Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-10-18
SHIPPING BEEF EAST.
The Increased Operations.
INTERVIEW WITH P. D. ARMOUR REGARDING HIS
FIRMS NEW vENTURE-UNDERsELLING NEW
YORK BUTCHERS IN THEIR OWN MARKET

The success Chicago parties have met with in
shipping dressed beef to eastern markets has
been the subject Of frequent comment of late.
and it was asserted yesterday that Armour Il
Co., the heaviest packing concern in the world
were going to commence shipping beef to New
York on very extensive scale. Mr.. Philip D.
Armour, head Of the firm, was yesterday asked
by reporter regarding the rumor.
Yes, we have been shipping more or less meat
for year past, and are now preparing to go into
the business on a large scale. We find that the
refrigerator beef is meeting with great success
among the eastern consumers and there is every
indication that the time is close at hand when the
major part, If not all, Of the butchering will be-
done In the west. The facilities here for slaugh-
terlng are far superior to those In the east"
"Why is it that cattle can be killed so much
cheaper here than in the east2'
"We get $1.50 per bullock more for the offal
here and from 1 to Q cents more per pound Tor
the hides, from 4 to s cents per pound more for
the tallOw. In the east there are rings In tai
low. beef and every department of the cattle
trade, and 1t Is impossible for the consumer to
get his meat until it has passed through the
hands OF several middlemen. We propose to
snip our meat directly to our customers. At
our slaughtering-h we kill from 800 to l. 600
cattle day. and we shall enlarge our capacity
as fast as the demand increases"
HAS the beefthus shipped been received with
favOr?"
Refrigerator beef is steadily growing in
favor, as the people come to have more to do
with it. 1t is true that there has been some OBJ
position from eastern butchers. who fear that
their meat will be driven from the market, but
the demand cannot now be stopped, as the pub
tic mas fully come to appreciate the merits of the
refrigerator beef"
'HOW do Won shin it?"
I'm fce-bOxeS by express and by refrigeratOrs
We are having line of cars built for the use of
Armour q Co., and we consider them unrivaled
Ihey will cost about 81 800 each and will hold
about 1000 pounds Of dressed beef. About six
tons of ice is packed in each car and when it is
once packed it needs no further attention until
it arrives at Its destination. Some of the cars
do not take so much ice at first but these have
to be re-iced in transit.
"a firm to conduct the business successfnllv
must own their own beef cars and they must be
Of the best construction. Many of the alleged
refrigerator cars now in use are little better
than Old baskets, as far as preserving the meat
is concerned. It costs from quarter to half a
million dollars to equip line of cars of i'm
proved construction. We always ship a good
quality OF meat, as poor meat will not stand
transportation. Meat Of good quality always
arrives In splendid condition and is all the bet
ter for the time consumed in transit Many of
the cars used In the past were faulty, but by the
new and improved method the meat arrives in
the east In as good condition as when put into
the chill house here"
ITO what points is the meat shipped?"
ut goes everywhere east, to all the seaboard
cities and towns. and a large number of the big
eastern hotels are among our best custome 8. -
do the railroads give you fair rates2"
1--WE nave no special complaint to make of the
roads. They cannot but see that the shipment
OF dressed beef will supersede that Of beef on
the hoof, and do not think it will affect their
freight revenue to any great extent
(which are the principal firms interested in
the shipment of this meat?'
'Messrs. Swift & Co.. G. H. Hammond & Co.
and Armour Il Co. are doing most of the bust
ness. 1t is only very large firm that can 60
into the business and manage it successfully"
DO you ind much sharp competition in the
business?''
Eyes, the same as In the dry goods or any
other Still, as said BEFORE the shipping viii
always be done by few men, The public has
little idea of the immensely of the business. and
1t has all grown up within the past three years
Quite furOre has been created in New York
over the establishment there Of large refriger-
atOr Why, the fact Is, that there is scarcely a.
town In all New England where large refriger-
ators are not to be found. The bulk of This
meat is shipped to the smaller towns, and it is
only recently that the large cities were entered
1t has had hard fight with the butchers in the
great cities, but they are commencing to realize
that it is inevitable, and are now flocking to
Of killing and shipping"
rs your company building any of these large
refrigeratOrs at the different eastern cities?"
yes; We are putting up several, and have
plans for more; we fully realize the Importance
OF the business, and see to what an extent IL
can De built uD. Shipping meat to the eastern
points Is more profitable than to Europe; at least
we find it 80. We can sell our beef on the
New York market from 1 to cents cheaper
per pound than can the New York butchers. and
still can make good profit"
"Iseethe statement is published that ArmOur,s
yellow wagons will soon be delivering Chicago
meat at the doors Of their customers east"
"Wat little. l can't say anything definite
about that just yet. only the 100 yellow wagons
which Armour 4 Co. have In Chicago. Delivering
fresh meat each morning is certainly a success
and don't see why they wouldn't be else
where"
"DO you know anything about this project Of
starting q great cattle rancho and Strengthening
house In Texas, with capital of 81. 900 600, and
sending the beef In refrigerator cars from
there?"
81 have heard Of the project but do not think
1t can be made to pay; in fact, think Chicago
Is the only place where the business can be car
ried on successfully. It's location is most CEN
trail" WV
How is the supply of cattle now?"
at Is good, and their condition was nevar
better The cattle killed for shipment east ia
usually raised from the west and is in prime con-
the Chicago shippers is the cash system. which
Is feature OF the business The eastern bntchera
have been accustomed to give extended credit
and thus must make an extra profit to cover had
debts" W. 20"
"What is the outlook for hogs?"
at Is not good for Q large supply. the scarcity
OF corn has effected both the quality and oman.
tity. Pork will rule moderately high the COMING
season, as It takes six to eight months to catch
up. There has been no corner however. nor do
l anticipate any. Hogs promise better returns
Tor the outlay than any other commodity s,S
farmers are at work Sundays and niphts s.att,,..
their stock into condition for marset Thara 3
very little hog cholera. and ! look for a oood
full supply OF hogs nexe spring"
us there any truth in the reports that Van
derbiit. Russell Sage, James Keene, Rufus Hatch
yourself and other heavy capitalists were en-,
9,neering big corner In November. December
and January wheat?"
mo, not word. Vanderbilt has never owned
bushel Of wheat In his life, except what il In
his barrel OF -four In his home, and il ever In
vested in wheat am sorry, and you may saw
will never do 50 any more
'tWhat IL the outlook tor the live stock. h,ss-
ness In Chica9O7" ssis.s
'sThs cattle bnsiness Is increasing, bat the hoo
business In Chicago u ax s sfnndrsfilf- ~
reached its zenith, and Kaneaa CTR q neW elgar