The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-12-09
LOST ON THE FINISH
Tale of a Little Pig That Went Down
10 lEeNicn

Ten years ago, when the Union Stock
Yards here had representatives from all
the big packing houses, feeding yards and
specializing concerns all over the land
there was, among other buying interests
operating daily, a large syndicate hog
buyer for corpora ton in the city Of old
Mexico. AS the Mexican duty on hogs
imported into that republic from the
United States was levied at so much per
head, irrespective of size, weight or fat
ness, it was, Of course, to tho advantage
of the importers to secure only the ve-v
heaviest and lard-producing hogs A
porker an inch long cost as much TO get
him across the border as an elephantfne
animal, so their buyer here was in
structed to select his purchases with care
as to size, no other qualification. save
health, OF course, to be required. So
there were several train loads Of hogs
which left these yards for their far-off
destination, and old-time pork experts
We're unanimous IN declaring that they
they never saw such monsters collected
together. If, in one car of hogs received.
there was one big one the Mexican buyer
uabbed him and let the rest go. saving
up his purchases until he had enough ac-
oumulated to make a train shipment. One
day a farmer from down near Clearwater
oonsig ned a car of hogs to this market
and in the drove was one which looked
more like a hippopotamus He was
wedged of in one corner of the car ~
himself and with the heat and his own
rolls Of flesh and solid fan lay painting
and wheeling for breath. being. constant
IL showered by cold water by the train
crew to keep him from melting" He
was eagerly bid for by the Mexican buyer
WHO saw at once he had a prize in the
biggest hog any man at the then busy
Wichita yards ever gazed upon. He tip-
ped the beam at a Intel over 500 pounds
and had to be moved ana handled by tne
Grip wagon to get him TO the scales
His tusks were enormous. and he was still
q young hog in fact an overgrown sbolc
and Tn prime healthy condition. With
much labor and infinite care he was
loaded into a carefully straW-5edded. pri-
waite stall in the lower floor Of douole-
deck Burton car Gear made in Wichita
a special contrivance was arranged for
his constant supply Of fresh wate-, not
only 10 drink. but 10 BE- SPRAYED over MS
hot, vibrating Quivering body. The car
was started en- its thousand mile and
more journey and ceaseless attention
given 10 his hogsb3p. because the Wich-
ita buyer was pr0ad Of his prize and very
anxious 10 land him safely ln Mexico city.
Though il was long and fearfully bot
journey. and though many orher hogs ia
the same car were overheated and died
on the way. This big brute reached The
destination safe and sound granting with
evident satisfaction hscause be was alive.
Then came tho task o. uuacaciag him.
aad de~riclss. saag-paanzs platforms ana
ana run-wsyz and hosting apparatus
were brought into play The utmost care
ana vigilance we-e executed and ~ vas
safely landed 1nto the docks and was able
to walk the rest % the way % she re-
cs.viug pens. and the member II the
arm down there was about 20 d.zratch q
message t5 the Wichita auver rsp runs
,he safe arrival when. IS caeer rang
our from the work1sen. the big Cisa~-
water hog from Kansas wabala5 aloag
the ROD narrow docks ana missing at
se7rho.5 stumbled or the edge ct chute
ard plunged asaalaag down tae sa5rl e
clls. grSElng ana squeezing a1a raas