The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-05-13
And A~ristocrats as Well in the Good
Old Times Now Gone
Forever.
They Sold Meat Under Exclusive
Privileges and Held Their
Heads High.
y Glass Distinctly American-Their Pleas
ures and Their Serious Occupations
-TrAits and Habits.

light, like jackson .. ScnultZ. 0les, says the
New York Times, ought to inspire SOM
record searcher and diligent interviewer to
70 to work. It is a story worth printing,
and the material for it is still available.
The records have been pretty we'll raked
ever by Thomas F. De Voc, who put some
of them in a book in most interesting style.
He stopped with one volume in 1862. Part
of another volume was prepared, but de-
mands upon his time led him to lay it away
unfinished, and now he feels that writing a
book at eighty years is more than he wants
TO undertake, although he has the material
In his library.
Col. De Woes fund of material might be
supplemented by "reminiscences from some
OF the old-timers whose minds are still
fresh with memories of the days when a
butcher was about as big a man as walked
this town, and when likely young fellows
wanted no higher compliment than for
somebody to say, "He1ooks like a butcher"
Sturdy stock made butchers, and butch
ors' blood lows in the veins of the Astors,
the Rutherfords, the Vanderbeeks, the
Varians, the Bayards. the Morrises, the
Tinks, the Burlings, the de Peysters, the
Roosevelts, and the Motifs. Butchering
was called a profession and even an art in
the old days, and was so we'll thought OF in
England that an order was established by
royal grant of Master, Wardens and Com
monalty Of the Art or Mystery of Butcher
ing of the City of London"
The butcher class of Mr.. Schultz's early
days were distinctively American-born.
Every mau felt himself as good as any
other. That indeed was the feeling every
where. The laborer was worthy of his hire
every day in the year. No man with mon ey
dared turn up his nose at a workingman I'M
less he had a pair of fists to protect that
nose. Every trade had a very good opinion
of itself. II asked 40 odds OF any other
trade. And on the 6minence of self-satls-
faction stood the butchers
A mans business could be told by his
dress in Mr.. Schultz's youth. The butchers
all dressed alike away from their stalls as
well as at them. When a man came sailing
up the street with a straight-brim silk hat
over one ear, from which projected a long
lock that curled against the cheek; a blue
coat with brass buttons over a maroon
waiscoat of silk or velvet, and black trous-
ers, skin-tight to the knees, but t1aring to
the tips of the boots at the bottom-that
him. With his head in the air and his
rudy. shaven face aglow, and his square
shoulders and solid tread, if anybody
wanted anything of him he was always
ready. There was nothing meddlesome
about him. but he knew his rights. Likely
were also pretty we'll fixed about some
nome things.
Near the market, which was about OPP
posite the forks of the road, was for many
years the termination of the once famous
Third avenue trotting course, where every
Cr-I1-a ,,ol-loI 6lo $,rol
painting and foaming steeds. before all
sorts of vehicles, came rushing in from
Harlem or Cato's, in twos, threes and fves,
and / have seen more than twenty, always
appearing as if they were all in q heap.
''There was no such road in the United
almost one end to the other, through the
centre of it, a smoothly-graded macada-
mixed road was laid, while ON each side ap-
peared q well-beaten track, usually pre-
ferred by the knowing t%rotters, and the
whole kept in the most perfect order. 1t
ant family ride, as there were manv, es-
pecially when, quite late in the day, half
drunken fast men and boys, IN the crazy
excitement to get ahead, who made no
bones Tor, rather, sometimes some broken
ones) of driving a shaft into your horse or
their wheels against or even over you and
curse you in the bargain for being in their
way.
''Some distance above this market, at an
early period, was a regular stand place,
where many went toward evening to ses the
fast ones come in. Then, on looking up
toward the rising ground, now about Iwen-
ty-eighth street, a cloud of dust suddenly
rising denoted the coming of the steeds.
and it WAS not long befote a ~well-knowI
butcher of Fulton market, having well IL
hand q gallant black horse, usually before 1
sulky, could be seen, and on the opposlt
Ill = H-.1 ,no, Tuh@r CNy m n n n n n
Larry, sat in a low, light, Brooklyn-buil
cart, before which WAS an e1ceilent-step
ping, short-tailed bay horse, both team
head and head, usually a long way before
the crowd which was trailing on after them
"Soon afterward they all came in a body
Height Height 'Go-a-lonan 'What-are
~you-about?' 'Now-I-got-youi' 'No-you
ain'tr 'Get-out-of-the-way!' with man,
like expressions, all commingled tog ether
as they rushed by, and which appeared a
II a thunder gust or all the furies were lie
and pulling their horses first on one side
then on the other; others plying the viii
most numerically on all sides; others agail
yelling like demons who were trailing o
~behind-and these exciting scenes were re
peated at intervals until arkness close
the trot for the day"
There was one butcher. whose descsn
dants are among the four hundred, wht
wanted to draw business to q market at thu
foot of Grand street, to which end he lie
the public know when he bought an unrul
bull in order that they might judge of tn
qualities of a dog who had a great reputs
ton as a peacemaker. The butcher had
pen in which he put his dog with a bul
Raised seats were built around the pei
The performance always came off as &C
vertised. It lasted until the dog had tn
bull in 80 close a grip by the nose that tn
bull WAS glad to lie down and let a ma
knock his skull in. AS a special treat til
i. butcher put a buffalo in the pen with h
dog. The buffalo WAS not to kill, howeve
but was reserved to be trotted ont and pit
through his PAGES when business got slac
or needed special booming.
The butchers made life bring them enjo,
ment in many other ways than are ind
Gated above. They had associations whic
gave balls and parades and barbecues. @
all occasions of general rejoicing they toe
prominent part, decking their stands an
meats with flags and lowers and displayi1
banners for free trade and butcher
rights" There we're writer's of songs al
adages among them. Ernest Keyser, one
their number, had the honor of insplril
two songs, 'Keyser, Don't You Want
Buy a Dog?' and Il Kills for Keyser," boz
of which held the public fancy for maj
years. The old saying, IF You don't bs
lieye I'm a butcher smell o. me butes
started in the Bowery, and was put to maj
uses before it was discarded.
The serious side of the life of the butcl
ers need no tribute. Large families we
the rule in the early days, and the butche
did their share toward raising them.