The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-12-12
FLESH AND FISH.
An Early Morning Ride to
ButchertOWn.
THE CHINESE BUY cow rlEAT.
They Sell 1t to Cheap Restaurants
How Housekeepers Are Fooled
by the Basket nen.

By the light of Pickering corner gas
lamp few mornings since, CALL reporter
mounted TO the seat of Western Addition
butcher wagon by the side Of an accommo-
dating butcher for an early morning ride to
Butchertowl and an early call at the Chinese
meat and fish markets.
Occasionally, as the wagon ratified on
over cobbestones and car-tracks. the jingle
Of a carbell would be heard and then a
dummy headlight would flash into view,
another days business.
The wagon was nearly run down at
Fourth and Townsend streets by backing
freight train. but owing to the butchers
vigorous right arm ana profound knowl-
edge Of effective profanity, no damage was
done.
Out Kentucky street, past the Union Iron
Works and the heights, the wagon ratified
and jolted on toward the slaughter house
at the corner OF First avenue and Kentucky
street.
1t was broad daylight when the reporter
crawled down. stiff and cold. from the
wag0n-seat before long row of rather
dilapidated- looking buildings. where large
number Of wagons were backed up to the
elevated sidewalk waiting for their loads OF
meat.
This Is where the cty's beeves are
slaughtered.
While the butcher was buying his stock
for the days business, the reporter i'm
proved the time by looking in at the differ
ent houses where meat was being delivered
TO dealers. wholesale and retail. Some
came from the larger markets and carried
away great fOur-horse loads and others
came in single buggies and took but side
of beef.
Within the scene was animated. and to
one not accustomed to such hustle and
haste. noises and apparent confusion it was
somewhat bewildering.
The rooms are large, but not very light,
and beef. mutton and pork were To be seen
in great quantity on all sides hanging from
the dark ceiling above and piled upon tn 9
floor. slippery with the blood of slaughtered
animals below.
Men speaking 10 almost every language.
Chinese included, were buying. weighing
and carrying meat 1t was almost enough
TO forever sicken one of meat eating. and
the reporter was almost ready TO declare
himself a vegetarian.
The slsugbter-houses are built over the
water, into which refuse is dumped where
the sea gulls fight and scream over il.
The atmosphere Is Dervaded with the
sickeDiDg odor of fresh blood. TO which the
tanyardS add their medley OF penetrating
smells.
Only a casual inspection Of the meat pur-
chased by the Chinese dealers was needed
to show the class Of custom they supplied.
Their meat, beef for the most part. is all
right AS regards freshness, but it is a very
poor quality; being what butchers term
cow meat. That is 10 say, 1t is from
poor or old and tough cattle, mostly cows
too old 10 be OF value living and too poor
and tough TO bring good price as beef
Returning to the city proper a hal: was
made at Washington alley. otherwise known
as Fish alley. where the Chinese meat and
hSh markets are situated.
Here COW meat in profuslon was found
In almost all stages, from the newly killed
TO that rapidly passing into state when it
becomes public nuisance and menace to
heath.
This" said the butcher, 'fs where many
Of the cheap downtown restaurants buy
their meat. Here is where they buy the
steaks, which, II they bought good meat,
would cost alone more than the price OF the
neal as advertised on their bill of fare.
This fact may be easily proved by CON-
ing here any morning early and seeing the
purchasers OF this meat"
Further on were seen the fishstands.
These fish, said tie butcher, "are
mostly bought OF the Italian fishermen and
are fresh, having just come from the water.
From to o'clock every afternoon the
basKet-men. CT small peddlers, come here
and buy up the old stock, keeping II in salt
water over night sell 10 the next morning
as fresh. representing IL 10 be the mornings
know the difference. and pays for first
class article.
"Of course the peddler gets this old stock
at very low rate"
On one side OF the narrow alley China
man was busiiy engaged in cutting up COW
meat, and on the other two Celestials were
busy dressing catfish.
The fish are dressed while yet alive, and
tossed wriggling into basket.
This method OF dressing fish is quick, Pc
cuiar and barbarous.
The fish is caught by the gills with the
left hand, while with the right the dresser
holds pair Of ordinary nippers. With
these he catches the skin just back of the
head and just before the large fin on the
back, and tears the skin from the body In
one piece. The still writing fish is then
tossed into a basket TO await the convent
ence of the cleaver man, who, with two
strokes of small sharp cIeaver, removes
the head and completes the dressing.
There, resumed the butcher, pointing
to a sturgeon lying on block, there is
what, In some restaurants, they will serve
under the name of tenderloin of sole. or
course they dress 1t nicely, cook Ii brown.
AMI serve it under a liberal coating of tar
tar sauce. But it's sturgeon for all that"