The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-09-13
MEAT

just outside Of the great stock pens Of Chi
cagO attention is fixed upon group Of large
brick buildings, several stories high the walls
Of which bear In large letters the names Of
Armour X Co., pork packers. There ID a
great roar Of machinery, putting Of steam
and whistle and rattle through these build
ings, mingled with an incessant squealing of
hogs. On one side Of the main building Is
an inclined platform reaching from the sec
ond story to the ground, which for several
squares Is divided into pens, already and
always filled with hogs, discharged from
long trains OF cars.
Up this Inclined plane move an incessant
stream Of grunters invited to the easy ascent
by strong odor suggestive of some refresh
ment OF the omnivorous appetites of the in
satiate beasts. On arriving at the summit of
the platform they disappear within the build
ing. With their vanishment there uprses
fearful squeal. From the outside nothing Is
known by strangers OF the whereabouts or
whatabouts OF this great current Of porcinty
Led by curiosity to enter the building, you
soon realize their fate. When on the second
story, you perceive number of men on an
elevated platform, engaged In the amiabe
employment Of graphing immense hogs as
they come within reach and fastening chains
to their hind legs, whir them forward to
strong detachment Of sanguinary giants,
who, with long sharp knives, bring to sud-
den close loud squealing remonstrances to
such innospitable treatment by quick and
vigorous plunges of their knives into their
huge bristled necks. Thence the great car
casses are hurled forward into great caul-
dron, treated to q few sOuses in O hot bath,
and then delivered over to the scrapers, who
quickly denude them OF their brtstle cover
ing, and hand them over to another
detachment that as quickly puts them
through the process Of devsceration. Thus
in briefer time than we have occupied in
this cursory and superficial account hun
dreds Of these unwfetty animals, which few
minutes before could be seen stalking so dig
nifedly up the platform OF tn cir pens, are con
verified into forms for packing and sailing
They will be barreled for expectation by the
next train Of cars. Such Is the process
through which many thousands of the latest
and best hog meat In the world is prepared to
send abroad TO feed the starving millions Of
the Christian world. There are a dozen or
these establishments just outside OF the stock
pens Of Chicago
The principal Of the firm whose establish
ment Is specially referred to lately visited
Europe with view of observing the condition
of their meat market and estimating the
prospects Of future expectations.
In the Chicago Times we find the result OF
his observations. They may Be briefly
summed up in an estimate Of the increased
demand for the next year OF at least Is per
cent on the last season Still Mr.. Armour has
occasion to deplore the stupidity of the Euro
pean communities In their slow appreciation
Of the greater cheapness, superiority and
abundance Of our meat supply, especially In
the pork line. In illustration or the density Of
their Ignorance he relates an necdote which
must have amazed and startled the boastfuI |
Chicagoans into frenzy Of disgust and hor-