New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-08-29
pp1>cIvc REEF FROM CHICAGO.

alt is a subject of vast Importance TO house
keepers in tins city," SAID prominent butcher yes
t.rdav TO n TRIBUNE reporter, speaking OF the
transportation of fresh meat IN refrigerator cars
from Chicago to the Eastern cities :" ne business
has become a very great one, and will become mucn
greater when the traffic extends 10 NeW-lork as u
Mill inevitably do Just now there is not single
carload OF f. sh meat shipped 10 thls Guy oui 'no
sWhv IS that9y asked the reporter.
"Well. there arc various reasons. one IS 'n 1fo
the railroads furnish better facilities FOR the
shipping of fresh meats to Boston, fhha-
delphia and Baltimore than TO this market
Another reason IS u at oe ncnt from Boston
and works his business better there because ne Is
known to everybody III that city, AL present lne
business IS carried on almost exclusively 10y TWO
fhjcapo FIRMS and they do not feel ready as yet 10
tackle this market. But tney will begin soon:
"Nhat effect will it have upon the business c1 the
bntcbers of New York 7"
"The vast majority of butchers-the retail men
will welcome this kind of meat with open arms
1t will do away with two classes OF nen IN inc
trade that are not wanted anyway-the dTovers and
The wholesale butchers. 1nelr occupation Will oc
gone. Their business heretofore mas been an IN;
mense one about 900 head OF cattle being killed.
in this city every week. The cheaper meats can he
furnished the more money there IS IN the business
for the retail butcher. lie gets his meat nero In
better condition also than y IT came on the h9ol
when the shrnkage is about per cent OF the NaIue
of the animal, besides the meat being always
feverlsb Cattle now shipped mere even from
Montana There be no doubt that the nearer
cattle ale killed TO the feeding ground the Detter
tie condition Of the meat IS. There is popular
impression that the meat is frozen That comes I'D
refrigerator cars. This is not So fhe meat Is only
cooled and kept cool until It's arrival at It's dcstina
tion When frozen meat is thawed IT. presents the
nppearance of having been cooked. Yet this new
system will never revolutonlze entirely the
hatcher business of this city. vast number OF lat
cattle reach here from the States that are COMPARE
lively near us--such as Ono Kentucky ana Nest
Virginia These must necessarily be shipped on tne
hoot and some of the droverS and wholesale
butchers can find employment with tins class OF
cattle Yes | think that it will be no very distant
date when this refrigerator meat Will be shipped
Uel usf n
AT the foot of BrOad-ave. in West washington
Market q building 100 feet long ana two stories
high is being constructed. The Washington Market
butchers all say that the TWO Chicago nIn,s al
bnildng it as storehOuse for the refrigerated meat
when they begin to send 1t to this city. when TINS
building is completed. they say, the hgh price OF
beef is TO come tumbng down. Inquiry among
the wholesale butchers all OF whom slaughter lneH
cattle on the East Side Forty fifth st. and then
rake il TO WASHINGTON Market and sell TO the retail
trade revealed a general feeling OF compiacency
and Indifference on the subject. we VIII soon
show how Impracticabe that idea is OF bringing
meat here in refrigerator cars said one OF them
IL would do very well cOnld II all be sold out at
once but at the most 1t will not keep over two
davs after being unpacked at this end OF the
journey. When II has thawed out the meat De-
comes habby and Will quickly spoil: We have no
fear of our business being broken up"
T. c. Eastman the well-kn shipper and eX-
porter OF cattle said in response TO questions that
lie did not believe the people OF New-lork
that they were accustomed to the best beef
that was to he had in this country and would eat
no other. The kind of meat which had been sent
East heretofore In the refrigerator cars was noI Vi
fhe best quality and was used mainly by the manu-
featuring towns of New-England. The wealthy resi-
dents of New. York who had been for years IN the
habit of buVing their meat from some particular
butcher, depending largely on his Judgments woulu
not be easily persuaded into buying refrigerator
beef