Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1873-12-25
written for the Rutland Herald
Vermont Business Men I'm Boston
The Packing Establishment Of
John r. squircs & Co.
PRocToRsvILLR, Dec. 10.

The readers of the Boston, and, indeed,
Of all New England and New York pa
pers for the past season, have undoubt-
edly observed the proceedings in Cam
bridge and in Boston touching the COM
plant against the pork packers for rails
ing, as is alleged, such stencil in that
neighborhood that, as the darkey is said
to have exclaimed, 'no mortal man can
smell EN- Houses have been invaded
by foul air, in the quiet of the night, to
such an extent as to render sleep impos-
sible and the comforts of life very un-
certain from impure atmosphere coming
up from Miller's river and the sluggish
waters incident to the vicinity. Build
ings painted white have been turned to
another color by the exhalations from
the surroundings. Chief among these
solid pork packers, against whom certain
other people clamor, and into whose
case legislative committee are now in
During, is the firm of John p. Squires
& Co. and because all the members of
the firm, including their "better halves"
are Vermonters, HERALD readers cam
not be otherwise than interested in the
inquiry.
If we mistake not, the three men COM
posing this world-renowned firm are all
natives of Weathersfeld. The senior,
or head of the concern, John P.
Squires, went from his Vermont home
to Boston in 1888, at the age of years,
self-reliant and alone, having served
brief apprenticeship as clerk of COM
mon country store in West Windsor. He
married the daughter of the late Cad
Orvis, ESQ.,, in whose employ he served
at West Windsor, and has reared family
of some dozen children, all of whom,
as they arrived at full age, he settled in
business around him.
On his first advent into Boston, he
engaged as clerk to Nathan Robbins
still alive, or at least was recently, and
president of Faneuil Hall National bank.
Mr.. Robbins was then extensively en-
gagged in the poultry business. In 1912
Mr.. Squires went into business ON his
own account, forming copartnership
with another clerk named Russell In
1847 he bought out his partner, and for
time went on alone. In 1866 he took
into copartnership his brother-in-law,
Mr.. Hiland Lockwood, and more re-
Gently has added to the firm the business
talents of young man by the name of
Kimball
To observe these men in the discharge
of their daily duties one would not sup
pose they transacted such an enormous
amount of business. The two senior
members, especially, are short and COM
pact in stature, with large heads and
large hearts. Squires, residing in Ar
lington, owns tract of some one hun
dred acres or more of land, with beauti-
full buildings, gardens and cultivated
fields, with three hundred acres more in
Chelsea, and several blocks of stores in
Boston. Lockwood, more modest still,
lives on Hancock street, in the city, and
devotes all his leisure hours to the liter.
airy enjoyments offered by his well stored
library.
From the evidence taken before the
Legislative committee, now in session
at the State House, it appears their bust
ness is reckoned by annual millions, and
their money counted in the same manner,
yet no men labor more industriously or
live more prudently. We do not mean
penuriously, but with no reckless waste
or useless expenditures. is
In the slaughtering of animals and
shipment of pork to Europe, this firm
rivals the porkopolis city of the West,
and we believe no firm in Chicago goes
beyond them.
Mr.. Squires does not seem inclined to
admit that his immense business, furn-
ishing homes and livelihood for hun
dreds is nuisance to be abated, but
rather that it is blessing and a benefit.
He claims that the terrible summer
smells--so justly complained of--arise
from the city drainage, and that if prop
er and adequate provision for sewerage
be supplied, and that If others would
consume their own garbage and offensive
matter, as does his slaughter house and
rendering establishment, there would be
no cause of complaint And he pro-
poses plans and offers specifications to.
the city government, by which he be-
lieves the territory can be relieved of all
cause of complaint. More than this, if
we mistake not, from perusal of the
reported evidence, we believe he offers
to do this publication himself, If allow
ed to engage in the work according to
his idea of what should be done. In the
meantime, we await with increasing in
terest the further developments of the
invest cation.
Some years ago, with no thought that
this establishment would be complained
of as q bad thing to have near civilized
communities, we visited the same, and
for an hour looked on to see the work.
Perfect cleanliness prevailed everywhere
but it was cool weather then 1t is true
and the best of order was apparent in
every department. We noted the num-
Der of hogs that walked the plank in the
hour, and they footed up at about sixty.
A low gruntling squeal as the eeremonyof
preparation began, the spirting of blood,
O douse in scalding water as the animal
. fell from the trundling pulfies, a strip
ping of bristles as the creatures were
drawn through to the outlet of the
scalding vat, and directly the pig was
HuiiS up w vi anu Coot, dill Hill ipetiiS
at once removed. ,s..l.s5 s Md /.
We suppose the business has vastly
increased since then. Men are constant
~ employed at the west to purchase and
transmit live stock by cars. The events
of the winter will doubtless determine
whether this enterprising firm will be.
obliged to seek some nook, or valley
among their native mountains or else
where, in which to erect their slaughter
house, and so transport the dead weight
IN lieu OF the living stock, to the sea-
side, for shipment or to feed the hungry
Bostonians. o. II. O. i.