The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1885-08-24
THE ABATTOIR.
1t Will Soon be Finished.
Plans Of Health Commissioner Craig.
The New Sawdust ROad---The
City's Enterprise.

Dr. q. u. Craig, the efficient health com
missioner, to an ARGUS reporter on Sat-
urday. IF so, l will take you
down to look at the new abattoir,
which is rapidly nearing compile
ton" Time was not crowding the re-
porter particularly, and he accepted the
invitation with pleasure
The site of the abattoir was reached
over the new sawdust road, which opens
up Thirteenth avenue on Second street.
"Weyerhauser & Denkman have treated
us very kindly" said the commissioner.
Their contract was to fill in only 845 feet,
from fence to fence, but they have added
S5 feet on the east end" A fence
is to be erected on each side of the saw
dust road, and offal will be dumped on
the low ground on either side
Quite squad of men were found busy
at work on the abattoir building. The
,ity has the work in charge, which is be-
ing superintendent by Alderman Collins.
1he brick used is from the old waterworks
building, and the timber taken from the
old Milan bridge, so the city is at very
little expense as far as material Is
concerned The building is to rest on
solid foundation. An excavation was
made for a cellar the principal object be>
ing to secure earth for filling in purposes.
Dr. Craig anticipates that water will flow
in The cellar during high water, but as it
will be used only for the butchers
to drive in to get their otfal 1t
will make but little difference. The
building is to be S0x40 feet. and will be
admirably adapted for the purpose of
killing MS explained by DR.. Craig are rs
follows: Six pens for cattle will be stu
ated on the southeast side of the build
ing By opening the door of any one of
the pens the further passage in the aisle
is obstructed, and the cattle can be easily
driven into the pen, the dimensions Of
which are about 6x10 feet After the ami
NAL is inClOsed in pen, a ring is placed
over its neck or horns. and the killing
occurs. A rope is then fastened to its hind
feet and the carcass is elevated few feet
and then swung forward, out of the way,
in case another animal is to be killed in
the same pen, thus doubling the capacity
of the abattoir. After being dressed the
dead animals are swung by hooks to the
cooling room. and allowed to remain uu
Ill the next morning, when the butchers
will find their meat in excellent cOndi-
ton.
The hog killing department will be in
the northeast corner The "grunters'
will first be received in a large pen. and
then introduced separately to the sticking
pen, where they will be quickly des>
patched, and thrown into the scalding
vat From this they are to be laid on
the scraping table, and then for
warded to the cooling room. There is
pen for sheep on the north
side, and the method for killing them is
much more simple than for killing cattle
and hogs. There will be platform on
the west side of the building. where the
butchers will drive TO secure their meats
The floor of the absttOir slants towards
the center, and numerous cutters will leaC
the blood to sewer that will empty il
the river diagOnally southwest. A water
main can be laid diagOnally northwest
taking the water from the river abou
400 feet above the outlet Of the sewer
The ground purchased by the city for tht
erection of an abattoir gives the city {
river frontage of about 400 feet, and is 6
most suitable place for the location
While not great distance from the city
it is sufficiently remote from habitatior
to not create nuisance. The lOwness Of
the land during high water is very
slight objection, as DR.. Craig says tina
only three times in the last fifteen year
has that section been overlooked, one OF
those occasions being in 1880, when the
whole city was more or less inundated
The ARGUS is more than ever impressed
with the belief that the city has taken the
proper action in the abattoir question, anC
is really doing the butchers favor il
building them such desirable institution
for Strengthening purposes. As it is thu
intention to make it self,sustaining
some vigorous and and active man should
be placed in charge of the abattoir
and superintend the killing, besides look
Ing after the general cleanliness of tht
place.
The purchase of the abattoir property
will be the means of improving the sani
tary condition of the city in more ways
than one. The scavengsr dump boat il
now located below the abattoir, instead
of near the pillow works, where it wa
very offensive to people residing in thu
lower end of the city. 1t is the idea o
Health Commissioner Craig, and certain
Iva most commendable one, that every
thing in the shape of nuisance be con.
Centrated together.
Delegates.
I Governor Dick" Oglesby has appoint
ed Capt. c. w. Durham and Mr.. W S