The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1875-10-15
Strengthening Horses.

y correspondent of the New Ork
Times writes as follows in relation to Il
hOrse-slaughtcring establishment he visi-
ted in France: Montfaucon, near Paris
is place seldom visited by the tourists,
and vet it is one of the most interesting,
in q certain way, of any i'll France. Here
IS the greatest hOrsc-slaughteTing estab-
lishmcnt in Europe. At MontfaucOn
they put dead horse through such a
process as makes every part of it valu-
able. A few days since paid this noted
place a visit, and with the assistance of a
courteous foreman learned considerable
of the inner workings of the establish
ment. The company running the con-
Germ have agents in every village, town
and city, whose business it is to buy up
all the old horses turned out as no longer
fit for work. These are shipped or driven
to Montfaucon, and then the process
commences.
When the animal has been killed it Is
cut up, and the choice portions of the
flesh are eaten by the work people of the
establishment and by those who haunt
the neighborhood, many of whom are
said to be communists of very dCspcr-
ate character. The rest of the carcass
is sold for the feeding of dogs, cats, pigs,
and poultry, a portion being also devoted
to purposes of manure. The flesh thus
disposed of weighs on an average about
$50 pounds, and sells for from 81 30 to
so. The skin brings from the tanner
about - so. The hoofS are disposed Of
to a manufacturer of sal amm0niac or
similar preparations, or of Prussian blue,
or to Il comb or toy maker. The old
shoes and nails are worth six cents The
hair of the name and tail sells for three
cents. The tcndOns are disposed of,
either fresh or dried, to glue-makcrs.
The bones are bought by turner's, cutters,
lawmakers, and the makers of ivory
black and sal ammoniac. OF bones the
average weight is 80 pounds, and these
realized about 90 cents. The intestines
are worth five cents.
The blood is most ScrvicGable. The
chief purchasers are the sugar rcfners,
who Use it in manufacturing sugar. The
blood is also bought up by the fatteners
of poultry, pigeons and turkeys; then,
again, it Is sold for manure. When re-
quircd for manure it is dried, 30 pounds
of dried blood, which is the average, be-
ing worth 45 cents.
The fat is in demand for making soap,
and, when very fine, for bears grease"
also for the grease applied to harness and
to shoc-Ieather This fat, when consumed
in lamps, gives out more heat than oil.
and Is, therefore, preferred by makers of
glass toys, and bvenamelcrsa and pOlishers.
One horse has been known to Weld so
pounds of fat, but this was an extreme
case. The fat of horse i'm fair condition
Is II pounds, but 50 many lean and sorry
4 +.,l- =
taken as the average, and a value of 10
cents per pound.
Nor does the list end here. Sometimes
there is considerable putrid flesh about
dead animals, and how to use this matter
bothered the French scientists for some
time. Finally the problem was solved |
and now the putrid flesh is made to team
with life, and to produce food for other |
living creatures. A pile of pieces of flesh, |
Scvcralinches in height, layer upon layer, |
is arranged, after which it is covered over |
lightly with hayOr straw. In few hours. |
thousands upon thousands of flies deposit |
their eggs in this attractive matter, and |
thus maggOts are bred. These are fed to |
pheasants, and in a smaller degree to do |
nestle fowls. They are also used to fat |
ten sardines. These maggOts give, or are |
to give, game flavor to poul- |
Try, and a very high flavor to phe?sants.
Since | heard the foreman's story. | |
nave made numerous inquiries to learn
{ il was true one. Thus far | have
net with few who believe it, and vet ! |
10 not see why MONSIEUR, the foreman.
should have lied about "a little thing
ike that" The maggots thus produced,
% | was further informed, are worth 50
'cntS. "What is the average amount
'ealizcd on dead horsc?' was my next
question. From 90 tn so francs was
his immediate answer.