The Columbus journal., 1884-11-19
vesteru Dressed Beef for the East.

The trade in dead meats ID raPldly
increasing. Its progress and success
interest every breeder, farmer n
feeder in the West; everything which
helps to supply the eastern and foreign
markets with cheaper and better meats
increases the demand. Several eastern
butchers have naturally opposed the
sale of western dressed meats as 1t in
terferes with their profits, and lowers
the price of meat there, and some news-
papers have joined the cry without in
yestigation. A representative OF the
Prairie Farmer has been through the
largest of the Chicago establishments
devoted to this business. Attached 10
the rear of the immense slaughter-hOuse
is q continuous series OF stalls, each
about four by ten feet. Door at either
end communicate with tho yard on
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 filed with stock. all
choice, plump. fat animals weighing
900 pounds to 1900 pounds each. Moth
inois visible to excite nervousness in the
cattle. The outer doors of the stalls are
opened, one animal driven into each,
and the doors securely closed. A plank
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 sewers 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 sur that no
| life remains, and the next instant a man
thrusts a long. sharp knife through the
breast. opening the great artery direct
w above the heart. An attendant
catches the spouting blood in a large
nan and empties it into q barrel. An
other skillful hand strips the skin from
| .he 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 thai
everything is done with the utmos!
order and regularity. Passing down
the long floor from one carcass to the
next, the workmen acquire perfect deX-
.erity. never making a false or useless
motion. The skillful are paid from
SiO0 to Sl25 per month. Absolute
neatness prevails. So thoroughly is the
place scrubbed and cleaned every day
that no faint or unpleasant OdOr Is per,
ceptible any time of year.
There is no waste product. Ihe
cheeks are canned, the horns and hoof
steamed and pressed flat for making
combs and various other articles; tn
shank-bones are sold to cutters fol
handles. Sausage cases arc made from
the e~ntrails. The suet, marrow, anC
all loose fat are melted at q low heat
and the strained oil sold to makers o
oleomargarine, the greater part beInt
exported. The blood, otfal and rem
nants of flesh and bones are made int
various valuable fertilizers.
Above the cold-rOomS are lofts hlie'
with ice, by means of which an eve'
temperature of ~thirty-six degrees i
maintained through the year. 1t i
claimed that meat can be kept at thi
temperature for an indefinite perio(
without injurious change. The r il
which it is shipped are supplied with ic
which keeps a uniform temperature.
About 5000 beeves are thus slaugf
tered daily in Chicago for this trade
and this amount will be increased t
1000 as soon as the facilities now i
progress are completed. Large nun
bers of sheep and swine are also killed
preserved aud shipped. If the busine:
continues to increase as it has during
year past, similar establishments wi
De erected at Kansas City and othe
points. -.
The advocates of this system clail
the following advantages: Superio
healthfulness, as the animals al
slaughtered before they are fevered b
a long railroad Journey; and betts
! flavor is acquired by hanging unfroze
, in a uniform low temperature. Or
refrigerator car will carry the dresse
quarters of as many animals as woul
fill two cars when alive, and in tt
latter Ease they would require car
yardage and feed.-Prairie Farmer.