Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1883-03-30


The dressed-beef business is under going
a great revolution. The great plains OF
the West are largely supplying the mar
kets OF the country, those Of the New
England States included. Until recently
it was the practice to transport the cattle
alive from the west to the east, but the
evils attending this method were serious.
The long journey was severe one for the
animals, reducing them in flesh and I'M
fitting them for making good beet. Herds
Of cattle arriving in New York from Texas
or Montana reached their destination in
poor condition. Taken from their native
pastures and crowded into close cars, to
be frightened. bruised, and half starved
on the way, they arrived at their journeys
end sick, lame and feverish and in this
condition were slaughtered for food.
These evils attracted the attention of
humanitarians and consumers, resulting
in new method of supplying eastern
markets. The practice has been adopted
and is steadily increasing of killing the
cattle near the place of their growth and
transporting the dressed meat in refriger-
ator cars to the markets for witch it is
intended. The advantages of this plan
may be readily seen. The cattle are
gathered at central points near the locali
ties in which they are raised, where
spring up immense Strengthening estab-
lishments. The beef designed for imme-
date market is there placed in refrigerator
cars and sent east where it goes into re-
frigerator houses and is sold to retailers as
required. 1t arrives at market in better
condition for use than when it started, and
the freight charges are much less than the
cost of transportation of the same quantity
of beef on the foot would be- The hides
are dried ut the place of slaughter, the
coarser parts of the beef are canned and
otherwise prepared for market, and can
be shipped as desirable and convenient,
and can also be carried by rail for much
less expense than in the living animal.
This business is but little more than IL
year old and is growing rapidly. Said a
member of large western shipping house
the other day: 1--WE used last year at our
packing house about l15. 900 head of cat
tie. We will use nearly, if not quite
double that number this year. The aui-
mails we slaughter are divided into three
grades: Texas, Colorado and Montana.
and natives The latter include those
raised in the States near us, and are the
best grade. Colorados and Montanas are
the second. and Texas cattle the third
grade. We naturally dress the larger
and best cattle for our fresh meat bust
ness. We kill them at our packing house.
dry the sides out well, put the meat into
our freezing room. and ship it East in re-
frigerator cars that are kept constantly
below the freezing point, so that the meat
gets there IN prime condition. We estab-
lished IS new refrigerating houses in the
east last month. and are erecting more as
rapidly as possible"
In regard to the cost of this kind of beef
as compared with beef raised and killed
in the Eastern States. or that from ami
mails brought alive from the western plains
in the former way and slaughtered at the
east, the same person says: I'VE sell A
No. loins at IL cents a pound here. The
freight to Philadelphia or New York will
not exceed one cent a pound. The retail
butcher, as well rs the hotels. ETC., get
the best cuts of meat on the block in any
eastern city at cost of not more than u
cents pound. Here is butcher from
Newark, N. j.. now, who says he is COM
PEELED, If he kills his beef on the hoof. to
charge from 20 to So cents pound for his
prime cuts. Now. we can put the same
meat on his block for - cents a pound.
and he can sell for Is or 20 at as good
profit to himself as he gets from the 25 to
IS cents a pound he is now obliged to
charge for the meat he slaughters.
Then. again, he can buy from us Just
the kind OF meat his trade requires, and
have no waste whatever. Whereas if he
kills the stock himself. he must charge
his customers for the coarse meats he is
obliged to sell at loss. and for the offal.
which in most instances he cannot utilize
at all. Therefore this dressed-beef bust
ness appeals directly to the interests of
not only the butcher. but the consumer,
both large and small. 1t means greater
profit to the former. and cheaper meat to
the latter. We have many advantages