St. Landry democrat., 1881-09-10
iioW Hides Are Taken OF and Salad.

aiow Hides Are Taken OF and Salad.
In the abattoirs OF this city the tlay-
ers of cattle use in taking Oft the hides
Il knife with straight back and keen
edge, broad at the hiatt, but taperng
up almost into point at the end. Inc
hoots are first taken Oft at the first Joint,
Il piece of the loose flesh at the throat
cut out, an inciSion made in the neck,
and the knife run down through the
middle of the belly and the center Of
the lower side of the hair tail. The
animal, which, up to this time, has been
lying on its back, is inclined little to
one side, being supported in that posi-
ton by prop under the downwarGly-
inclining force quarter. Beginning at
the neck, the t1ayer runs his knife care
fully ong until the hide is taken near
ly off the side which is uppermost, then
the animal is rolled over on that side
and propped up as at the beginning.
and the same laying operation is re-
peated on the part which was down.
ward at first. Next wooden support.
ABOUT tour feet long, six inches deep
and two inches wide, having a large
iron hook in the middle adapted to be
fastened to arope for hosting purposes,
is run through missions made in the
hind legs Just above the first joint; the
rope is adjusted to the hook, and the
carcass lifted up by a windlass. when
the projecting ends of the joist are sup
ported by cross beams about nine feet
from the floor, and the body hangs sus-
pended therefrom. One of the work.
men now grasps those portions OF the
hide which have been taken off the
sides of the animal near the neck, and
another takes u large butchers cleaver,
and, using the back, not the edge of the
instrument, by repeated blows frees the
skin from the rest of the carcass, while
it is pulled off by the first workman.
Great care is exercised in the process
of tlaying, as the workmen are subject to
a fine for each cut and score on the hide.
When freshly taken oft the hide IS
worth about eight cents per pound. In
this state it is sold to the salters with
the pates and tails on. The salters
place them in beds of about 600 each.
The floor of the salt room is generally
cemented, and the bottom layer OF
hides is laid with the hair side down;
the salt is then sprinkled on the flesh
side, and another layer is put down in
ike manner until the bed is complete.
The hides are usually left in the salt
from ten days to two weeks. The salt
used must be of good quality and
ground rather fine as in case lump OF
even the size of an egg is left upon the
flesh side it will eat into the hair of the
hide placed above it and very seriously
detract from its value. 1t takes about
$50 bushels of salt, worth from thirty
two to thirty-fve cents per bushel. to
each pack of 600 hides. When the
hides are taken out of salt they are
well shaken and folded, first double
lengthwise, and then wrapped up in
four or five folds. In some cases salt
ers contract their hides to tanners by
the month or year, and settlements are
made at the end of each month on the
basis of the average ruling prices dur
ing that period. It is now, however,
becoming customary for them to sell
each lot to the tanner or dealer who
will pay the highest figures at the time
of delivery.
In some of the abattoirs where the
| butchers do not do their own sailing
the salters hire the pens and make no
charge to the slaughterers, but receive
the hoofs of all the animals killed in
| lieu of other compensation. In the
Jersey City abattoir the salters pay
81, 900 per annum for each pen Afford
ing accommodation for fifteen animals
at a time.-Shoe and Leather Reporter.