The Benton weekly record. [volume] (Benton, Mont.) 1880-1885, 1883-05-19
nENTON,s OPPORTUNITY. 7
Rare Chance for Capitalists or a
Combination OF Cattle Growers.


grasp everything within reach to develop
speedy greatness. @E.E EZ
To stand still one day is to 60 backward
two. Moments lost can never be regained.
The pivotal point in the prosperity OF q
town is good hotel. Benton has one
that ranks tirst-class and soon will have
another. The new court house and water
works will demonstrate our claim to be
metropolitan. A wagon bridge must be
cuIf.trueted across The Missouri river if the
city would retain its importance, else a
new settlement, called South Benton, will
be started, and the present town lose
something Of it's prestige. Electric lights
and efficient drainage will come with in
creased municipal wealth.
What is most needed to place the city
upon substantial basis that will increase
its permanent population and enhance its
wealth is manufactures. The many open
ings in ordinary lines of business prevent
new ideas from obtaining foothold. The
.= the aneat traffic is now opento be accepted
by different points in this Territory. The
first men in the Northwest that have shown
the enterprise to avail themselves of this
fine opening are the managers of the Pow
der River Cattle Company. The Chey-
enne Leader gives the following account of
their operations:
''Two hundred yards to the north of the
Union Pacific railroad track at Sherman
stands long, low frame building, built
for use as slaughter and packing-house
tor the Powder River Company. Atthe
sgwestern end of the building is a corral, in
which the cattle are confined when they
arrive from the range. They are driven
to Sherman, and not brought by cattle
cars, rs the beef is in better condition
when the live cattle have not been SUBJ
jected 10 u journey by rail. From the cor
raj runs passage-way at the extreme end
of the building, when high fence at each
side, being separated from the building by
several pens, each large enough to allow
two steers to stand in it. Four steers are
driven into the passage way, the gates
connecting with the pens being open.
When two have entered the pen farth-
est from the corral the door is closed and
the two Others are then driven into the
next pen and the door closed. Above the
pens, on frame work, runs several plank
which serve as platform for the man who
kills the stcers. He walks Oh Il plank with
"a fa1ie iii his hands, waits a moment to
take deliberate aim, and sends ball into
the steers head, striking it either between
the eyes or ut the back of the neck. When
four steers have been shot large sliding
door ut the back Of the pen, opening int 0
the slaughter house, is opened by men
from the inside of the building. Ina mo-
nent they have attached a rope to the
horns of q steer, and by means of 4 wind
lass are hauling the carcass into the
sRughter-house. Here is i platform per-
haps twelve feet wide, sloping slightly to-
ward a gutter, which carries away the
blood. On this platform the steers are
stretched out quickly and the butchers
goto work. One cuts the throat of an ami
maloand works at the head, while another
is cutting off the hoofs and preparing to
take off the skin. The intestines are re-
moved, the heart, liver and tongue are cut
away and hung up, all to be packed away
for shipment The carcass is swung up to
cleat, and when skinned and dressed
pushed along series of side back toward
the eastern end of the building, which Is
enclosed on all sides ,and is used rs a pa ck-
ing-room. The skins Of the animals are
salted down and the heads tossed aside. !
This do,e, four more steers are driven into
the pens and the operation Is repeated. |
The inclosed packing-room has capacity |
of,.about 900 carcasses OF sheep and 1000
beeves. 1t il the Intention Of the man
ayers to maintain u temperature Ia the
packing room higher than that of the air
outside, and the apparatus used in render
ing tatoW may be used also in preventing
the packing-ro0m from becoming cold
enough TO freeze the meat contained in it.
About 100 head of cattle were killed yes
terday, and perhaps an average of 125
head will be killed for some time to come.
Ii is the purpose OF the managers of the
slaughter-house to hang away the carcasses
until the winter rise In the price of beef
occurs, aud then TO ship their dressed beef
to the eastern markets. They expect,
while operating their establishment, to
takeadvantage ot the good condition of
the cattle in the summer, ami kill during
the season extending from May until Ne
Yelnber. Their shipments will take place
in the winter, when cattle are usually thin
and prime beef is scarce"
An enterprise of this kind deserves to be
successful, and we hope it will, beyond all
calculations. -
The wsystem Of supplying eastern
markets with beef has come to stay, It is
In the line of progress. In the same way
that there is d tendency to establish manu-
factories in the South where cotton is pro-
duced there ID also a tendency to the estab-
lishment Of meat manufactories near the
supply Of the raw material. 1t is justly
claimed that dressed beef can be shipped
Rt u third less cost than on the hoof; the
quality and condition of the beef will be
superior; the cattle woHld be taken and
slaughtered direct from the ranges when
In prime order, and delivered by the re-
frigeratar cars in the very best condition;
whereas by the present mode of shipping
on the hoof the cattle reach the markets
jaded, feverish, shrunken In weight, and
the quality deteriorated. .- ~
1t remains to be seen what town in the |
Territory will firstavail itself OF the oppor-
tunity to become i point for cattle inter-
ests to concentrate. Fort Benton, because
Of the excellent shipping facilities afforded
by the river, and the railways that soon
will be here. and because II. Is situated in |
the heart Of the cattle ranges In the North |
west, isathe most natural place that could
BE- selected for this new industry. |