The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1870-11-04
An Hour with the Pork Packers.

That much despised and universally
slandcrcd animal, which is TO men
The type of all that is disgusting, and
to boys the legitimate butt of all their
mischief hog, is in reality one of
the most useful animals we have.
Every inch of him, from his inquisi-
tive nose to his half-inch of tail, is
marketable.
1t is curious to visit one of those
interesting establishments, where
these gentry enter at one door, squeal-
inc, grunting animals, and come out
at another "Prime Mess Pork"
One daY last Winter an army of
nearly $4,000 of them came into Chi
cago, though nobody knew it except
a few "packers" and railroad men for
thew came in decorously, and like
other travellers in the cars, many daily
trains there are for their accOmmOda-
ton.
On reaching the city they are not
left to shift for themselves, az human
passengers are, but they find warm
quarters-all prepared for them-Yery
warm, too, suspect the poor pOrkers
find it.
Their cars being switched" into
uluGEGnG AdAuEg INT TIA CACA5
and are persuaded to ascend long
passage-way winding around the out
side of a building. This building (fOr
[ will speak of but One) is called a
packing house, and is three stories
high and 100 feet square, and the attic
is the reception room.
AS soon as they are safely housed,
preparations are made for n warm
bath, but the mode of giving it is pc
culiar l admit, and not altogether de-
lightful.
Fifteen or twenty are invited into a
private apartment, called in packing
language death PEN" Here man
taking his victim by surprise claspes
Il chain around one of his hind legs,
and by the aid of steam power hoists
the unwilling pOrker till the chain is
hooked on to a sort of slide.
In this helpless condition he meets
his Cxecutioner, who in an instant
puts an end TO his troubles. OF course
hc must give one last vigorous kick,
and this very struggle sends him
sliding down the rail to which he is
hooked, till the clasp opens and he
plumps into his warm bath, which is
indeed Il large vat of scalding water
1t is well for the bather that the exc
cutiOncr comes before the bath.
After remaining as long as neccssa-
ry, he is fiShed out by sort of scoop
hung from a large crane-if you don't
know what crane is, ask your grand
mother. The crane swings round and
deposits the now thoroughly subdued
subject OH a bench.
Here he comes under the hands OF
''puIlers,7 who instantly remove his
bristles, and pass him along to the
.'scrapers," who with candles and
knives, complete the work of dress
ing,-undressiBg I should call 1t.
But he is not finished yet. A boy
next deprives him of his tongue, and
he is suspended once more to another
rail and Slides OH to the next pair of
hands waiting for him.
These hands, welding knife, open
the body and pass it into its second
bath, where it is thoroughly cleansed
inside and out by jets of cold water.
Out of this bath he goes into the
hands of scrapers again, and then
still sliding down the rail-he gets a
blow which splits his backbone, and
another crane swings him over on to
a rack to cool.
Take breath while he rests, for he
has been in this hospitable establish
ment but a very short time, yet how
many attentions he has received!
Well, he takes some hours to cool,
but finally he starts on his last jour
ney, which is short, namely, to the
cutting block" where in few min
utes. BIZ the aid of two strong men
welding huge cleavers, he ceased to
be even body, and becomes pork.
The first blow sewers the head, which
is instantly seized and disposed OF
somewhere.
Next the hams fly of, and never
rest till they reach the cellar through
'chute."
The rest is speedily cut into square
pieces for packing, follows the hams
TO the cellar, is rubbed with salt, and
at last finds rest in barrels.
But l said that every part OF him IS
useful, and I'll tell you how. The
bristles 90 to brush makers the feet
10 the glue factories; the extra fat to
the lard tub. The refuse (biOOd, etc.
is collected in troughs, runs into tight
cars provided for the purpose, goc