Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1888-08-31
A GREAT CATTLE MARKET.
THE LARGEST RESORT ITS KIND
IN THE WORLD.
The DePtford Market in England,
and Its RuleS-Thousands of Live
Stock Sold There Daily.

and Its RuIeS-Thousands of Live
Stock Sold There Daily.
a London letter to WEkes' Spirit OF
the L mes thus descr. beS a visit to what
the writer calls 1.-The largest covered cat
tie market IN the wOrld": Deptford is a
town of a most interesting character, an
cient and full of historical interest IL
is about seven miles from London The
place was of little Importance till the
time of Henry VIII, who for the better
preservation of the Royal Navy cstab-
lished a dockyard, and incorporated the
Society of the Trinity House 10y the title
of the Master. Warden, and Assist
ants of the Guild or Fraternity of the
Most Glorious and Undivided Trinity
and of St. Clement in the county of
Kent" This royal dockyard included
space of thirty one acres, and Is now the
site of the great cattle market. The
most interesting feature of the old Dept
ford ship docks is that it was here that
Peter the Great lived and worked and
learned his trade as a shipwright.
This market has the most stringent by
laws that regulate every part of the eX-
tensive business. For instance, a dog is
cleanliness of the market enclosure can
we'll be called perfect. l suppose that
there are nearly 80 different buildings
in this area, AMI of every size and adapta-
bility. The wharfage is superb, and the
largest vessels from all countries come
up the Thames and disembark their huge
cargo of cattle without the slightest
di hculty. The morning that | was at
Deptford one of the Monarch line was
discharging a thousand American beeves.
They looked lank and miserable. / am
not often ashamed of anything | see
emanating from my own dear country,
but must confess when | saw this long
troop of tired, long horned. faint steers
walk across the gang plank and up the
walk to the Amer. can stalls, i felt
a little chagrined. The American agent,
however, said: Don't fear, there are no
beel es that will be sold this or any other
day like the American. 1t is the meat
that is fayOrably taking with all
classes more and more" l was glad TO
hear this, and yet, as | looked at the
splendidly built Spanish beeves, the
beautiful black and white Dutch cattle,
the Portuguese short, thick and we'll
lived animals, l could not believe what
my guide and friend told me. Yet,
when the sale came OF later in the day,
his prediction was positively verified.
good thing in this business. Fifteen
pence on every beef and 10d. on every
Sheep that is landed must be at once
paid, and then not one Of these animals
ever 90 out of the enclosure alive. Most
of the animals are sent on commission,
and the commission agents are always
on hand to take every advantage of
their position. There is little response
bility on their part, and the remunera-
ton received ought to be most satisfy
ing. But it is not every one who can OBJ
tain a place of this character Each
agent has his own stalls, pens and folds.
There is no auctiOneering; everything
is of the most quiet nature. The day
that l was at the market there were over
5000 sheep and lambs sold and over
5000 beeves, and yet everything was
conducted in as quiet manner as at the
most quiet of art sales. HE butcher, or
the dealer in meats, will go from stall to
stall and pen to pen. asking chow much'
If the price is satisfactory the number is
mentioned and they are driven TO one Of
the many Strengthening establishments,
and in a few hours the clean-dressed car
cases are on their way TO London. Not
a hoof Of any kind goes out Of Dcptford
alive, except those Of a carriers work.
1ncTo Is IL lluc I'LL I)DSCh upOi CliA-
ployes using vulgar or profane language.
At the conclusion of each days sale
there must be made square settlement
between buyer and seller. Yet there is
a great deal of honesty between these
two parties. l was with one of
my Geaman friends who deals.
very largely in German sheep. A
buyer came up and pointed to pen in
which were 100 fine sheep. How
muchl" "Thirty-two shilIings," was
the reply (of course this was for each.
'WilI give you thirty shillings." said
the customer ''All right" said the
seller, and the bargain was sealed by a
shake Of the hand-no writing, no other
agreement but the word of honor.
The slaughteriDg houses are a wonder
in themselves. l have seen the same
kind of work performed in Armour's es-
in Chicago, but that was
with swine. Here a huge bullock is
and made ready for sale in
few minutes. Nothing is wasted. One
large firm in London, has the contract
for all the CUTS. The skins are sent to
Germany for sausage skins, or TO London
10 manufacture into lawn tennis bats.
Another firm receives all the hides Of
The beeves, and another Of the sheep
skins, while the perquisite 10 drover is
.he long hair on the tails of these anil
mails The drover sells this to the manu-
,acturer, who converts it into fine
brushes, etc.
Il. l. I, 4 & I