The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1850-02-10
JUSTITIA.
WASHINGTON, D. G., Feb. 8, 1850.
A Christmas Pageant.

Communicated
A Christmas Pageant.
Cincinnati has long enjoyed pre-eminence in putting
beef operations Of which this city IS the theatre have
no means at hand Of comparing the magnitude OF the
beef business here with that Of Chicago or other important
Of our beef lie quality Of it, which has not only no SUI
perior, but no rival in the world for excellence.
Christmas day is the great gala day Of the butchers Of
for several years past has been such as to excite the adj
miraton and establishment OF every stranger in Cncn
nat-a class OF persons always here in great numbers
every previous display in this line
few days prior to the return OF this day OF fesvty
may be the noble animals which are TO grace the
stalls Christmas eve paraded through the Streets dec
Grated in fine style, and escorted through the principal
streets with bands OF music and attendant crowds, espe
cially Of the intantry They are then taken to the
cut up and distributed along the stalls Of one OF our prn
cipal markets.
Christmas falling last year on Tuesday, the exhibition
was made at what is termed our Middle or Fifth street
markethouse. This is three hundred and eighty feet
long, and of breadth and height Proportonate and
higher in fact in proportion to length than the eastern
market-houses Ii comprehends sixty stalls, which, on
this occasion, filled with steaks and ribs alone, 81
crowded TO do little than display half the breadth
Of the meat by the pieces overlapping each other and
ahording only the platforms beneath the stall and the
table, behind which the butcher stands for the dis
play of the rounds and other parts Of the One
hundred and Y stalls would nc not have been toe many
that day. in the manner beef usually hung up here and
in the eastern markets.
Sxy-sx bulocks, of which probably three fourths
were raised and fed in Kentucky and the residue in our
own State hundred and twenty five Sheep hung up
whole at the edges of the stalls three hundred and
finest and latest bears Missouri could produce and
buffalo calf, weighing five hundred pounds, caught at
Santa -Fe constituted the materials for this Christ
mas pageant The whole OF the beef stall
fed, some Of it since the cattle had been calves.
their average age being four years, and average
weight sixteen hundred pounds, ranging from ,3ss, the
lghtesl, to 500, the heaviest This last four years
DID, and had taken premium every year at exhibitions
in Kentucky since it calf The sheep were Bake
well and Southdown, and ranged from ninety hun
ded and ninety pounds 10 the carcass dressed and dyes
ed OF the head, SC. The roasters pigs would have
been considered extraordinary anywhere but At Pokopo
lis, the grand emporium OF fat hogs Suffice to say, they
did no dscredt 10 the rest Of the show Bear is
luxury unknown at the East and comparatively rare
here II is the ne plus ultra OF table enjoyment
The extraordinary weight Of the sheep will afford an
idea OF their condition for fat As TO the beef the fat
the TANKS measured and quarter inches, and
that on the rump and onsAa inches through
distinct idea may be formed BY the general reader 10
the thickness OF the fat upon the bee when he learns
that two of the lons, on which were five and half
inches Of fat became tainted because the meat could not
cool through in time and this when the thermometer
had been period higher than iry-sr degrees, and
ranging the principal pan OF the time from ten 20 eighteen
degrees aboue This fact extraordinary as il appears
can be amply substantiaied BY proof
Specimens OF these articles sent by citizens
friends abroad The largest sheep was purchased by f.
Rsngold. Of the ST. Charles, and forwarded whole to
Philadelphia. Coleman OF the Burnett House, forward
ed to his brother OF the Astor House, New York, nine
ribs OF beef, weighing hundred and twenty pounds
and Richard Bates, roasting piece OF sixty pounds,
by way Of New Years gift, % David T. Disney, our
representative in Congress You may possibly have
been on the committee to test its excellence
The Philadelphans and Balhmoreans confessed that
they had anything in the line to compare with
the specimens sent to those points.
The beef, Sc, was put up early upon Christmas eye
and BY twelve o'clock next day The whole stock OF beef
weighing 1900 pounds-was sold out; two-thirds OF il
at that hour being either preparing for the Christmas din
ner, or already consumed at the Christmas breakfast II
may surprise epcure TO learn that such beef
could be afforded 10 customers Tor eight cents per pound
the price at which II was retailed, Al average
No expense spared by butchers TO give effect
this great pageant The arches OF the market house
illuminated by chandeliers, and torches and lights
OF various descriptions were spread along the stalls Over
the stalls were oil portraits Tin gilt rames) OF Washing
ton, Jackson, Taylor Clay and other public characters
together with landscape scenes Most OF tbsse or.
gnals, copies by best artists The decorations
and other special expense these public spirited men
at reached thousand dollars The open space
of the market house was crowded early and late by the
coming and going hrong OF the thousands whose inter
est in such an exhibition ovecame the disbursement
OF being the open air at unreasonable hours late
night and before dayghtin the morning. and the Their
We owe this exhibition to the liberay Of some OF our
principal butchers: Vanaken Warder, John Butcher,
Daniel Wuncler, the Beresords, the Calls John Shke
and Eenbeger As they propose to outshne this parade
next Christmas day. would recommend every traveller
who expects TO visit Cincinnati about that period so to
time his arrival as to enable him to and Judge for
| himself Of the products OF the Great West.
know not how far this statement may interest gen.
era readers for am sensible description can convey
to reader the impression which such spectacle creates
Individuals from various sections OF the United States
and from Europe, who heresome of them English
men, and familiar with LeadenhsIl market-acknowl-
edged they bad never seen any show Of beef at all
parable with this. c.
CINCINNATI, February 1, 1850.
4