The Portland daily press., 1875-01-29
A Model slaughter House.

Every city is dependent upon the industries
of its suburbs for its growth and prosperity ID
greater or less degree. No city of the same
number of inhabitants has more growing ana
prosperous villages adjoining it than has Port
land. On one side are the many villages IN
the town of Cape Elizabeth. To the west we
have the villages of Libby's Corner and Stroud
water. Next come the many thriving indus
tries in the towns of Westbrook and Deerlng.
All these places depend upon Portland for
market for their products whether they De
bricks or vegetables. In Deering alone there
are a number of firms who do nothing but
kill beef for this market. Among the largest
of these firms is that of j. A. & A. L. Smith,
who about eight years ago purchased the old
Thurlow farm on the Gray road. The men,
bers of the firm are young snd enterprislng
men, who carry on thir farm of IS acres and do
| large saughteriDg business. The farm is one
of the best in the town and cuts about 100 tons
of excellent hay.
They have just completed one of the best
slaughter houses in the state. 1t is situated
short distance from the farm buildings on a
slight elevation of land. Slaughter houses IN
general are not very attractive looking bulld-
ings outside of in, but this one is an exception.
Every part is as clean as water can make IL,
three minutes after the slaughtering for the
day is over.
The building is 4Ox5O feet To the left hand
| as YOU enter the front door is large force
| pump by which the building is kept clean.
Beyond is the pound where the cattle are kept.
| The cattle are driven from this pound TO the
slaughter room where they are killed. With
| Western cattle, especially those from Texas,
| this is very dangerous business, Tor when they
are let out of the pound they make Tor the
| first person they see.
The cattle are hoisted by an endless rope.
| One man can hoist the largest OK. They are
! hung on rollers which run on track over
| head. After it is dressed the beef is rolled out
| into the cooling room. When perfectly cool
it is rolled into large refrigerator which will
hold about 40 cattle. The refrigerator is A S.
Lyman's patent and is considered one of the
best in use. On each side and above and be-
| low are IA inches of saw dust This room.ls In
| the centre of the building, so the walls OF the
building keep the cold out in the winter and
| the heat in the summer. In the second story
of the building and directly over the refrigera-
~
| kept. Near the refrigerator is the corn beef
tank, which is one of the hest ever built. Out
of the slaughter room is a large room used for
| trying out the tallow. On the other side OF
| the building is the hide room, where the hides,
| heads and feet are kept. The offal from the
slaughter room goes into the basement where
| 100 hogs are kept. The firm have team to
| collect swill from several hotels to feed the
! hogs.
The house was formally opened on the 2lst
inst, by killing an OK three years old, which
weighed 1900 lbs live weight, and girted feet
and inches 1t dressed 1000 lbs. 1t was
raised by Greenville Hall OF Falmouth, one OF
| the best feeders in the state The beef was
brought to the store of Leighton & Moore, on
| the corner of Milk and Market streets.
The building was planned and built by John
| A. Cobb of Windham, and Geo. S. Berry OF
| Deering, two excellent workmen. The firm
always have the incest beef on hand as their
many customers in this city will attest Port
| land is their only market. Their receipts
amount to from 1000 to 100000 per annum.