The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1884-07-10
Western Dressed Beef for the East:

LH
Tie trade in dead meats is rapidly
increasing. Its progress and success
interest; every breeder, farmer and
feeder in the West; everything which
helps to supply the eastern and foreign
markets with cheaper and better heats
increases the demand. Several eastern
butchers have naturally opposed the
| sale of western dressed meats as it in
t~erferes with their profits, and lowers
the price of meat there, and some news
papers have joined the cry without in
testigation. A Representative Of the
PrdiFis Fdrnaer has been through the
largest of the Chicago establishments
devoted to this business: Attached to
the rear Of the immense slaughter house
is a continuous series of stalls, each
about four by ten feet. Doors at either
end communicate with the yard on one
side and the house ON the other. Be-
yond the first row of yards is an outer
range for the reception of stock. We
found the yards filled with stock, all
choice, plump, fat animals weighing
900 pounds to 800 pounds each. Moth
ingis visible to excite nervousness in the
cattle. The outer doors of the stalls are
opened, one animal driven into each,
duu bu0 dOOiS SOCuIciy ClOSCu. piduk
walk extends along the top of the stalls,
upon which passes a skilled workman,
who strikes the animal insensible with
a single blow, either with a ''spear'' or
a hammer. The spear is a long,
heavy iron bar, with a chisel blade
at one end. Raising this above the
animal he instantly sever the spine at
its junction with the skull. If the ham
mer Is used, a single blow in the fore
head is effective. AS the animal falls
the door is opened into the slaughter
house and the carcass is drawn in. A
finishing blow is given with a heavy
hammer to make doubly sure that no
life remains, and the nextinstant q man
thrusts a long, sharp knife through the
breast. opening the great artery direct
ly above the heart. An attendant
catches the spouting blood in a large
pan and empties it into a barrel. An
other ski1lful hand strips the skin from
the head and sewers it from the neck.
The carcass is then elevated by chains
and a steam windlass. Here it is
skinned, dressed, and cut in halves,
which are run off to the rear portion of
the room where they hang until the
animal heat has escaped, after which
they are suspended in the cold-room.
A moments observation shows that
everything is done with the utmost
order and regularity. Passing down
the long floor from one carcass to the
next, the workmen acquire perfect dex-
terity, never making a false or useless
motion. The skillful are paid from
300 to S125 per month. Absolute
neatness prevails. So thoroughly is the
place scrubbed and cleaned every day
that M faint or unpleasant odor Is per-
!, ceptible any time of year.
There is no waste product. The
cheeks are canned, the horns and hoof:
steamed and pressed fiat for making
combs and various other articles; the
shank-bones are sold to cutters fol
handles. Sausage cases are made from
the e%ntrails. The suet, marrow, and
; all loose fat are melted at a low heat
and the strained oil sold to makers o.
oleomargarine, the greater part being
exported. The blood, offal and rem
nants of flesh and bones are made intt
various valuable fertilizers.
Above the cold-rooms are lofts filled
with ice, by means of which an ever
temperature of t~hirty-six degrees ii
maintained through the year. 1t i
claimed that meat a be kept at thi
temperature for an indefinite period
without injurious change. The cars in
which it is shipped are supplied with ic'
which keeps a uniform temperature.
About 5000 beeves are thus slaugh
tered daily in Chicago for this trade
and this amount will be increased t.
! 1900 as 500 as the facilities now il
progress are completed. Large nun
bers of sheep and swine are also killed
preserved aud shipped. If the bushes
. continues to increase as it has during
year past, similar establishments vii
: ! be erected at Kansas City and othe
= points.
The advocates of this system clair
the following advantages: Superio
e healthfulness, as the animals ar
: slaughtered before they are fevered b
, a long railroad Journey; and bette
flavor is acquired by hanging unfroze
! in a uniform low temperature. On
I refrigerator car will carry the dresse
quarters of as many animals as woul
fill two cars when alive, and in tn
= latter case they would require carr
! yardage and feed.-Prdirte Farmer.