The Portland daily press., 1882-11-16
DRESSED BEEF.
No Combination Formed to Ruin the
Dealers.

In regard to the late talk about a combina-
ton of the livestock dealers to crush out the
present dealers in dressed beef (who now sup
ply our markets) by putting the price of beef
down to extremely low rates, special to yes
terday's Boston Advertiser says:
Ever since the introduction of refrigerator
beef into New York there have been rumors
OF combinations among the live cattle men of
the East and West to ruin the dressed beef
dealers, 1t was asserted that the leading
dealers bad formed a company for the trans
portation OF dressed beef in refrigerator cars,
and hat they proposed to begin war of prices
with the men who started the dressed beef
business, and drive them out of the market BY
undertaking them. A fabulous amount of
capital was said to be behind this new COM
pany. John B. butcher, who is said TO have a
large fortune invested in the cattle business,
and l. y. Eastman of this city, were mention
cd as being Interested in this scheme, and Van
dernllt Was said to be behind them. Mr..
butcher said this evening: "While | was in
kentucky last week, in company with T. G.
Eastman, 4 saw an Albany dispatch announcing
that a company had been formed. Mr. East
mans name was printed as one of the incor-
porators or partners. 1t was piece of news to
me, and think l may say it was news to Mr..
Eastman, Tor had he been engaged in any
such scheme, am confident that should
nave known it. Let me say to you that there
70 noIe taik OF driving out the dressed beef
men ~, In the newspapers than anywhere else
Inc people engaged in the business are trying
to force their beef on the public, and one OF
tneir plans for doing it is to create sensation
In the public prints if they can. They have
monopoly of New England, and now they are
trying to secure monopoly here, and in order
10 manufacture public sentiment in their favor
they are raising this hue and cry of intended
persecution on the part of the live cattle men.
There is no truth in the story whatever No
company to undersell these men in their own
business has boon formed, and, so far as /
knnw, no such company has been projected.
80 far as | know, and am in position to
know something about the matter, there is no
intention on the part of railroads to increase
the rates OF freight on dressed beef, II the
railroads did this. however, they would only be
DONG Justice to themselves. The disposition
OF the railroad companies, SO far as under
stand It, however, Is to act fairly BY both
branches of the trade, and to Cypress neither,
but to place them on an equality. The rates
on dressed beef are necessarily greater than on
live cattle. They now are 40 cents per hum
dred pounds on live cattle, and go on dressed
heef The difference between the two is not
large enough to place the dealers on an equal
ity, but, as understand it, there is no DISPOSE
ton to raise the rates on refrigerator beef, I'M
less a corresponding advance is made in the
rates for live cattle. If the dressed beef BUSH
ness ever gets fair start in the East it will be-
come one OF the greatest monopolies ever
known in this country from the simple fact it
requires large capital to conduct it, and no
small dealer can engage in it.