Cutting Up (Meat Packing) / Electricity Comes to the Home and the Farm

The original catalog description provided by the Ford Motor Company reads as follows: a. Workers cutting up meat. “Sawing ribs by hand. Some go into spareribs and the remainder to pork loin.” “The loins are then pulled.” “Spareribs.” “Sides made into their respective cuts.” “Right from the shoulder. The famous California style hams.” Machinery cuts shoulders into hams - chart of beef cuts from fore quarter - women workers pack cans into boxes labeled, ‘Wilson and Co.’ - women package tins - men cut beef on saw, use knives to trim cuts - cans are soldered closed, placed on conveyor belt - lard processing, canning - women wrap lard in paper - workers cutting up meat - (repeat of first scene) - side of beef in locker - cattle in stockyards - underground tunnel - workers use saws, hand cleavers to butcher beef - pigs in stockyards - cattle in stockyard pens - pair of men’s shoes. “Hair.” Animal hair - upholstered seat in automobile, child bounces on seat - woman with a cow - bag of fertilizer - men quarter beef in locker - remove entrails - cattle in runway in stockyards - workers cutting beef - men on horseback drive cattle into stockyard pen - men carry beef cuts - sheep in stockyard. [1919] b. “Electricity, the new maid, lightens the labor in the house.” Woman places clothes into early model washing machine, turns on machine, sits down to read newspaper - woman using wash tub outdoors, girl carries bucket of water for tub - back to woman reading newspaper, who stops machine, runs clothes through wringer - woman ironing clothes with electric iron - woman knits and rocks while machine churns butter - woman talks with boy while she manually chums butter - back to woman knitting beside electric butter churn - woman operates electric vacuum cleaner while man reads paper in rocking chair. “And electricity, the new hired man, turns the crank.” Man operates electrically powered shelling machine. “The electric plant is ready to serve every farm home.” “Electricity, the universal servant, lights the home, lightens the burdens of the farm family and solves the problems of farm life as no other force is able to do.” Family group with woman reading by an electric table lamp, girl operates a player piano. “Soon the plant is set up and ready to run.” Man inspects battery operated electric plant - wire attachments to exterior of house - workmen install electric light on ceiling. “The water system. Furnishes water under pressure wherever needed, at house or barn. A heater and extra storage tank provide hot water as well as cold.” Electric water heater - man attaches hose to outside faucet, hoses down sidewalk and steps. “A bathroom -- not the least of the conveniences made possible by running water. Girl turns on faucet in wash basin, washes face with wash cloth, combs hair - woman fills tea kettle from kitchen faucet. [1919]