The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1869-10-20
The Beef Packery.

We paid visit to this establishment few days
SINCE and alike surprised and grated at its enor-
nous proportions. In addition to the building, IN
which some 1000 head Of cattle were slaughtered last
season. there is nearly completed, which is
300 feet long and IA feet wide and two and ahalf
stories high. One may form idea of its capacity
when we state that if the building cut up into
rooms IS feet square, there would be 1885, The work.
manshp is Of the most substantial character. The
manifold appurtenances of the packing business are
all under way and nearly completed, and are matter
of wonder to the unnitiated. Fire hundred head Of
cattle be slaughtered each day if they be sup
piled rapidly, and our planting friends who are
accustomed to seeing some three four freedmen
consume half day in butcherng yearling, would be
astonshed witness the de1erty Of these professional
butchers. Only think of one man with an assistant
| butchering fifty large beeves in day! OF course
this does not do the cutting up, for there is
small steam engine, by means of which that part OF
| the labor s accomplished. 1t is marvel to see the
rapdity with which the hide is taken off, Those fell
| lows skin head as deity and quickly darkey
would skin rabbit, and we are told that if their
wages be increased but trie, they will agree TO be
locked twenty-five cents for every cut of the hide
Mr. Stoner expects to slaughter $4,000 head of cat
tie and 5000 head Of hogs the coming season. Averag
ing the former at 400 pounds and the latter at $50
pounds, very moderate estimate, have 100000
pounds of beefand 75O 900 pounds Of bacon-sufcient
to feed over 10000 people an entire year.
1t will require nearly zoe hands to run this establish
ment, thus afording support to, say 300 people In
addition to the meat taken from these $4,000 beeves,
or bullocks properly speaking, the hides and
tallow large items And just think Of the number
of buttons that could be made from IA 500 pairs Of
horns-for some allowance mast be made for smuleys
Nor, in speaking of the work, must we forget the
workman Mr.. Stoner, the life and soul of this enter
pluck. He is native Kentuckian but being in Texas
after the war; and finding himself like many thou
sands Of Southerners ruined by the abolition Of slavery
he gave up the profession of law and determined to 60
into the packing business His first attempt was at
Jefferson but for unnecessary to mention, he
failed Having got assistance, he determined to con-
tnue the business, though at this place. &c. he last
year. at considerable expense established himself one
and a-half miles below town-and this against the
advice Of some Of the old foges, who, having seen
that every effort at beefpacking on Red River had
failed and resulted disastrously to the undertaken,
argued therefrom that the thing could not be DONE
He persevered, however, somewhat as we learn Mr.
Noah did in building the Ark, while the old fogies Of
his day and generation were indulging in comments,
and syly poking fun at the venerable navigator. The
result in each has been the samoa decided sue
cess. The new building will cost over 100000 and
all this money has been expended in our midst.
Who will not say that Mr. Stoner is public bene-
factor? All honor to him, and to Mr.. Burnham, and
to all such men who come among US to awaken our
loramnt faculties and to teach that energy is the
Aladdn's lamp upon which the genii Of success ever
ttend