New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-01-07
WHAT WE EAT,

The statistics of slaughtered animals for this City
present bideOus, sanguinary array Few of us think
as We sit down beefsteaks and mutton chops of
the total of the awful havoc Of quadrupeds
saTy to our savory dishes. Our report for the first
quarter of the year gave 2353 head of beef cattle
cold on the great market-days-that is, on Monday
Of each week, at Aeron's, Forty ourth-st; making
average of 1s04 for each marketday For the quarter
ending July l. the number offered at that market on
Mondays was 90 92l to which add 3777 sold on Thurs
days and have 3O69S for the quarter, 1851 per
week. Since July our arrangements have been such
that we have been able to make more accurate
weekly statement OF all the animals brought TO this
City for slaughter than attempted before and
the result ia curious The number of beeyes sold at
Fortyfourthst on each Monday amounts in the total
during this last named period 81 87O the number Of
beeyes at Forty ourthat on other days is g. s0 for
the same period total number of beeyes sold 1888;
total number of sheep and lambs sold in the City
350,9S6; total number of veals, including those with
cows, 1899 total number of swine 1865; total
number OF mich cows 5,148 total number of animals,
slaughtered in SIX months in this City, 60l7i2.
1t may be safely assumed that the number of animal
auehtered in the first half of the year equal to the
last af for though the sheep numbered less the defc
eney than made up by very largely increased
number OF yeas. The grand totals of the year would
then be follows Animals slaughtered in the City of
New-York during the year 1853: Beeyes I9l ,766;
Sheep sLd Lambs, FOL s72 veals, 32,733; Swine,
l3S, 1866 making in all, l,203,4S4-one million two
hundred and three thousand four hundred and eighty
four. averaging 80 IA per week The beeyes for the
last six months average 3,4S7 week of which, from
actual observation set down the average weight
at 575 lbs each making COS OPS lbs ofbutehered beef
which, at the lowest rate we may average at &c.
pouEi making Sl6O,4C2 week paid by the City to
the Country every week. for the single article of fresh
beef besides perhaps half that amount for other meats
The Capitalization Of Bah! lon and Rome, drained
and destroyed those empires by exhaustng the soil of
tie country for the maintenance of the cty-all being
taken from the ground and little returned to nurture it,
We grzze as we grow, Individuals, and the truth
nay be Of cities for phosOshy as to whether we
should have cities at alas Wanted distributing points
TO whether the Earth can sustain such institutions
or long period Of years without becoming desert is
yet to be proven Certain it is that the lands on which
the City Of New-York once most depended, fail to
yield her early ftness and we have the appalling re-
ducon of former supplies of thirty or forty bushels to
fifteen at present. This is all denNuralizng process
The earth il generous, but must not maltreat her
We must not seek to escape from the sweat of the
brow in the country and essay by the versh throbs of
speculation to alter relations toward this planet on
which We are placed and which will be cheated of
tie least Of her dues. Neither trade nor war can play
king without wrinklng up the fair bosom of our com
mon mother. These reflections arise as we contem-
plate TIE foregoing detailed statement What fields
fsve been deuuded Tor these supplies What pos.ibil-
titles Of vegetarian riches have been orestalled to feed
the Thousands of lowing and blatant victims VIVA.
armies Of intermediate laborers have been involved
TO tend and drive and immediate these quadru-
ped legiOns And the vast majority were so driven
ara 80 killed tbst We might import from London, Liz.