The Savannah morning news., 1901-07-01
THIS HORSE KNOWS ms woaK.

J From the Chicago Inter ocean.


From the Chicago Inter Ocean,
John works in the killing room Of big
stockyard firm. John is horse, and IN
many respects he Is wonderfuf animal.
He has the shapeiy head OF thorough
bread, and as he walks about the steam
ing floor or a slaughter house doee SO
with an air of Indifference and pride that
is quite human. The employees Of Louis
Pfaelzer e. Sons, the concern which owns
john say he is the most intelligent horse
in the world, and take genuine pride in
the docile creature, although there is no
such thing as familiarity permitted by
John Keep your distance" is evidently
Johns motto.
Johns principal occupation is to drag
the carcasses of steers from the "strik-
ing" pens TO the slaughter house floor,
where the butchers hoist them prepara-
tory to skinnng and dressing them for
market. For this purpose John wears a
light harness which is attached by hook
to a rope passed about the dead steers
neck. When the butchers have finished
the dressing Of one carcass they will go
to the "striking" pen. A sliding trap door
that shuts these pens off from the dress
ing room is raised and a rope is passed
about the neck of Of the PROSTATE steer
Then it is up to John, who is standing In
his usual post about midway Of the big
room.
'John?' calls the butcher. He speaks in
a conversational tone. and might be adj
dressing one of his fellow workmen
John at once quits his post and walks
up TO the man who has called him. He
turns about so that the man can fasten
his harness to the rope about the steers
neck. No sooner does John hear the snap
OF the catch than he starts forward as
If he were going through the opposite
wah. But he does not. He stops abruptly
and 1t will be found that he has landed
the steer exactly under the tackle by
which the butchers suspend it for dress
Ing operations. Not word has been
said to John, nor is amy attempt made
to guide or control him by means OF
reins or halter. Having placed the steer
IN position he has his tackle cast loose
and then stalks off to his favorite post
of observation.
There are five of these Striking pens
in the room in which John works Four
OF them hold only one steer at a time.
the other holds two. When John is called
upon to pull a steer from one of the
single pens he knows his work there Is
done, and will not go back TO them for
another until the steer he has last drawn
out is dressed and run down on the over
head railway to the cooling room. But
In the fifth pen he knows he has to haul
out two steers before his work Is ac-
complished. No sooner has he haulded
out one and been cast loose than he
turns about and walks back for the Other
Not a word of command is ever given
him except the call John" when his
services are needed.
In the vocabulary OF the stock yard
they have the term "downers." These
are cattle that have broken leg or that
form any other of several causes are
unable to walk but are yet fit for food
purposes Pfaelzer Sons have a con-
tract with a big Eastern concern that
buys and ships live cattle to the East
to kiN and dress all their "downers."
The injured animals are loaded on low
trucks and carried to the slaughter house.
The truck is backed up to door, and
then the steer has to be hauled up to
the spot where the tackle for the steers
elevation Is. AS the animals weigh from
1900 pounds TO 1900 pounds each 1t is
hard pun for John, and he does not like
the job.
In Johns moments Of leisure ne stands
facing the door at which the "downers'
arrive No sooner does he see a truck
with one of the animals on 1t than he
begins to be busy and absorbed in some
thing else. He will careless1y stroll AWAY
from his post and roam all over the
slaughter house paying no attention 70
the calls for John" 1t becomes neces-
sary for an attendant TO go after him
and lead him to where he is wanted. but,
this done, he buckles down to work.
In killing at the slaughter house the
beef cattle come first and when they are
finished they handle calves. The cattle
are driven up a runway from which
they are admitted into the striking
pens as needed. John can see this run
away, and he knows that when the calves
come into 1t his work Is done for the
day, as the butchers haul the calves out
from the pens by hand No sooner does
John see the calves coming than he quits
work and walks off to his stable. He
won't do another stroke of work that
day.
The u O'Clock whistle has just as much
meaning for John as II has for the human
employees of the slaughter house. When
II blows John begins to walk about look
ing for his dinner which Is usually
brought to him. He gets 1t and eats II
in A dignifed manner, and roams about
at will afterward. When the whistle hAows
again for resuming work John walks
back TO his usual post. where he can
keep his eye on the door for the hated
"downers."
John is an extremely exclusive and
aristocratic horse. He allows no famili-
gritty with him. except from two or three
people One of these Is DR. T.. r. F'ugtt,
the United States Government inspector
at the slaughter house. The doctor
knows a few things about horses. and
he says John is the most intelligent
animal he ever saw
IT believe he understands what We say
about him." said the doctor. Don't YOU
John?" John laid back his ears. tossed
his head. and looked as II he was about
to wink, but reoollecting his dignity re-
Trained.
And he won't make friends with
people although there is nothing mean or
vicious about him" continued the doctor.
lust then David Pfaelzer, one Of Johns
owners came up. HE won't let me make
friends with him. said Mr. Pfaelzer.
gust watch him" Mr. Pfaelzer went
up to John and tried to stroke his head.
John simply tossed his head away; he
would not endure the caress.
John is bay about seven years old,
and has been holding his present job
less than a year. No special pains We're
taken to train him for his duties, but
he had only been In the house a month
or two when he grasped the situation
and 10 now esteemed valuable employe.
But with all his great strength and will
ingpess when on duty he cannot be in
duced to do anything outside. He won't
null five pounds for you outside this
room" SAID Mr.. Pfaelzer. He knows his
e.