THE ABATTOIRS.
Formerly the city was much injured and rendered unhealthy, by the
practice of killing animals for market in the crowded sections. In the
summer these slaughtering establishments were perfect pesthouses. Now
the slaughtering is done almost entirely at the abattoirs, or slaughter
houses, at Communipaw, New Jersey. The buildings used for this purpose
are large, and are fitted up with every convenience. The cost of
killing is slight, and the butchers are well repaid by having their
meat sent to them in excellent condition. The abattoirs are situated on
the shore of the bay, where the pure sea breezes keep them fresh and
healthful, and the refuse matter and filth are thrown into the water
and carried off by the tide.
The mode of slaughtering is by machinery, as far as possible, and is a
great improvement on the old method. Any one who has witnessed the
slaughtering of animals in our small butcher shops could not fail
noticing that more brutality was used upon the creatures than was
necessary to secure death. According to methods which were formerly
general in their application, and now are by no means exceptions to the
practice, beeves were killed with heavy hammers, the butcher pegging
away upon their heads until insensibility ensued; and sheep and hogs
were either pounded to death or see-sawed across the throat until their
heads were nearly severed from their bodies. When the bodies were
shipped for market, much, difficulty was found in effecting a ready
sale, on account of their bruised and bloodless appearance. The system
by which the work is performed at the abattoirs is as humane and
painless to the animal as the taking of life can be; and as a large
portion of the business is done by machinery, the bodies are not
subject to contusions, and, consequently, present a fresh, healthy
appearance after death. To show the superiority of the new system over
the old method of slaughtering was the object of our former
illustrations. Upon recent observation, we found that where the average
weekly number of cattle killed, dressed, and shipped was about fifteen
hundred, that of hogs was nearly ten times as great, and we now give a
faithful representation of this portion of the work.
"The apartment in which hogs are slaughtered is upon the second floor
of the building, and our first scene is that of the pen into which the
animals are driven from their quarters. A chain clasp, patented by Mr.
P.W. Dalton, who superintends this department, is fastened to one of
the hind legs, and this being attached to a rope connected with a huge
wheel, the hog is raised from the floor and swung to a stand, where a
ring of the clasp is caught on a large hook descending from the axle of
a sheave or wheel, which runs along a railway, and the hog is pushed
through a small passage-way into a second pen.
"By the time it has reached this place, its excitement has subsided,
and it hangs in a comparatively quiet manner. The butcher watches a
fitting opportunity, and cuts the hog's throat with a sharp knife, and
swings it further along on the railway.
"As soon as each sheave is used the hogs are lowered into the scalding-
tub, which is about fourteen feet long, four feet wide, and three and a
half feet deep. They are allowed to remain in boiling water one minute,
and are then turned out upon the scraping-bench by an instrument
extending across the tub, and furnished with several long teeth. At
this bench are about fourteen men, each of whom has something to do on
every hog that is sent down. The first two on each side, technically
known as scuddlers, scrape the bristles from the head and shoulders;
the next four shave, with long knives, the remainder of the body, and
roll it to the end of the bench, where a final scraping takes place; a
gambrel is inserted in the hind legs, and the hog is forwarded on a
sheave to the dressers' table.
"For this work there are several men, each one having a special portion
assigned to him. As soon as the entrails have been removed, and the
body properly cleansed, it is removed to the drying apartment, where it
remains suspended on parallel 'runs' until the following day, when it
is weighed, and then delivered to the wagons from windows, by means of
shoots. The entrails, and other portions removed from the bodies, are
taken to another part of the building, where a most extensive and
complete lard manufactory is in constant operation.
"Here are eight monster iron caldrons, into which the raw material is
thrown; a powerful current of steam is introduced from beneath, and the
fat is rapidly reduced to a liquid state. It is then run off into
smaller vats, where it remains to settle and cool sufficiently to be
packed for shipping. During the busy season one hundred and twenty
tierces of pure lard and forty tierces of soap grease are drawn off
daily. The sediment at the bottom of the vats is removed, and assists
in filling up the Hackensack river.
"With all the hurry and confusion incident to the immense amount of
work done, it is remarkable how the building can be kept in so
inoffensive a condition, and all the labor performed in such a quiet
and orderly manner. The most scrupulous cleanliness is observed in
every department, and the ventilation is perfect."