The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-09-25
BIC CROWDSAT DOLDS
Eight Thousand People Visit
the Packing Houses.
HOW 1T SURPRISED THEM
Stories of Wichita's Industry
and Promise.
HOW IT SURPRISED THEM

Of the state well pleased with their visit.
the sights they saw. the city. and above
all the courteous treatment and enter
,ainment afforded. One Of the busiest
places during me week. and the one
most sought by the strangers was the
big plant OF the Jacob Dold Packing COM
pany For several weeks prior to the
opening Of the Fair the firm had sent out
printed slips to all their trade cordially
inviting them to cali at che houses during
their stay in the city. This invitation
was accepted in manner greatly beyond
the expectations OF the management, but
every one was made welcome and made
to feel the plant was theirs for the time.
1t is conservauvely estimated by Manager
Fred Dold that during the five visiting
days, fully 5000 people called and passed
through the various departments. On
Friday alone there were fully 1900 call
ers. Special guides were all the time on
hand TO escort the crowds all through the
immense establishment. carefully explain
ing all the various processes of meat cur
ing and showing the many separate stages
from the squealing live porker up in the
fifth floor to the hundreds of special cuts
down in the cold storage and dry salt
cellars in the Easements. At one time
Friday five guides were out at the same
time. each with from so to 50 in a bunch.
The fences all around the Lawrence ave-
nue. and Twenty-frst street sides were lit
orally lined with rigs of all descriptions,
and whole solid trains OF street cars were
employed to haul the crowds. After leav-
ing the superintendent Office. the parties
were taken first TO the engine rooms, and
viewed the massive 150-ton machines. and
all the mechanical arrangements, includ-
ing the big blast whistle famous for an
nouncing to Wichita and the surrounding
country by twenty minutes prolonged
blast the declaration Of war by the United
States against Spain. They next were
escorted to the ice plant on the first floor
and given the chance of watching ali the
methods Of producing congealation. Then
the box factory was visited, where all the
crates and boxes are manufactured for
the packing of the shipping stuff. The
first division of the lard department was
next in order. This is known as the draw
ing off or refining division, in charge Of
Robert Lee, foreman. 1t was a common
expression in this quarter by the lady
callers, How very clean" One OF the
big refining tanks was uncovered and the
callers given the chance to see the pure
lard as it was. One old lady leaned over
to smell the lard, and then started fam
lily jar between her and her husband. The
latter reminded her that she had all her
life refused to use packing house lard, as
no one knew what went into it. She ad-
rnitt eH har ckantipicry1 Int
now on she will use none other. The
rendering tanks of the second lard divis-
ion were next in order presided over by
the only Fritz Jahle AN expert lard spe-
cialist of years of experience. From there
they were conducted to the sausage de-
partment. John Rathman superintendent
Each visitor was given a sample of the
matchless Dewey" brand of ham sau-
sag e,and samples of all other products
OF this quarter including weinerwursts,
improved bologna, imperial hams, and
many others. One lady looked suspicious
ly at the big grinding machines and caul-
drons Of boiling liquids, and mixing watts,
and remarked that it was no wonder they
could never find and trace of Mrs. Luet-
CERT after she went through that process.
Perhaps the most interesting features of
the business to a majority of the callers
were the fourth and fifth floors, respect
lively the cutting and the killing depart
ments, both in charge of James McGari-
gle foreman. On the cutting floor, they
viewed in unrestrained awe the chilled
hog cutting, where 400 hogs an hour were
rushed through, each being carefully
tended and always moving from one
cly
where each did his little part On che
top floor they saw 800 hogs an hour
slaughtered with the deft dispatch Of long
training. On this floor many women were
taken sick, but firmly staid It out that
they might say they had seen 1t all The
ceaseless flow OF blood, the struggling
warm animal hanging head downward,
slightly unsettled the nerves of the ten
der-hearted fair ones, until they realized
that 1t after all is practically a painless
experience in the career of the lowly
breakfast bacon retorr. The FIVE big dry
salt and picking cellars were finally Wis
tied, and the vast piles of curing cuts
! looked over. Charles Clarke IS foreman
| Of these cellars. with a large force under
/ him. The canvas making works, smoke
/ houses and shipping departments were
/ also visited, as well as the newly erected
! fertilizng and dryer plants, also the new
/ improved hog pens, the yards, railroad
( facilities. docks and barns. Anywhere
/ and everywhere the guests were taken and
/ all the attention was given them which
would have been afforded the board Q!
/ directors themselves Al every turn the
( ladies were eloquent in their expressions
/ OF surprise at the complete and immacu-
/ late cleanliness o. all the branches. The
+ white tables. cutting benches. floors and
/ al woodwork elected general comment
/ The men with white aprons on. the dis
/ cipline Of The gangs. the quiet and order
and lack % friction. all these left an IN,
! preston Be II said right here that IN,
! Doid packing house was not on dres.
/ parade. either, as nothing different va.
/ done than every day in the year. save
/ only TIE special cattle killing made fo'
; government order Eaca night after kill
! ms d special gang with a master. Eoe
over every inch Of the floors. tables
| benches, even the buckets and al tool
| and implements. machinery and all. =
are given bath q soaldius hot water
and thoroughly rinsed and cisansed read,
Tor the next morning. No pains az
/ spared TO keep ali the works clean 70
degree. and many q particular mouse vii
confessed her Own kitchen and ealiusr-
affairs we're not more reiiEioUsiy care
for tilan the DsoId establishment from II
roof 70 Easements. During The q A r