The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-09-15
SLAUGHTER or FOWLS.
A difference Between Amateur and iro
f--i.nnI Work-The Chicago Way.

Killing a chicken is feat that few i2ea
caro- 10 undertake a second time II IS
40. talf 50 easy as it looks \ ual WITH
az, o.peY.oce mag approach E.s Fieil m
,,nf entity. seize 10 by the necn Win
yiss-l.i.c grin and swing il roIal - head
and shoulders until he is Tired or urth
Door click ceases to flop hor Wings or
ri-ci. her feet. and the chances are tAet
the half stgGlgicd bird will go cavoriiaS
all over Tie back yard the instant IT Is
laid on the ground It's slayer. tired ana
sweaty end covered with dust and feaih-
ors. chascs Il around n circle. and finally,
after anumber Of desperate plungcs, re-
gains his grip on the limp but unOroSen
neck.
Take the ax and cut its head of.
John" suggests nis wife who las been
an interested but silent spectator Of the
attempted slaughter John acts upon the
advice with a promptness that proves
that lie knows a good thing. The ax is
procured. and again the wriggling bird IS
imprisoned John carries it in triumph over
to block of wood. lays its neck ont as
eyenly as the muscular contortions Of its
body ard legs viii permit. and then raises
the keen blade for the fatal blow. II de-
sconds with unerring aim. and the severed
head rolls of the block. But before John
has time 10 congratulate himself on the
success Of his exDedient the head gives
one hutter that is its last. and a tiny
stream ~ blood hardly bigger than darn
ing needle spurts from the gaping wound
like reyser. and stains his white shirt
e.. Ia. tss
caage that will hardly bear reproduction
that he has killed his last chicken II
the victim is an aged and tough hen with
q steel spring neck and extraordinary
vitality the work of slaughter is even
more difficult. This is the way man
kills chicken intended for his own table.
Down ia South Water street there are
fC.e .ecn chicken slaughter houses that
turn ont an average of about thirty
thousand dead birds every twenty four
hours. The process Is simpler and more
rapid There is an institution near the
corner of Clark street which alone Is
ready 90 kin of the featsercd tribe 90 the
rate Of 10000 q day if the consumption az
chicken ueat warrants the wholesale
slaughter The chickens are brought 10
the place by thousands and turned loose
In immense cOops that occupy whole
floors, and there they crow and clUck and
eat corn until the rcmOrseless band VI the
professional butcher closes on their necks
When this happens there is no time for
mOiher crow The needlc-like Point q
tho keen knife that the butcher clrrics I'm
his right hand is deity inserted behind
the victims err. and the nest instant lis
litlcss body Is shooting through spout
that leads to the hoor where tbe plump
ing room +, located. Il is all done in the
Luelest par. # d second. as will De mcre
readily understood when D. is stated that
this butcher single handed and clone.
can stab 10000 chickens I'm "a day OF ten
hours il does not make ans difference
to him whether the victim Is spring
chicken or q fun hedred hen. Ono falls
as easily before the plunge Of his kalie as
the other
But il IS tn the pumping room that
the hm has chance To- exhibit IFS vitality.
ln one conner Of this apartment. which Is
ALWAYS bali filed with wet feathers IS q
big iron tank full of boiling uater Into
this the bodies # the birds cr' thrown as
fast as they fall frOm the butchers no.t.
and after they nave been There lali O.
minute they are hauled ont Jy t.c legs
AID stripped oi heir feathers. This proc
cess requires but two sweeps Of a ham
like hand. and the bird. dnulci. is
flung into "a cooling box From there
thcy go downstairs TO another cooler AID
then they are packed for Shipment
Chicago Herald.