The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-10-29
NAMES FRESH PORK CAUBs.
Fully 1000 Of Them, with 10. o Membcr
who Rejoice In Their Privileges.

DIXMoNT, Me-, Oct. 2s.-There are more than
1000 fresh pork clubs in active operation in
Maine to-day. and some Of them have been in
existence for over q century. Though the state
Assessors and census enumerators furnish no
statistics bearing on the subject, it is probable
that the total membershi Of the Maine fresh
pork clubs exceeds 10. 900 ersons.
A fresh pork club is organized and maintained
to distribute fresh pork, every member coming
in for y much sparerib. chop, or shoulder AS he
Is willing to distribute. For obvious and ana
tomical. r asons the membership of any individ.
ual fresh pork club is limited to the amount OF
lean po X which an average pig Is able To iur-
nish. As tho best fed pig is not all fat. and AS
OF a killing before it spoils, the fresh pork club
comes In and eats the unsa!tcd meat, thus saw
ing the expense of putting up leo and buying
refrigcratOrs.
The workings of a fresh pork club are ensy to
understand, An average Maine pig when fat
enough to kill weighs about 500 pounds, and OF
this perhaps 80 pounds Rre in sparerihs,
chops. and other lean parts that are unfit TO salt
and unsuited for the smokehouse. In the alb
senco of icehouses and rofriGerators much OF
this pork would spoil before the family could eat
It; so n Nifty pounds are DIVIDED into ten par,
sent 10 as many members OF the fresh pork
club. while the tenth is Kept to be eaten
at home. 1t is seldom that n club contai 3 more
than ten families. because every additional
member divides the pork into smaller parcels.
Applications for membership 10 the different
clubs often are filed years in advance, and when.
ever u vacancy occurs the new member is noti-
ned OF his election by receiving a portion OF the
first pig that is killed by "a member OF the club.
When the number of waiting applicants
reaches inc or ten they are notified OF the
fact, and they organize AZ n new club. with full
powers 10 distribute pork, choose new members
or discharge old ones.
The advantages to be gained ( ON active menu
bership in u fresh pork club are obvious. Tho
pig killing begins in September and continues
At intervals until Christmas. The family which
Is not u member OF n club can have moro fresh
pork than it needs for perhaps a week. and must
salt all tho rest. by joining a club the same
family can prolOng tho fresh pork season from
the time the first member kills II pig until he
last porkcr in the club is sailed down for win
tor. Instead OF e ting fresh pork once n year
the club members can have it ten times a
year, and keep up the rcNelS from Labor Day
to New Years. SO important have tho
fresh pork clubs become In many com munitics
that weddings. parties, and many social events
are arranged so they may come of in pig.killing
time. In case OF birthday or wedding %anniver.
saries one OF the club members kills his pig II
few days before the festival in orGcr to supply
the guests. The men who maze and sell rcfrig.
orators complain bitterly, and the leo carts
never visit tho noighhorhOods where fresh
pork clubs flourish. but the members care little
about what people may say as long as the proper
amount OF fresh pork comes around on time.