The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1928-11-16

"coals-to-Newcastle" proposition that
some Texas turkeys are to be found
on Thanksgiving dinner tables in New
England.
1t was in Texas, too, that there orig
mated unique event-the annual
Texas turkey trot" Cuero, Texas,
which is said to be the largest ship
ping point for turkeys in the world,
is generally credited with being the
birthplace of this unique ceremony.
Just before Thanksgiving turkey day
is set aside. All who have turkeys to
sell drive them to the central market,
sometimes for 20 to 80 miles, the
flocks consisting of as many as 5000
to 10000 fowl. Thirty men drove
5000 turkeys 13 miles in two days.
In drive of this kind, wagon is
driven just in front of the turkeys
and a little corn is scattered to the
leaders to keep them moving. Those
that become lame or tired are placed
in the wagon and hauled to town. At
nightfall, provision is made to stop
keys may roost.
When the harvest festival rolls
around, this Texas community pays
homage to its most famous and prof
liable crop and celebrates the end Of
the season with appropriate cere-
monies. The turkey reigns as un-
crowned king of the festival, and a
parade is held.
A similar ceremony is held at Brady,
Texas, another important shipping
point. A writer i'm the New York
Times described last years turkey
trot" at Brady as follows:
The hour for the fourth annual pa
rade of turkey has arrived in Brady,
Texas. Miss Carmen Anderson, the
turkey queen, selected by a secret COM
mittee, sits smilingly on her float. The
giant paper turkey on the chamber of
commerce float seems about to come
to life and the other eighteen floats are
ready to swing into line. Fifteen hun
dred live turkeys waddle, strut and
gobble along the pavement, to die that
the nation may live joyfully on Thanks
giving day.
In the line of march are turkeys
for President Coolidge, Vice President
Dawes, Speaker Longworth and Cow
ernor Moody. And the paraders do not
represent all the turkeys in the heart
of Texas. Five thousand are in buyers
yards, not far away and 10000 birds
already have been shipped to northern
markets. Only the plump are selected
for the Thanksgiving SALE Many are
still on the farms, being fattened for
Christmas, when the prices will be
higher than at present.
The big birds receive more considera-
ton than those that took part in the
Texas turkey trots before the World
war. Then Tom and Jack drove their
little herds to market, and buyers, as
sisted by four or five boys, drove a
herd of 1000 ten miles in day. Re-
Gently the turkeys have been brought
to town in trucks. However they travel,
they are not in a good humor for their
triumphal exit from life. For turkeys
are given nothing to eat for fifteen
hours before the execution, although
they can have an abundance of water
The band blares. Floats move Old
gobblers, young gobblers, old hens and
Most of them are the bronze variety.
Here and there is White Holland.
Occasionally one sees black bird with
hazel eyes. few are buff or slate in
color. They gobble-gobble. Even the
sight of the yawning doors of four
slaughter houses does not silence them
They march inside and the doors close
In ten minutes they are dressed meat
in refrigeration plant, ready for ship
ment to New York, Milwaukee or
Dallas.