The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1894-07-19
THE NEW YORK BUTCHER GAIT.
Origin and Dcvclc -uncnt OF the Swift and

IL
cart builder. 1t was rather larger
than the present style of cart, its
sides and ends flared somewhat from
the floor, It had a wooden axle, and
1t was. without springs. Butcher
carts. We're made i'll this style for
about eight years, but not very many
We're made, for not very many were
needed.
In those days the city was very
| much smaller, and the butcher bust
ness was conducted very differently.
1t was confined to markets. Every
butcher KILLED hisself," and the
carts were very largely used in car
rying meat from the slaughter house
TO the market. There were no dc,
hveries except to hotels and board
ing houses.
AS the city grew and people lived
, farther away from the market they
could no longer economically carry
home their meat in baskets as they
had done About 1910 meat shops
started up in v&rious parts Of the
city, and these increased in number,
and there was an increased demand
for butcher carts for delivery uses.
In 1910 the cart was improved by
the addition of half springs, one on
each side, tile dimensions and style Of
the body remaining the same. About
the year lS45 Il lighter, straight sided
cart was built, with top rails and ell
liptic springs. That cart in its gen
eral style and appearance was very
much like the natty New York butch
er cart of today From that time on
the use of carts increased rapidly.
Such changes as were made in them |
were mainly matters of detail and |
construction. The next real step for
ward was the introduction of plat
form springs, which occurred be-
tween 1855 and 1860. The butcher
cart of 1894 is practically the cart of
1860, improved in the quality of ma
terials used, made still lighter and
better finished, giving an effect of
greater trinness.
The original butcher carts were all |
painted in plain dark colors without |
stripping or fancy work. Butcher carts
are by no means so plainly finished
nowadays, but they have always pre-
served their freedom from ornamen-
tation. Many butcher carts are now
painted red, but they are not finished
with bright metal work, nor are they !
ornamented with designs. The carts |
may be gaudy in color, but are never
anything but neat in style and finish. |
Many are now painted white, all |
white, including the running part. |
Frequently they are finished with
the body in the natural wood and the
running part painted to suit the fan
cy of the purchaser Butcher carts
are seldom named. Carts, such as
are ordinarily used, weigh about 500
pounds. They cost about 800 to$125,
according to size, weight and finish,
running occasionally to $50 for a
heavier cart built for some special
service.
While this style of cart was orig
mated in New York and is peculiar
to this city, more or less of them are
used in various parts of the world.
The first one sent out of town went
to New Orleans in 1850. New York
butchers who went to other cities to
open business took New York butch
er carts with them Visiting butch
ers who admired the butcher carts
used here bought carts in this city
and took them home with them.
For instance, Liverpool butcher
took home New York butcher cart,
which is now running in Liverpool.
New York carts have been sold in
the various larger cities across the
country to San Francisco, but the
sale of them in this country outside
of New York is now mostly confined
to the cities of the Atl9ntic seaboard.
Elsewhere, when there is local de-
mand for them, they are often made
by local builders, New York cart
serving as a model. New York
butcher carts are sold in the CITY of
Mexico, in Havana, in Panama and
in other cities of Central and South
America.--New York Sun.