The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-01-04
DETERIORATION OF SAUSAGE.
The Rotund Bologna II Fearfully and
wonderfully Made.
Kansas City Star.

Kansas City Star.
The description by Mr.. Frisbie. Of the
t,ire of bologna sausage before Special
Commissioner Kinley at the Baltimore
Hotel showed it to be surprisingly sophis-
ticated product. Before Mr.. Frisnles as
closures the public had not the least init
nation that 1t was the custom to soak
bologna in glue and alcohol; that 1T was
treated with coloring matter COMPOUNDED
of hydrogen, nitrogen and carbon, and that
its fine complexion is purely artificial.
The popular impression has been that
bologna sausage was made of red beef OF
a quality not exactly choice, and then CIV
en- a kind of an honest old-fashioned taste
by the impregnation or wood smoke. 10
have this notion abruptly shattered py an
expert packer is disagreeable though the
expose is accompanied by the assurance
that bologna, with all of its doctoring, Is
thoroughly wholesome. This Is asserted by
Mr. Frisbie who eats 1t every day and
who still lives.
1t doesn't make so much difference. any
way about bologna, which is eaten mainly
in saloons, but the general deterioration or
the most disheartening symptoms of the
times. There is plenty OF stuff made which
is called country sausage" or pure pork
sausage" but it is all delusion and a
snare. The world hasn't time any more to
make genuine sausage. In the good ola
days that was task beginning with the
dark hour before dawn and ending only at
night Long before the sun was up the
sturdy forefathers of the hamlet were
aroused by the sharp report of the rife,
followed by the dying squeal of the strick-
scraped and djsembowled, were hung on
the pole and after a few hours were on
the table of planks to be cut up.
The sausage made from the sweet
lon along the backbone and from lean and
fat scraps left from trimming the meat IT
was pure pork to the minutest particle, and
that was what made 1t so irresistibe. IL
was ground fine in mill, made in the form
of a red wooden case, in which there were
stationary knives, through which passed
a cylinder with spikes. The ground meat
came out fine and even. into big wash
tub, and was seasoned with salt and pep
per and pulverized sage and sweet mar
joram, by man who mixed the stuff all
together with strong and usually hairy
arms.
The Castings" prepared i'm the meantime
by women who scraped them with wood
en- knife clapboard, were then drawn
on to the tin spout of the suffer and were
jabbed with a sharp fork when they de-
veloped air bubbles.
These little particulars are emphasized
for the reason o: tn, that not one OF them can
pure and undefled. When the trial cake
was fried the woman and the hands
gathered around to determine If the season
ing was all right. whether Ii was full
salt too hot with pepper or too bitter
with sage, or what not.
Worthy although simple pride and honest
friendly o' villagers in those days in the
production of sausage. No prouder trib-
ute of praise could be paid to Mrs. Brown
than to have it said by her neighbors that
her sausage this winter was rather better
than Mrs. Smiths and to have II fervently
commended by grateful beneficfar1es who
received kindly portions both stuffed and
without castings.
In this brief space has been told the
whole story of good. authentic sausage. II
was the product of toll and pains and per-
sonal pride, which no longer lavished
in this artificial age on wholesome in
trinsic things to eat.