The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-05-31
4 T. Err.
cnicage.s Circuit Stock Yard.

Chicago has once again astonished the
world with q hrst-class novelty: a mammoth
stock Yard ahead Of anything Of the sort
ever conceived ont Of that enterpTislng vii
lage.
The Union Stock Yardr-iIaif an hour b.
sail from the centre Of the ci;y-contains three
hundred aud forty.fre acres, and has q capaci-
ty for 81, 900 head Of cattle, $4,000 hogs. and
%. 900 sheep, with stalls for $50 horses, in al,
therefore, for u.s. $50 animals; and when all
the ground is covered with pens. it will ACCOM-
modste 30, 900 head Of cattle.
The following figures may convey some faint
idea of the extent Of this novel enterprise, and
the amount of work it involved-most of
which was accomplished within the last six
months:
There are So miles Of undertakings; 10
miles of streets. and alleys, all paved with
wood: 8 miles OF water lroughs; 10 miles OF iced
troughs; 1900 gates; 1900 open pens, heavily
fenced in with double plank, nailed to stout
| and frequent posts; 500 covered sheds for hogs
and sheen; 1000, 900 ieet Of lumber were used
| on these structures, and 800, 900 pounds Of
| nails; IL miles o. railroad track, wilht0 switch
es and frogs, connect every railroad which
runs into Chicago with the stock yard By Il
special track.
one TO the depth Of 1882 feet. and anotnerto
| the depth of 100 feet. These send water into
tanks As feet high, whence it is distributed in
| ali the pens and sheds, there being O MIGRANT
in each Ui these. The water can be shut Oh
from any or all OF the divisions at pleasure, and
to guard against loss by ire. fourteen Ire
plugs are distributed over the grounds, and
one thousand feet Of three-incn nose are al
hand. -,
But the strangest story TO me was to ind
this stock yard a complete little world oflt-
self. It. has. Of course, u large resident popl-
laIion. rom one hundred and seventy-tveto
two hundred men are constantly employed oy
the company, who u charge Oh the animals
as they ere unloaded from che cars, which run
into The streets between the pens. 10 &C
commodate it's own servants. numerous cot
tages have been built; but 10 accommodate The
droyers. and the buyeN and sellers, q large
hotel. substantially built OF brick, and. com
plete in every detuil Of a hotel, IS found on Inc
ground. Nor is this all-there IS a roomy e2-
change Office, and telegraph lines 10 all paris
of the country; a bank. and, OF course, TINS
beino in lie United Slates-a newspaper, the
Chicago Sun, published daily, SO it asserts, at
the "Union Stock Yard and The organ Of
1 the dealers in cattle, hogs and sheep.
To complete this inventory. there is q town
hall for public meetings, a chufch wei ut:enc-
ed, e Sunday school, and an excellent Gag
school.
The company has in a single day received.
penned. fed, watsred. and laken account o.
Il, 600 hogs, 1000 cattle. and 1000 sheep, WITH
out the least delay or confusion; anu again, on
another day. received 5sl3 head OF oseyes.
The whole enterprise has cost. so far, 1870
OOO-a marvel OF cleapness.
Chicago is a great a.siiioulilS cen!le !Gf
cattle, hogs and sheep. BY ten Inherent raii-
roads they are brought hither, 10 De sent on
again eastward or killed and cured here. II
pork-packing Chicago threatens 10 leave Cir.
cinnaLi lar behind; and in 1860, 403,lo2 head Of
cattle. l,GGl, 500 hogs, and S4o,o12 sheep, were
brought hilher.
1t Is surely something good to Know that
these immense droVes Of animals are kindly
treated, comfortably lodged and fed, while
they remain In this stock-yard; That a business
too often conducted with needless brutalilyis
here managed quietly and humanely. and that
even the good Mr.. Bergh could ind no fault
with the arrangements or VIII the conduct OF
the men who have these creatures IN charge.
In the arrangements OF the streets and.pens,
care has been taken TO make driving an easy
task. The cattle have narrow lanes to pass
through; oil the streets are double. and The
two parts are separated by high and tolerably
close fences, so that cattle. On their way tG
and from the cars, are not worried, but easily
and surely directed and moved.