Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1874-10-08
The Butter Business.
How the Butter is Received in
New York City.

Jersey Midland road; the trains
arrive late at night twice every
week. The butter is brought
from the stations along that line.
All the butter coming by this
route is consigned to various
agents in the city, the largest
quantity, however, being taken
by four principal commission
merchants. Each station is
numbered, such as, Stockholm,
Z; Unionville, II, and so on;
and the pals containing the
butter, therefore, not only have
the consignee's name, but the
number of the station whence it
was shipped. A manifest is
sent on ahead to the freight a.
gent at Jersey City, who from
it makes out his bills and the
receipts, which the carmen have
to sign. lie also makes out a
form, showing at Il glance the
number Of pals consigned to
each person, and the stations
from which they may be sent.
With this form he checks off
the delivery Of the butter, and
should any be missing, he can
see at a glance at what station
the mistake has been made, for
when the butter is loaded at the
shipping stations, the car doors
are locked, and can not again
be opened until the train has
reached Jersey City.
On the night OF the reporters
visit, over 10000 pounds of
fresh butter arrived. Long be-
fore the train made lis appear
ance, the carmen were present
with their heavy trucks to re-
move the consignments; AMI as
soon as the freight agent had
his bill made out, the work Of
delivery began, the trucks be
ing backed up to the car doors
to receive the freight. The
name Of the consignee was first
called out, after which the pals
of butter intended for him were
sorted from the freight in the
various cars. As the packages
were delivered to the carmen,
the number on the pail was
called out by the assistant,
while the freight agent person
ally checked of the delivery on
the form before mentioned
W hen the truck was loaded, the
pals were counted, and had to
agree with the record which had
been kept, or the error was rec
titled on the spot. As one
truck became loaded, it was
out of the way for the
next, and the same plan Of ope-
rations was adopted, the loaded
truck Fastening off to the ferry
house, for the purpose of cross
ing to New York. During this
hurry accidents viii occasional
ly happen, and one occurred in
the following way: 4 carman,
whosetruck was nearly loaded,
heing anxious to get out of the
way of his co-laborer, began to
fasten his ropes to the cart
rungs so as to secure his load.
He had already 48 pals, weigh
ing over two tons, Oh his truck,
and he desired to get the other
two Oh SO as to make so, which
he considered a load. 1t was
very dark, and the only light he
could obtain was from a lantern
hanging inside the car. While
tightening the rope, at the same
time keeping time with song,
one Of the pals OF butter fell
over, and the lid not being prop
erly secured, fell out, and the
contents, 100 pounds Of soft
butter, being spilled with a dull
splash on the ground between
the tracks. The song ceased,and
a look of agony passed over the
carman's face, made visible by
the dim light OF the lantern
"What shall I do now?" was
his inquiry, as the thought of
having to pay for the butter
flashed on his mind. 'Pick it
up" suggested another carman.
''That is all very well" {" ejacu-
lated the first; ''but how that
soft stuff is to be picked up |
should like to know!" I'll
show you" said No. 2, as he
leaped from his truck. The
next instant carman No. 2
grasped about 20 pounds OF the
butter, with his not Over-clean
hands, and dashed it back into
the pail, repeating the opera
ton several times, until about
90 p pounds of the butter, slight
ly mingled with dirt, had been