The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1879-01-25
OUR INDUSTRIES, No. 3.
sInughtinr ana Curing Meat.


progress in developing the resources which
nature has placed within their reach. 1t
is a consoling thought to any community to
know that it has within itself the elements
of life--the means Of selfsupport if isolated
from the remainder of the world, but with
out contemplating such contingency. Such
an assurance, however, in the United States,
belongs to certain iavorably located agricul-
tural districts. 1t is one of the principles
that cements the bond of union in this
country that each community is dependent
! upon the other to a greater or less degree,
and that neither can attain to the highest
degree Of progress and prosperity without
| the other.
That which principally drew the present
large number ofpeople to the Lehigh Valley
and the adjacent territory is its rich min
eral deposits, chiefly anthracite coal which,
in the economy of the industries of this
country, has become one of the indspensi-
| bic necessities.
Once here, and although largely depend
]
tries which it has called into existence, the
first question is social one-how we can
| best economize the elements upon which we
| depend for life, health and strength? Only
a limited portion of the hilly, rock bound
soil is adaped to agriculture, and hence a
large portion of the alimentary necessities
must be brought from such localities as
make a specially Of producing them. The
next question arises, how can they be OBJ.
tanned, brought and dispensed to the great
est advantage to the consumer? If they are
! procured in the rawest possible manner di-
rectly from the hand of the producer, and
here prepared to be consumed, the commu-
nifty will reap a double advantage, first, in
| the matter OF the price Of the articles; and
second, in having the labor wrought here.
In our purpose to glance at the material
industries of this portion of the valley
we last week took the Emery Wheel Co. as
a subject, which is an example of the manu-
featuring industries and now this week,
as one of the social industries, we have
selected Joseph Obert's slaughtcring and
meet curing establishment, located in this
borough.
That Mr.. Obert is a man of sterling en-
terpriso and un1inching business qualities
the history of his efforts abundantly testify.
After having battled with the difficulties
and prejudices which every business pioneer
is called upon to combat, in June, 1875, the
fire-fend sat him down just where he com
menced. Phmnix-lilic, however, in three
months, in time for his winter business, he
erected on the site of the old wooden build
ings fire proof brick block, the front end of
which, containing the honey -combed tiers
of smokehouses, is five stories high. The
block is GGx0O feet, built On the most i'm
proved method, and containing all the lat
est couveniences, which science and person
al experience haye suggested for slaugher-
ing the live animal, dressing, handling, cut
ting, sailing, packing, smoking, and storing
the cured meat, for keeping warm in winter
and cold in summer. For the latter pur-
pose, the building is provided with two ice
houses, extending from garret to basement,
and so constructed as to throw their arctic
breezes into the picking and packing-room.
There are other departments, for cutting up
the meat by improved machinery and
making it into sausages, balognies and pud-
ding, and for rendering lard the building
is FURNISHED with steam power and hot wa
ter from an engine and boiler in the lower
story. In the rear of the building, remind
ing one of the stories of the old French
Bastile from which no voice of complaint
ever reached the outside world, is the place
where the living pOrnue, unmindful Of the
terrible fate that awaits him within, enters
the building, and over this entrance, in
swine lingo, should be written the warning
injunction, "Those who enter here never
RETURN" For, as the Irishman would say
his pigship, wends his way up an easy in
cline plane to the top story, and in short
time after finds himself piecemeal in the
hands Of the retail butcher, coolly salted
down in the basement, or elongated into q
hundred feet or more of sausage.
>
In the architectural design of the building
spee'oi reference was had to lighting and
'eh'll'a''on' and the floors are so construct
ed as 10 throw all the blood and debris from
.ne inherent rooms to common centre,
from whence 1t Is immediately carted tc
the / ials ana converted into fertilizers. In
'n'S way the esIaolishmeht Is always kept
neat ana as cleanly as a thrifty housewives
ou'tery' matter to which Mr. Obert gives
the most scrupuIous and conscientious atten-
ton The waler-supply is carried from a
monster well under the engne-room by
pipes connecting steam force pump To a
large reservoir in the top of the building,
from whence supply pipes convey it to every
apartment. The water supply is further
, augmented by hillside spring, the spark
building by plpes. and also into tbe nronri-
etor's residence in front on Bank street.