Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1923-05-27
BROWNSVILLE'S
new ABATTOIR
A MODEL PLANT
Dr.. J. S. Spikes Finds it Com
pares Very Favorably with
Many Of the Plants in Larg-
, er Texas Cities

Brownsville will have an abattoir
which will compare with the best in
he South when the new plant is open
ed on or before July l." was the COM
ment of DIR. ]. s. Spikes, city sanitary
officer. who returned Friday from Paris.
Texas, and several other points in ths
state where he had gone on an inspec-
ton trip under instructions from the
city Commission.
DIR. Spikes made thorough insrcc-
tion of the Paris abat. .oir. which was
constructed on the same general lines
ms the new Brownsville plant. and Sc
cured much valuable information IN re-
gard to its operation. He also stopped
Mt Sherman and Bonham, Texas, max
ing survey Of sanitary conditions in
those cities.
Brownsville has nothing to 20
ashamed of in comparison wi h other
Texas Cities" he stated. "Of course
there is plenty of room for improve
ment here. but I doubt if there is
town in Texas which is making greater
progress in sanitation than Browns
willie, and there are few cities in the
South in which the general conditions
are better. Sanitary conditions are rs
good or better here than in the average
Texas city. and streets and premises are
far cleaner than in most towns"
DR.. Spikes stated that he secured
much valuable information at Paris in
connection with the operation of .hc
abattoir, and that Brownsville will be
able to take advantage of the experience
of that city and avoid several costly err
rors. In regard to the new plant. he
sta'ed that II was more conveniently
arranged than the one at Paris and was
better lighted. offering many facilities
which the Paris plant does not possess.
The system in that city is to charge
a flat rate for each animal slaughtered.
but Brownsville will probably charge
by he pound. DR.. Spikes stated. Under
the present system the city merely pro
vidcs the inspection, but as soon as the
abattoir is completed the city will be
in full charge Of all operations, the
butcher merely buying the animals, and
the city will deliver he dressed meat
TO him mt the market, using a specially
designed and screened truck for that ,
purpose.
Animals will be driven from the pens
to he killing floor and the carcass will
then be transferred TO the bleeding
floor and the butchering rooms where
IL will be quar- cred and hung in the
cooling room. II will remain in the first
cooling room I2 hours to remove a.:
animal heat. and will then be transfer
red to the cold storage, after being
stamped with the owners name. When
the butcher desires to take the mea.
from storage. it is placed in the truck
and taken direct to the shop, all tho
meat from the time the animal is
brought into he abattoir until it is fl
nally placed on the butchers block
being handled under the supervision of
the sanitary officer.
In several Southern cities where abat-
toirs have been established butchers
are required to keep the meat in cold
storage from five to fifteen days. and
il "a probable hat similar conditions
may be made n Brownsville. All meat
will be kept in the cooling room "a
least twelve hours before il Is sold. DR..
Spikes stated. and the matter Of keep
IL in cold storage for longer period
will be taken up later by the city com
mission.
Practically all he machinery has
been installed in tho abattoir, but there
in still considerable work to be done
before IL is completed. The plant will
July 1. DIR. Spikes stated and IL Is prob
able tina. it may be opened a week or
two prior to that date.