New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1870-06-26
REVOLUTION IN MEAT TRANSPORTATION
FRESH MEAT AND FRUIT STEAMER
The Refrigerating Process Explained

e>~~~'
and Fruit Company. has attracted no small
attention in New Orleans, during some days
past. This is the vessel that arrived here on
the fourteenth instant with cargo of fresh
meat that had been killed in Rockport,
Texas, one week previously, and which had
been together with quantity of red fsh)
preserved during the voyage by the refrig-
Grating process for which the vessel had
been expressly fitted up.
1t might naturally be supposed that the
enterprise of the United States and West
India Fresh Meat and Fruit Company would
occasion widely extended interest through
out this community, even among the class
who seldom know or care anything about
public matters-those whose straitened
means make strict economy the one thing
needful. For the success or failure Of this
company is a question of excellent food at
low prices, or deteriorsted aliment at a
cost as high as its quality is poor.
AS much curiosity has been excited con-
cerning the process of refrigerating the
'.Fire Fly" and the method used to bring
fresh meat to this market in the best posi-
bic culinary condition, the managers of the
company have made more than one exhlbi-
ton of their process for the information Of
the public.
About five O'Clock yesterday afternoon, in
pursuance of public notice to that effect,
an exhibition was made of the reirigerating
process on board the Fire Fly, which lies
near the foot of Julia street, evidently to the
full conviction of numerous and intelligent
spectators that an era had come in the food
supply of the city OF New Orleans.
The Fire Fly is steam vessel of rather
unusual build, her great length being alto
ge.her out OF proportion TO her small
breadth of beam, and it is evident eve to
an eye unpracti ced in nautical matters that
she has been constructed with view to eX-
treme swiftness. This makes her peculiarly
suitable for the purposes Of the company,
as short passage is highly desirable when
carrying cargo. She is an iron vessel, and
her fittings are peculiar, being made in
reference to the business of the company
tn at owns her. She has been made
g non.conductor of heat by means
of putting layer of hair three
inches thick between her outer plating
and ceiling. There is a sheathing of
wood throughout the vessel, and between
this and the ceiling another three-lnch
thick coating of hair is placed, all of which
fully answers the purpose intended. When
the hatches are properly closed the air can
neither enter nor escape. The temperature
in the interior of the vessel Is reduced by
means Of large fan, of peculiar con-
struction, placed in the neighborhood
of the engine. by which it is put
in motion. This fan forces the warm
air in the hold into a large square
wooden pipe running along the larboard
side of the ship and extending aft, where the
air thus forced enpties into large square
box, or rather room, in the centre of which
is an interior oox containing ice. Thus the
air, without coming in actual contact with
the ice and thus absorbing its moisture, is
vet effectually cooled, and then passes back
into the hold. The density (and weiSht) of
the air being increased by the cooling pro-
cess, it naturally goes to the bottom, while
the warmer on top continues to pass into
the fan: and SO the process goes on until all
the air in the hold has been thus cooled.
All the air in the hold of the vessel can be
passed through the cooling process IN about
five minutes, and passing it through three
times reduces the temperature to thirty
degrees above zero (Fahrenheit), which is
ing the meat. Although water freezes at
this point Of temperature, meat will not but
putrefaction will be altogether arrested, and
the meat thus preserved in its normal fresh
ness during the longest voyage. The meat
thus preserved, in consequence of the pro-
cess eliminating the animal gases that pro-
duce putrefaction, will remain. sound after
being exposed to the open air for much
longer time than it would if not exposed to
the refrigerating process, as used On board
the Fire Fly.
If this new refrigerating process should
prove to be what the company using it
claim it to be, it will cause Il complete revo-
luton in the mode of supplying New Or
leans with animal food, fruit and vegeta-
bles. And there appears to be no reason for
doubling its success.
There are two points in relation to this
subject, which will be found very interest
ing to the public in general; and these are:
First-Improvement in the quality OF
food, and
Second-Superior cheapness.
On the first point. it may be said that the
cattle slaughtered in Texas by this company
are fresh from grass, not subjected to long
travel, and, consequently, must be in fine
condition and perfect health whereas, if
brought over by sea alive, they suffer from
sea sickness on the voyage, and will neither
eat nor drink while on board the vessel, and
hence become very poor. IT slaughtered In
this condition, it is obvious that the mea. is
in a very undesirable state !; for beef will,
on q voyage or journey, lose fully one-ifth
of it's most nutritious part. If, instead OF
being transported by sea cattle are driven
overland, they arrive in feverish condition,
and unless pastured for a long time,
are in most unsatisfactory con-
dition for food. 1t seldom happens, in
case of either journey, that cattle are kept
long enough after their arrival to properly
recuperste; hence the inferior condition
Generally of the meat for which the
citizens of New Orleans have for so long a
time been accustomed to pay SO high
price.
In regard to the second point, economy,
the expense of transportation will be OBJ
viousy reduced, because q vessel can carry
nearly five times as much OF cattle when
slaughtered and without head, horns, hide
or viscera: for no room for motion or breath
ing is REQ iired, no water, 10 food.
Besides the labor and expense attendant
upon the slaughtering of cattle is not so
great in Texas as it is here. Another fact
is that when cattle are transported alive to
be slaughtered here freight is paid for full
forty per cent of offal, which is thrown
away whenever the cattle are slaughtered.
On the contrary, the Fresh Meat and Fruit
Company bring nothing but the'meat ready
for market, thus paying no freight tor stuff
that will have to be thrown away.
It is, therefore, apparent that the need
of superior cheapness and fine quality will
| rest with the company.
1t may be mentioned that besides the re-
| frigerating process. the measures taken by
| the company in slowing the meat on board
are admirably calculated to keep it in the