Rensselaer Union, Volume 9, Number 8, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 November 1876 — Slaughtering Horses in Berlin. [ARTICLE]

Slaughtering Horses in Berlin.

In Griefswalderstrasse, not far from the new Kingsgate, appears above a high fence a big sign with the inscription • “Central Horse Slaughter House.” Two well-executed horses’ heads in wood, painted brown, are placed at the sides of the sign, as who should neigh “ Step within, honored, yet much tormented equines. Leave behind you all fear of the whips of mankind.” A massive portal leads within to a large, roughly paved court, on the left side of which, in a separate building, is the office of the veterinary surgeon; and on the right the dwelling of the proprietor and the slaughter house. Every horse which is to be slaughtered in Berlin must be brought here alive. The animal is first examined by the veterinarian, and only upon his expressed judgment can it be killed. To-day, from the beams above, are suspended four slaughtered horses, which have been only disemboweled. None of them could have boasted of fatness; but they now seem to rejoice among themselves that they have at last run away from civilized mankind. There are at present sixteen horse butchers in Berlin, who at this tiiqe of the year are pretty busy, for as agricultural labors are nearly ended, the unhappy farm horses are got rid of at cheap rates. And how many horses are disposed of here ? Last year they killed over 4,600. This year the number will be greater. They now slaughter sixteen a day on the average, but frequently as many as twenty-five. And what is the value of a dead horse ? On an average from twenty to thirty thalers. The skin fetches from eight to twelve dollars. The bones are the perquisites of the proprietor; and for them he receives from glue manufacturers and bone burners a remunerative little sum. The larger viscera, such as the liver,

heart and milt are sold as food for dogs. The small intestines, after being cleaned and salted, are sent to seaports, where they are utilized as envelopes for all those different kinds of preserved meats used on board ships. The blood is emptied into large tin troughs, where the albumen is separated from it and sent to Prague. In that city a large albumen manufactory has for years taken this material on contract Finally, the flesh—but that goes to the horse butchers: and we may readily believe that the 4,600 horses become food. “ The dogs get the most of it,” said our conductor, and then he pointed out a large, clear liver hanging to a post, and remarked that it tasted very much like pig’s liver. “ But what the hound? do not get,” he added, while he seemed to invoke the flavor of horse beefsteaks, “ only poor people eat. Restaurants and such — Heaven preserve us!”—and he became quite serious, did our conductor. Yet we could not help wondering at our own inconsistency. These fine pieces of meat we regarde'l with aversion, while at our feet a dozen ducks were smacking their bills in the gutter, and probably the birds would soon appear before us as savory roasts. There in the stable stood a fat pony, healthy and rotund. Was he also to be slaughtered? Certainly. He had a bad hoof, the curingof which would cost too much in food and time. And there next to him stood—an ass! harpineas and impudence equally blended in his countenance. What was he doing here? He had been raffled away at a Swiss garden. Perhaps a weaver had won him. «nd, finding no room for the little animal under his loom, had sold him to the slaughterers. “And, excellent conductor,” we inquired diffidently, “ what will be done with the ass’s flesh ?” “ Yes —what is to be said—for restaurants and the like is it not—but, heaven preserve us —the flesh of the ass is—yes, it is very often used for sausages!” We thanked our good informant, and took leave. In the nearest restaurant we partook of refreshment, rejoicing in ths mean time that the ass still lived.— Berlin Zmtww.