The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-02-21
OUR FOREIGN CATTLE TRADE
Some Reforms that are Demanded by Our
English Customers.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 20 There Is pend
ing in the Senate bill which relates to the
transportation Of live stock and is OF concern
to the consumer as well as tho producer. There
are few people who have any adequate idea OF
tho growth within the past few years Of the ex-
port trade OF live stock and dressed meats. The
most competent authorities estimate the ship
mont during the past year OF cattle and dressed
beef alone ut nearly. II not quite fifteen million
dollars The value Of the shipment OF sheep
and hogs and the Creased meat Of these animals
will swell tho aggregate to nearly twenty five
million dollars
This trade is but in It's inisncy. The enter
prising gentlemen who have been engaged in 1t
have had great difficulties to contend with. The
principal one. however has been the natural
prejudice OF the English people for the entire
trade thus far has been with England. The
British public is provorbially slow to embrace
new ideas and TO surrender their ancient preju-
dccs. The excellence of English roast beof
has long been Wanted by Englishmen. and its
superiority has always been attributed by them
TO tho peculiar nrmness and succuence OF the
meat of their beef cattle. Very naturally they
are slow to believe that American beef is equal
to their own. Actual experience alone can
overcome a prejudice OF this kind. and by slow
degrees the English public has come to realize
and admit that American beef IL at least as good
ms the product Of their own island
1t stands to reason that our beef as we'll as
our pork and mutton should be superior to
theirs. In England. beef cattle. sheep and
swine are fattened on food that is very, inferior
To the staple upon which ours are fed. Ii s
unknown fact that corn produces nrmer
and more Juicy meat than any food that can be
Ted To stock. In England corn Is too expensive
10 be used for any such purpose. Moreover.
our blue grass, as well M our prairie grass. is
far superior to any pasturage that can be found
In England tuT climate ia much dripr and
our pasturage is richer and more succulent.
and the animals that feed upon 1t yield hrmer
When. therefore. the problem ~ transporting
fresh meats to England from this country were
solved by the invention OF refrigerator COM
partments in steam vessels. in which the tenn
perature could be speedily reduced below the
freezing point and maintained during the
voyage. the only difficulty that remained TO be
overcome was the prejudice OF the English
people. For time refrigerated meat was not
In favor until now II IL in fair demand The
excellence OF American beef IL admitted there.
but there is still a preference in England as
there is everywhere for the freshly slaughtered
meH@s, This fact induced tho experiment Of
shipping the i've stock on steamshps, which
than 20C.OOO head Of beef cattle alone.
Senate till "a is intended to correct the cruel
ties OF our methods of cattle transportation.
and to satisfy our English customers that
we We, are r, not trying to sell them diseased c
gress since October. 1877. and was only
reported from the Senate Committee on Com
mercc on the 9th instant. Senator McPher-
son OF New Jersey mas abored zealously TO get
i out OF committee, and will do his utmost to
have II considered this week by the Senate. II
has been persistently fought by the railroad
companies and stock yard influences. IL &C.
ton is not had before adjournment. Senator
MCPHERSON thinks irreparable injury will be
done to this great and growing trade.
There Ii no man IN this country more com
question than Senator Mcpherson. He has
made II study, and Is more largely Interested
IN itthan any single individual in this country.
He visited England last year Tor the purpose OF
investigating the subject and 70 find out the
wants and wishes OF the English people. as
ment He appeared before Parliamentary
Commission that was examining into tho whole
corded hearing. He found that the one chief
obstacle in the way was our cruel methods OF
plains to the Eastern ports. The shipment of
live stock is regulated in England by the most
rigorous laws; No domestic animals can be
without food or water. In this country cattle.
sheep. and hogs are frequently kept forty-iive
and fifty hours without food or water.
Then again in England they have per-
feet system Of live stock inspection.
Among the difficulties in the way OF humane
ami rational transportation Of live stock in this
country il the greed Of railroad corporations
and Of the owners Of stock yards. The railroad
ofh' lals, OF course, are Interested in the stock
yards and they fix the prices Of grain and hay
at the stopping points; For instance. at Buff
fao and Pittsburgh where hay can be bought
the stock yards charge i25 and $50 per ton. Al
New York and Philadelphia, whore hay can be
bought in market from tl0 to ga per ton.
the stock yards charge $50 per ton. II
Is 70 enable the stock shippers to avoid
eXtortion Of this kind and 10 bring their stock
20 the shlnblng ports IN good condition that
Senator Mcpherson is anxious 10 pass his
measure this session. lie says that in England
ne lound that the oblectlon 10 American beef
constantly urged was the transportation Of the
cattle for thousands OF miles without food or
water. II was claimed by the members OF the
Parliamentary Commission before whom he
appeared, that Il WAS impossible for the flesh OF
cattle kept on the cars without food aud water
for days TO be healthy. The bill reported
from the Commerce Committee provides that
stock shall not DO kept on tho ears longer than
tWenty-tour hours without food and water. and
II the cattle or other live stock are fed and
watered in the cars, they shall be unshipped at
least every sixty hours. and shall be allowed
seven hours rest before reshipment The rail
road companies are required L. supply for
shippers; without additional charges. cars SO
arranged as 70 permit the stock TO be fed and
watcred while in transitu. There are con-
trlyances tQr this purpose already in use which
Senator MCPHERSON says are not protected by
any patents. and which have proved admirable
devices. For instance. iron troughs are placed
'ar yery and loo m Watering the ' Wa
can be run into the troughs without
The least trouble. Compartments for holding
grain are arranged on tho top Of the car. with
capacity sufficient to hold one bushel Of grain
for each animal which Is considered sufficient
70 feed cattlc between Chicago and New York.
tty as Is desired can be let run into the trough
ABOVE described. Whlcn mas answered as q water
trough.
The bill also provides for a system Of inspec-
tion by INSPECTORS appointed by the Govern
ment OF the United States whose duty 1t shall
be Ia inspect every lot Of cattle arriving at New
York, Portland; Boston. Philadelphia. Balt-
more, and New Orleans. intended for shipment
abroad, and If the cattle are found to be In good
health and condition. free from disease there
shall be given a certificate setting forth these
facts. rs well as tho region from which the
cattle come, the number OF hours they have
been IN route, tho treatment thcy received on
the way &c.. and this certificate shall be given
% the shipper 10 foreign ports in order that he
may, rs 1t were take with him official creden-
tinls ns 10 tho condition Of his stock when
placed on shipboard II these requirements
can be enforced by law. and II tho law
can be enacted at this session and put
in operation right away, il il the judg-
ment OF senator Mcpherson that the
recent order Of the British Ministry will not
seriously affect our cattle shipments. II our
cattle can be- landed in England in good condi-
ton accompanied 10y Official certificate OF the
kind already described. there Will be no trouble
in disposing Of them nj fair profit. But II moth
ing Il done 10y this Government in the way of
regulating transportation Of stock and TO pro-
vide u system Of inspection. the British Gov
crnment and public will soon become so preju-
diced against our cattle and beef that this
promising industry will perish.