFrutTaf@ In the
largest esfies, where labor, salt. barrels, and
other facilities are naturally most abaudad
In a %porntous city, also, the steaks, spare.
ribs, &c, not used In packing, can always be
disposed of for cash without loss and II, this
CITY, also, If anywhere in tho West, active
cash capital Is always found.
To- the above district the number Of hogs
prepared for market this season will not fal
sI,ort Of 100000 land this Ii not a larger mum.
her than tisual), besides the vast amount de.
tanned for domestic consumption. Or ffl'
number 10000 are probably packed IN Gin
~ciopatti. 10000 more will probably here 10
a market or re-shipmenf, and 100000 NOR
NAV be act down as the estimate sor f'foss
{ that will be shipped from various other towns
on the river, without being landed. VI ~
, above number 1905 are raised ia the Wa
bash Valley alone. t~
Our bogz are fed on corn exclusively. The.
srenever" fed on mn kon," 30 IN English no
blemau lately STATE. al an agricultural fair
/. The stock is well crossed with imported AMI
: mails from Europo. Of the various Cbfnisf
Irish. English and Russian breeds, and j
probably exceeded by none in the Unite
States. Hogs have been raised here weighin
t over f201 lbs, but the average weight run
. from $40 10 $50 p,unds-the latter size be
u ing The most destr.ole.
In Kentucky, the drovers frequently bn
+ ,ae f,oos alive Of The farmers by gross weigh
u as ia sometimes the case in Ohio and Indian
But generally The farmers club together (eac
Q one having fis hogs nrarkedJ and drive tbef
if 10 market themselves in drovss Of 800 to I.
i m0. and seldom less than 500, except in tn
r immediate sicjaiiy of the city. During tn
q frs, day or two, the hogs cannot we'll travt
rrore fhan four to six miles but after thu
!. they ftaye1 eight and sometimes len miles pt
day. dependirg upon the condition OF IN
! roads. The Yorkshire are said to be the be-
travellers. :.
- Having reached some Of the extensis
! ~slauebtering establishments in The nelgfbo
I, hood of the city. a bargain 10 nHaae VIII u
y butchers to kill and dress them, which
=. done for their ofsat, and the hogs after belf
:" dressed are also carried to town at the e
y ner,za Of the butcher. But as WI have de
= crihed all the minutig of this part OF the bus
}, uasz IN The Gazette of the Bird insss we he
omit II.
~ THE hog is bought by the pork packt
= coupleteIv dressed by the butcher, and deii
~ cred at the pork house. The fsrst thing -
= weigh him.. LIE is then passed TO a blo'
9 e;yI,t feet long, four four feet wide, and tv
foot high from the floor, at which two cutie
stsnd- one on each side Of the block, and ca
= arrned with an exceedingly sharp cieay'
ID ahou, two feet long and sin lrcfes wide. L,
ID other men pass up the hog on the block, p
- eng him upon his side. One cutter cuss
= the head. the other the hams, each al a sine
ri stroke. The hams are passed TO the nal
,rimroer at an adjacent table, who frinis IDA
raadv for sailing. The head IL sometimes u
:, the soap boiler, in which case 1t 10 tnro'
- INTO a bean near the door TO be handy for n
- "a, o.her times il 10 used in making pfsi
- rork. and IL Is then passed to- a hand TO So
clean- and wash, ready for the packer. 4
~ de- and shoulders. still left on the block,
IL sni;t in two Ieuorfrwise of the hog through
nc ST. the backbone. The leaf lard
leH 49, t.;nmed out-the shoulder cut from
it's side, and passed into The cellar 70 os Gu
: IN bulk in dry salt. The side. II from a ne'
fat hog, is split each side INTO Jour p
l~enpthwise with the rib the pieces or s,i
III. thus cut being about SIX inches woe ana
long. The thickest strips OF the SIDES d
the butt end of the rib and backbone T.
ont and made into clear pork ; the ign
:. simmer sides are sometimes cut up for pr
id . nork or thin mess, but are most conath'