Arizona silver belt., 1895-01-19
BIG BUTCHER WAGONS.
Mammoth Horses of Some of Chi
 oagos Packing Houses.
The Teams When Passing Through the Streets Present Very Imposing Spec taole and Are Objects of Com
 staut Admiration.

Str2etS Present a very Imposing spec
 taole and Are Objects of Com
 staut Admiration.
 Chicago has one of the largest wagons in the world It has been as- serted that there is none as large else where. The builders of the mammoth wagon, however, make no such claim for it, but are justly proud of the prod uct of their skill.
 This wagon is the property of Nelson, Morris x Co.,, the packers, and was built in the ear shops under the super vision of Mir. Hit. The massive springs and axles used in it's construction are about the size of those on ears, and can sustain fifteen tons, This would have been good cur load few years ago, but cars, as well as wagons, have been increased in size and capacity, and the car load of to-day is somewhat larger.
 The ordinary two-horse wagon has a capacity of about six thousand five hundred pounds; four and one-half times this load could be carried by this giant wagon. It is uniform in color with the other wagons belonging to the company, having a yellow gear and maroon box As the wheel team is tho only one that can pull backward a powerful brake is necessary for use in stopping and on grades.
 The wagon is, of necessity, of the "cut-undcr" type, as this is the only form that can be 'eramped' sufficiently Co permit the lead horses Co be brought into use when backing. Its weight is six thousand one hundred pounds. As occasion requires, either Six or eight handsome roan horses draw this wagon, making an imposing display
 Mr rursel, who luys the horses used in the Morris stables says that great care was necessary in selecting the ami mals used in the lead teams. Anyone who watches these horses threading their way along crowded street will see that they must have high grade of intelligence to enable them to per form their work No whip is needed with such horses; they know their drivers voice and obey immediate ly They have broad forehcadS, intel ligcnt eyes and all the marks that go to indicate equine Sagaeity.
 The eight horses and wagon weigh about eight tons and, together with over five thousand dollars Roan horses were selected partly because there were q great many of that color already in the stable and partially because they were considered hardier and better able to stand the work required of them | than horses of other eolors.
 The majority of the packers favor horses of certain colors, but in Armour & Co. $ stable no sucb rule prevails, ex. eept in the case of their large wagon. for which eight coal-blaclS Norman horses were selected. The capacity of this wagon k abaui eighteen Lhousaud ponnds. Like ail tho Armour wagons, il is painted a bright yellow. The box wagon has been adopted to avoid the injury that is frequently done the meat by the stake wagons.
 The Armour barn accommodates | about two.hundred horses and is one ui the largest in the city. Oats have beer rather high lately and wheat has bcer ! fed to the horses fur several months The employees about this barn say ths the results have been in every way | satisfactory and that other stables ar, adopting this system. They claim that l although wheat costs more. bushc will go twice as far with horses as , bushcl of oats. and hence it is chcapei to feed The horses, they say, are get ting fat, and are doing far better thar they did on oats. Men not connccte, with the stable however. intimate tha the fact that Alr. Armour is . tril' long" on certain grades of wheat ha some connection with his discovery o its good qualities as horse-food.
 Swift ( Co.'S stable contains, with very few exceptions, nothing but gra. horses.
 An exception, in this respect, is thei six-horse wagon, for which thre, sorrcl and three gray horses were re lected IL capacity Is sixteen thousan' pounds. The colors used are red anc yellow.
 | The colors adopted by tine Libby Nc Neill X Libby stables are red run ming gear with deep-grecn box. Thi firms large wagon is drawn by si. roan horses that average sixteen hun dred pounds apiece the heaviest six horse team in the city. This wagol can carry a load of twelve tons.
 Preference is shown to roan, chest nut and gray horses They are all o the Percherou variety, that hard breed that, it is said, partly owes 1t development to the necessity that wa felt during medieval times for
 horse powerful enough to carry thos animated fortresses, knights iu armoI