Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1866-10-19
ABATTOIRS.

Slaughter-houses in large cities are known
TO have dele erIous effect on the health of the
inhabitants, and IN consequence OF this fact
and the danger of driving heated and infuris,ed
animals through crowded streets, the an thoritiss
OF Paris many years since took the matter in TO
serious consideration The result was the
establishment OF "abattoire," being large
slaughter houses outside the city limits, where
all butchers are compelled to pursue their
avocatiOns. They are arranged with every
convenience for keeping and slaughtering
animals, and by plentiful supply Of pure
water, and an efficient system OF sewerage
stench-traps, &c, under the direction of the
authorities are kept clean and wholesome
Most of our American cities still suffer from
the evils s-abaftoirs" are designed to remedy.
but New York has taken the initiative in adopt
ing The European plan. The ferm,l opening
of the immense abattoir at Comm III ipau, CD.
posite and near that city, was made on Tues
day, about one thousand five hundred guests
being present, q majority of whom were
butchers OF the city of New YORK The es
Enlistment consists OF sixteen distinct build
lngs, with sufficient number of spacious feed
and sale ems adjoining z, and with all necessary
or desirable sppurtenances for conveying,
feeding, and making comfortable and finally
slaughtsrng cattle, sheep and hogs There Is
an unloading platform store. b euses for hogs
and sheep. and q slaugh ter house 900 feet long
by 90 feet wide, and two stories high
The first floor is for the slaughter of cattle
only. II contains thirty two close pens be.
tween e~ch two OF which there is a gut room
where the entraiis Of the slaughtered animal,
are cleaused. The close pens open into the
body OF the house, and out of them the cattle
are -'roped," then killed, then hung MP, all by
steam power. The cattle are not slaughtered
In the usual way, by knocking them on the
head. They are hoisted by the hind leg. and
while they are thus hung they are struck
There are also ample arrange ments for the
curing Of hides the ground, of which
many dealers will doubtless avail themselves
Sixty feet of the Southern end OF the build.
ing are devoted TO s.rendering'' PURPOSES
There are also two steam pumps, one for feed
ing the boiler, and the other for distributing
the water in various directions about the build
ing, 20 arranged that il at any time the supply
of fresh water should fail it will be easy to
fail back upon the salt water, which flows up
10 and under the building. There are al o two
large boilers to supply steam for rendering
purposes, and TO wor< the engines and
pumps. Steam is ALWAYS kept UP, and, al a
moments notice, the pumps can be set AT work
AT the north end Of the building is large
ice-house, ninety feet long, forty feet wide, and
three stories high, (rising one story above the
main building,) in which meat may be pre-.
served in hot weather. The slaugh terine CA
facity OF this building is estimated at 1900
head ofcattle in an ordinsry working day Of ten
hours, and OF course. when necessary, thus ca
pacity can be doubled by employing fresh
set of hands, and working night as well as day.
The second story of the slaughter house is So,
apart for the slaughter of hogs only, with
hanging accommodations for 5000 dead ami.
mails. The sheep slaughter house is twenty
6xa faof1 Or hvF Co. 81
stories high, and In It can be Z" handled'' in a
working day of ten hours, upward OF 1900
sheep The company have already made
arrangements by which two hundred tons or
more OF meat can be daily transported to
New York and distributed among the various
markets. .. ar
On account of their economy, safety, and
convenience. we have no doubt oftne ultimate
adoption Of abai;oIrs in all our large cities.