This is the largest establishment exclusively devoted to the curing of hams, not only in the United States, but in the world. The buildings are of brick and are three stories in height. The curing-house is 66 feet wide and 350 feet long, embracing over 52,000 square feet of floor. The smoking house is 35 feet in width by 65 in length, and will hold 40,000 hams at one smoking. One to two hundred thousand hams are cured here in one season, and thirty to fifty men are employed nearly six months in the year in preparing the hams for market and summer keeping. The details of the curing process are not made public.
Mr. Duffield was the first to establish and make permanent the business of ham curing, as a separate and distinct branch of the provision trade, which he did by persevering in making fine hams for years without profit—and he has thus became the Pioneer in giving character to our western hams, which now stand unequalled in the markets of the United States. It is to this perseverance that we are indebted for all the fine hams, by whomsoever cured, that now fill our markets.
Mr. Duffield was the first to cure in Cincinnati, in 1835, as many as 20,000 hams, and from this beginning, the business is believed to have now reached the grand aggregate of from six to eight hundred thousand hams, cured in an extra style, in all the western cities. Mr. D.’s hams, however, still stand pre-eminent. The demand for them increases yearly. His brand is, “Duffield’s American Westphalia Hams.” The reason for the term “American Westphalia” is contained in the fact, that the only hams celebrated in the United States markets, when Mr. D. commenced curing, were those imported from Westphalia, in Germany, (which were then and still are sold at 25 and 30 cents per pound,) hence the propriety and boldness of the term “American Westphalia.” It is certain that Mr. Duffield’s cure will not be found inferior to the best imported from Westphalia, and will not cost the consumer one-half the price of that article.
The following list of diplomas, medals, &c., which have been awarded at different times to the hams cured by Mr. Duffield, will corroborate this opinion. By Ohio Mechanics’ Institute, in 1844; by Hamilton County Agricultural Society, in 1846; by Ohio State Fair, held in Cincinnati, in 1850; by The London Industrial Exhibition, and World’s Fair Prize Medal, in 1850. We are proud of Mr. D.’s reputation, and glad to be able to say that Louisville has the largest ham curing establishment in the world.
The manufacture of Planes and Edge-Tools in Louisville is not and has not been considered a very prominent branch of trade. It is well known that the skillful manufacture of these articles has long been a difficulty hard to overcome. Mr. McBride, who has been a practical workman with the plane, has successfully combatted all the difficulties in the way of producing a perfect article. Wherever the tools from this factory have been used, they have achieved that most difficult of results, the entire approbation of the mechanic. Mr. B.’s business is one of those the steady growth of which indicates real merit and ultimate success. Every article produced is made by the hands of skillful workmen, and under the immediate eye of the proprietor; hence all may be sure of procuring a far more valuable article than can be had from the steam factories. Mr. McBride has in addition to his manufactory, a fine stock of Hardware and Cutlery.
This useful establishment is one of those minor factories which are indispensible to a great city. Necessary of small extent as compared with many other branches of manufacture, it is yet an important and useful concern. Mr. Hunter is the foreman of his own factory, and is a thorough and accomplished workman. It is at his shop that those elegant cuttings on tinted and white glass, which adorn the windows of our southern steamboats, and add so much to their magnificence, are done. In this department of his business he is without a rival in the city and, it is believed, in the West. Beside this, Mr. H. is a fitter of glasses for jeweller’s work, such as rings, breast-pins, miniatures, &c. He also replaces parts of broken sets of glass and performs, in a superior manner, all the work done at the glass cutters. A good stock of cut glass-ware is also to be found at this factory.
The Kentucky Lock Factory is another establishment deserving especial notice. The work made at this factory is surpassed in quality by none in the West. Locks of every description from those of the prison, the Bank and the safe, to the smallest mortise latch, are manufactured with equal care and fidelity. The Fire-Proof Safe, which has a well established reputation everywhere, is also made here. Iron doors and frames for bank vaults and prisons us well as sliding door locks and trimmings also form a part of the daily work of the factory. This concern, under the charge of Mr. Aug. C. Harig has for a long time enjoyed the confidence and patronage of this community, and it will doubtless, under its present management, continue to increase in public favor. In addition to articles of their own manufacture, Messrs. H. & S. offer for sale an excellent assortment of Builders Hardware.