The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1889-10-09

their labor peculiarly effective, During
the great strike at the packing houses a
few years ago outside men, highly recon-
mendod as skilled butchers. were en-
ployed but were found to be vastly inferior
10 the regular operators.
In these mammoth establishments divis-
ion OF labor Il the rule and the great secret
OF success. Every man and boy has "a par
ticular duty 20 per orm, which blends har-
moniously with that OF other 8. and accom-
plishes. In tho aggregate. great results.
Cleanliness is the watchword. and every
thing is done as neatly as the nature OF the
business permits. In this respect the
slaughtering at the Stock Yards surpasses
that OF smaller Institutions. which lack the
mechanical appliances and the highly
trained labor. A thorough examination of
any one OF the packing houses Will convince
the most fastidious that the long rows OF
beef. pork and mutton in tho hu Q cooling
rooms are, literally speaking. Good enough
to eat"
The nlOdltS operdndi in the different es-
adjustments being essentially the same, a
description Of one viii suffice for all. That
OF Armour ~ Co. is the most extensive,
and some figures as 70 the magnitude of
their business may not be uninteresting.
and at the same time will give the reader
an idea or the extent OF the packing inter-
ests at Chicago
Their buildings cover 40 acres. and con-
tain 125 acres of floorage. There are 80
.
with "a storage capacity OF 100000 tons Of
dressed meat. In 1888 they killed 1.lf0,0OO
hogs, SCI 200 cattle. and l64,54O sheep, and
sold SOS. 100000 worth of products. 10 ac-
complsh this and prepare the various
products for market, n force of men and
boys. varying from 5000 In the summer 70
6OO0 in the winter were employed.
The packing firms buy the stock they
slaughter in the yards i'm the same way as
others. and employ for that purpose a large
number Of men, who must be excellent
Judges OF the kind OF animals they are pur-
chasing. These buyers command large
salaries. Cattle, sheep. and hogs are each
purchased by a different set OF men.
At the packing houses there are extensive
pens for stock. from which they are removed
as required TO the interior OF the buildings.
At Armour's the cattle pens, which are ele-
waited somewhat above the ground. are
filed from time q time in the following
rather novel manner: large. fine- looking
steer. who has been specially trained for the
service, leaves little shed where he stands
during the day, and approaches the large
Enclosure into which cattle have been driv-
en- from the yards TO the eastward. At the
proper moment the gate is thrown omen
and number Of the cattle permitted 10
pass out into the open space. All created
things seem TO have sort OF conH-
dence in those o. their own species.
and when the animal which the guile
OF designng man has Transformed in
TO confidence steer. or "steerer,"
walks away toward the incline leading to
what is TO them the gate OF death. his con-
iiding and unsusp-cting companions un-
hesitatinglv follow him. At the crit cal
moment he turns aside and retraces his
steps TO his shed. while the others pass on
10 their doom. Much the same system il
used IN the case Of sheep. "A fine specimen
called pet" being used az the decoy. IL is
dincult to stand prosperity or properly ap-
preciate ones advantages. Occasionally
the confidence steer becomes indolent and
neglects his business. When he no longer
performs his work I'm "A satisfactory manner.
no shares the same fate allotted 10 neg
lectful human emf loyes-his head is cut
off," and that in "A literal sense. One day
he is forced through the cate from which
he has so often turned away. and shares
the fate 70 which he has led so many thou
sands OF his kind. while his successor in
office proceeds TO take possession OF the
shed.
After The cattle reach the elevated pens