The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-07-17
IN THE PACKING HOUSE.
LAST HOURS OF A HOGS LIFE III
EAST CAMBRIDGE.

A pig may 60 into the pork packing house
in East Cambridge pig, but when he goes
out no is numerously referred 70 rs hams
pork sides, pigs feet, hogs heads, spare ribs,
picked tongues md shoulders lard, bristles
fertilizer, hair and hogs grease and lard OIL.
Recently, in company with one Of The en-
ploycs Of the concern, the writer spent several
hours In examining the various buildings. \
long, low structure at the extreme northeast
corner Of the enclosure, about which b d
fonce extends to protec, it from the world
outside, is the hog house where new arrivals
are kep; before the slaughter \ car load Of
sleek looking porkels, that might be called
the Gristocracy Of the swine population Of
the west, were just beginning 80 s.ttlc down
for few hours Of solid comfort wA, ID a small
boy and a man came hurTiedly along and
shouting 10 them the entire drove were in
minute upon their feet They saw a means
Of exit that had purposly been lelt open, ana
through 1t they passed, unconscious of the
terrible fate awaiting them on the CIDER side
Of the long, narrow bridge into which they
were entering. And what long, dar,
bridge IL is You have seen covered railroad
bridges up in the country that are like IT.
Through occasional cracks IN the walls the
sunlight strcamed IN, and there in babel oi
sounds could be seen line OF hogs packed
closer than sleighs Oh the Mlldain IA Jaiu-
AIRY. They were crowding, pu,hin, each
other towards the little opening SD far ahead
which marked the end OF tho bridge, and
pretty soon they had all passed through it.
not into the sunlight which seemed 10 he
awaiting them, but into a triangular pen
where the rumble Of machinery came totheir
ears, and occasionally the dying wall of ono
Of their kind whose wind had boon cut by
the lord high executioner
The porkers Were closer together than sar-
dimes IN a box. and restless a. cClr They
tried 10 walk on top of each other, rubbed
against the trousers of the men among them,
and then some would try to climb thcwoodcn
wall and escape As it was 10 less than siX
feet high, they could do little moro than
stand on their hind legs. This was au cE'..-
lent opportunity for the swine herd H. had
been for several minutes watchine "a wire
rope that hung from pulley some twenty
feet above the pen. Then it was lowered
toward him, and we knew the end was iin-
minent
If ] were TO describe the scene after the
newspaper style of an execution, would
say:
1905 oclock-Pig Sly, the largest and most
intellectual appearing victim, is now being
seized by the hind legs. The left Is clasped
10y a band of steel, which lastens like a hand
cuff
1O;O3$. He is suddenly drawn high in the
air, and is swinging to and fro like the pen
dulum of a grandtathers clock A pro
longed squeal in the key OF high reverber
ates through the death chamber The rope
begins suddenly to pull him along toward,
the executoner.
1901 O'clocl;-The exccutiOncr has just let
fly mouthful Of tobacco juice. The victim
for & second hangs silent before him. The
awfulness OF the situation is evidently numb
ing his mind, for no sound escapes hlp.
Courage such as his in the last moinent OF
lie seems moro Than human The execu-
TONER raises his knife. He holds II as Edwin
Booth does his rapier in a stage duel A
second its trusty blade glitters in the electric
Ight and then it is buried in the victims
apoplectic neck He twists like a screw
driver, and then the killer pulls forth his
weapon. while the life blood starts IN a Grim
son stream like muddy Cochituate through a
half open faucet In all Instant commissions
seize the DYING porker. His flesh twists anu
the muscles become distorted The ogonies
are intense, and then the reaction Of death
begins. the cords relax and on towards the
bathing tub he goes, dead as q doornal
Ten seconds after the pig becomes pork he
Il shot down into hot water bath. ie who
have thought life's end coming in the
n 81
heart ALWAYS Don't kick about hot water
until YOU have seen the bubblns, seethlng
caldron in q killing room The nos Is
always supposed TO be dead when tins Stage
ia reached, but it some time, happens that lie
is not. and in the few bri-f moment before
final darkness blinds his min low thoughts
of mast sand misjeeds must come rom
tbe;r Graves 10 hound him The tub Al.
which he is dropped is a long one. and altG
being rolled over several times until tic
bristles are ready TO drop ont OF thoir own
accord he is pulled up on board, and IN "
twinklinc two men have removed ms brll'Ie
and he goes on his way rejoicing. Hooked
like Gsh under the chin, the rope to winch
be is suspended carries him ihrougha shower
bath and then the shaving machlne Is
reached can say truthfuly that would
rather take my chances III gong through
that machine than to repeat tho experience
Of being shaved by some BARRIERS KNOW whe
claim to be first class workInen
But you want 10 know something aoou'
this machine Suppose, then, you see thC
head of q barrel removed and IN Its place
imagine there arc arranged upon springs q
dozen or more knife blades, SO that when nC
pressure is brought upon them from the undei
side they remain SO close together that yot
could not drop kitten down between them
Then imagine that pigs nose comes intC
sight. 1t gently slides up, pushing back The
scrapers, which in turn do their duty anc
leave his snout hairless and white as a baby
face On he comes, and further back the
blades are pushed His neck comes through
then his body and finally, when he has beei
all scraped, as he is by one passage through
the knives resume their original position, 1
stream Of water dashes over tbeni and tn
hair is washed down through passage int
repository below
On goes the porker until he reaches tabl
where four men are employed, two ON eacl
side, in removing such hairs Us have escapes
the automatic barber behind. Before yo'