18. Harmon Beef Ring — Brown's
District
- submitted by Mrs. Helen Harmon
Sr.
The Harmon Beef Ring was organized in Brown's District in the spring of
1921 under the supervision of William Harmon Sr. A beef ring was in
operation on a farm in Ontario where Mr. Harmon worked.
A slaughter house was erected on Harmon's farm 23-4-27 by volunteer
labor, some of whom were George Anderson, George Fraser, William
Mc-Callum, William Baumgarten, John Oberlin, Milton Taylor, Abe
Bartholomew, John Lamport, William Paxton, William Mason and William
Harmon.
A license to operate the beef ring was issued by the government each
year and was inspected by the Department of Health. Each beef to be
slaughtered was inspected for quality and weight by an appointed
inspector.
Each year there were 20 animals slaughtered and cut up according to the
chart issued by the Depart¬ment of Health, there being 20 whole shares
of meat or 40 half shares. Each whole share gave a member a cut of
roast, a cut of boil and a slice of steak. Each half share member
received one cut of boil and a slice of steak one week and the next
week he received a roast. The animal to be slaughtered was delivered to
the slaughter house on Monday night, slaughtered on Tuesday night and
cut up early Wednesday morning. It was placed in flour bags which had
the member's name on it. Butchers included Jerry Donohue, Alex Morgan,
Art O'Brien, Josh Clarke, Lome Slack, Ewart Holden and Harry Compton.
They were given $6 or the beef hide for payment. The meat cut up each
year averaged 9000 Ibs. and was a supply of A-l meat for the members.
At the annual meeting held at Harmon's, ac¬counts were settled.
Settling of accounts included payment of overweight and underweight of
meat re¬ceived. For example --if the weight of an animal which a member
supplied weighed 500 pounds and he received 450 pounds of meat, he was
paid for 50 pounds of meat @ 10 cents a pound. If he received more than
500 pounds he paid 10 cents a pound for overweight. The total number of
pounds of beef and meat received.
After settling of accounts of which Mrs. Harmon was secretary and
recording officer for 35 years, a dance and party was held and enjoyed
by up to 100 people with pot luck lunch. Mr. And Mrs. Herb Dobbyn
usually played for the dancing.
In 1956 the beef ring closed. Deep freezes had taken over from ice
wells.
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