The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-04-05
OUR BEEF SUPPLY.

VUh Dhhf bUFFliI.
The main conclusion we have reached from
the interviews on the beef question, published
In the DEMOCRAT Of la Ut Wednesday morning
is that we are greatly In need OF direct rail
communication with the interior Of Texa g.
To begin with, we must considerably shorten
the time required to place cattle In our mar
ket II we would have the best meat. The
original quality Of meat must neces-
sarily be deteriorated by the long
and trying travel during which for entire
days the animals are crowded in the heated
holds and on the decks of steamers, without
water or food, and for all OF which time they
have no opportunity to lie down or rest
After passing through the ordeal of this pro-
tracted shipment the animals reach our mar
ket worn out and feverish, and are most often
butchered before they have any chance to re-
cuperate and recover a perfectly healthy con-
dtion. Any one who has eaten the best
grades OF beef, say at Shreveport and in New
Orleans, will readily appreciate the truth
OF what we say upon this point
Though the beef we receive may be fat
ter and in better marketable condition,
1t has neither the flavor nor the
sweetness of that which has not undergone
the fatigue and deprivation Of water and food
which the shipment here necessitates. This
is the cause Of the fact, to which several deal
ers have testified, that the interior dealers
find 1t to their advantage to ship their best
grades of cattle direct to st. Louis by the
Iron Mountain Railway. We doubt II they
really find better market there than here,
except that the cost Of transportation Is less
and the cattle Is in better condition when 1t
gets there than 1t can possibly be In when 1t
reaches New Orleans.
The testimony is very conclusive that our
best beef comes from Texas, and that the SUI
periority Of the Western beef is pleasing fic-
tion OF the butchers, or rather an alniable con-
cession upon their part to q popular super
stition and their own interests. Yet, the evil
dence is that the best article Of Texas beef
does not come to this market Mt all. This fact
u.s. In measure, attributable to the long voy-
age, as we have shown, and, perhaps, to q
greater extent to the lack OF all competition
In lines Of transportation. Without reiterat-
ing the specific charges made by number OF
persons whose statements were pub
lished by us, 1t seems quite evident that
there Is combination among certain dealers
here and the Morgan line by which the
best grade of Western and Texas beef is kept
out of our market. II shipment OF first
class Western cattle Is sent here, this mono
poly Immediately brings in a better grade of
Texas cattle and undersells the Western
dealer. The speculation proves, of course, a
losing one, the experiment is not repeated,
and the combination falls back to its inferior
grades. There liz but one way to put ar.
end to this, and that is by securing direct
communication by rail with Texas The
statements Of the dealers and butch
ers as to the quality OF the meat
sold In this market must be taken with
good deal Of allowance. These dealers are, |
as class, interested In giving us better
quality Of meat than they now do, but there
is very general complaint on the part OF the
public Of the inferority Of all the fresh
meats we receive. The reasons for It we have
shown. As to the exorbitant prices charged.
the evidence Is that this is due to the same
cause.-the high cost Of transportation
and the results Of combinations, to which
must be added the taxes imposed by the
House monopoly. The best Texas
cattle can be bought from the drove at from
four to five and a half cents per pound gross,
TO which must be added freight, which, by
Shreveport, the costllest route, amounts to
from SIS 50 to Sc per head. We see no reason
why this same meat should command,
even under existing circumstances, from
sixteen to twenty-five cents per pound, and an
price for steaks from the consumer
There Is an infinite deal Of wrong between
the original price Of five cents and the phe-
nomenal one Of twenty-five cents. which the
has to pay, all Of which Is due to
legallzed and commercial monopolies. Legis-
lation may correct one of these, but the other
can be cured only by enterprise and indi-
vidual exertion. The construction of the New
Orleans Pacific is one of the chief measures
that are necessary to make this city as good
q market, both as to the quality and the price
Of meat, as any in the country and we shall
have only ourselves to blame II both of these
measures are not carried out at no distant day
The success of the Workingmen and Com
in Iot California alacfionc haa