Weekly Chillicothe crisis. (Chillicothe, Livingston Co., Mo.) 1878-19??, 1882-08-03
ALONDoN BEEF HUNT.
Seeking "Amurigan" Beef, but Only Find
In. ltpriLnr GnnIc cI,,, IE,.nrA.Ax lnre


seeking "Amurigan" Beef, but Only Find
Ing "Prlme Scotch" Everywhere.
A correspondent, struck by the fact
that of the American, Australian, and
continental beef, mutton, and pork TO
the value of something like f6OO,OOO
that comes to this country every week
none, or but very little, can be traced
to the consumer, determined to COM
mcnce a search for American or Austria
liam meat among butchers high and low,
and gives the result of his inquiries rs
follows: "For three days | sought in
vain for place where it might be
bought, From naughty Mayfair TO
humble Soho, through Kensington,
Pimlico, the City, The East end, and
the Borough | wandered, inquiring at
every butchers shop on my path, but
without finding one butcher who would
acknowledge the possession of one
ounce of the thousands of tons of meat
brought into this country every week.
One shop-kccper offered To procure it
for me, adding, however, that ii would
cost quite rs much as the best home
fed. This was as near as | was dcS-
tined 10 get TO the object Of my pursuit,
and after calling upon over one hun
dred butchers, was compelled TO give
up the task and confess myself defeated
and somewhat mortified. had not
known hitherto that there was anything
disgraccrul or degrading in the
act Of retailing this imported
meat. The farmers and patriotic
persons regarded the trade unfa-
yorably, and that it is considered in
furious 10 stock breeders in this country
was within my knowledge, but had no
idea that the business was considered
offensive or un-EngliSh. Judging by
the injured looks that met my inquiries
and the tone of the replies, should say
that the British butcher is the most pa
triotc and conservative of tradcsmcn.
Some answered me scornfully and some
in anger, all alike appearing TO be hurt
by the suspicion that they dealt in any
thing but prime Scotch. So much
prime Scotch, indeed, did | hear of in
these travels, that am filed with won
der at the grazingrcsOurccS ofScOtand.
AT one Shop lput my question to n
youth who was scraping II block with
an ugly-looking implement After look
inc at me like nm infuriatcd prime
Scotch bull for several seconds, and
handling the Scrapcr rs though he
would like to clcavc my head with it,
he Sulkily went into an Office at the
back OF the shop, and returned with the
eighteen stone proprietor of the cStab-
lishmcnt. The master, when he had
stared at me after the manner Of his
apprentice for some time. said in Il
thick voice. "lf You want Amurigan
beef You had better 90 10 Amurigcy
for it, we got none here only prime
Scotch" Had |, indeed, been Il mem
Der of the Irish conStabulary searching
for arms and ammunition among the
distrcssiul pcnsantry. could not have
been greeted with greater GOODNESS.
Wherever went il was the same thing
TIE monotony Of the replies being
relieved by IN occasional sarcasm. In
the poorest localities, rs well as the
richest, imported meat was referred TO
with the utmost contempt. The UNI
washed occupant Of the dirticSt shop
in dingy Soho denied. in tones and
terms no less indignant than those en-
| ployed by the most prosperous butcher
in Kcnsington, that he dealt in any
thing but prime Scotch. lcommenccd
my search with an cndcavor to find out
the retail price of imported meat, and
have only succeeded in discovering
that il is not sold at all, and that no
metropolitan butcher would sully the
reputation of his establishment by en-
gaging in the trade. The problem en-
HANGED in difficulty still starcs me in
the face Beef, mutton, and pork from
abroad TO the value of EGOO,OOO II
week are sold TO tradCsmcn. Yet
not one pcmyworth ever reach
cS the public. What becomes of
| it? If II were sold at such il would
bring from siX-pcncc TO cightpencc II
pound, which would allow Il handsome
profit, and at the same time vastly
benefit the public. The farmer, too,
would be placed at an advantage, as
English beef and mutton would then
command bctterpricc in market. The
public, whether they like it or not, can
only obtain prime Scotch, which is
sold at IN average price of one shilling
Il pound. If Il butcher were TO sell
Australian meat rs prime Scotch he
would make II profit of something like
eirhtpcncc out of every shilling's worth