The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-03-30
GRANT AND THE PoRK-PACKERs.
How the Captor of yicksburg Was Driven
Ont of Business.


Washington, No., Letter in Globe Democrat.
General Grants answer to questions of coun-
sci in his testimony, IN which he states, in refer
ring to Ward, II supposed he was more of a busi-
ness man than was, reminds me of a little incl
dent in the Generals history which, Ibelieve, has
never been in print.
About 1885 Bellevue, Ia. a little town on
the Mississippi river, twelve miles south of
Galena, H., where General, then known as Cap
tain, Grant lived, was somewhat noted for its
pork packing industry. There were three or
four houses engaged in the business, and usually
the competition between them was pretty sharp.
One winter, however, the pork packers pooled
their issues, by which means one of the houses
was to be closed for the winter. Captain Grant,
hearing of the unused packing house, came
down and rented it for the season, intending to
engage in the pork packing business. Of course,
the other houses formed combination against
the newcomer.
In those days it was customary for farmers to
slaughter their hogs their farms and bring
them dressed to the market, the constantly cold
winters of Iowa and Illinois favoring that plan
On arriving at Bellevue they would drive their
sleds to some vacant lots near the public square,
where runners from the different houses would
bid on the pork. Captain Grant undertook to be
his own runner. The combination against him
bought all the pork they could at first paying
more than the market prices. Sending the pork
to the packing house, it would be loaded onto
another sled and returned to the same place,
when the opposition defed competition by bid
ding in again their own pork Captain Grant
found he was losing money rapidly, couldn't COM
prehend how the other packers could afford to
pay such prices, and receiving some propositions,
sold out his lease and stock to the opposition at
considerable loss, and retired ingloriously from
the field
During the Vicksburg campaign, while the
army lay at Young's Point, opposite Vicksburg,
and before Gen. Grant had personally arrived to
take command, long, lank Indianian belong
ing to an Iowa regiment was noisy in declaring
his belief that Gen. Grant could not be the same
Grant who had made so much of failure as
pork-packer. The Indianian had been one of
the teamsters who had had hauled pork for the
opposition packers. He was terribly cut up
when Gen. Grant arrived, and he had no further
doubt of the Generals and the unsuccessful pork
packers identity. He wanted to desert; and
doubtless would have done so could he have
got back to Iowa. He actually became i'll
over the matter, and was barely able to go on
the campaign when it actively commenced At
ter its rapid marches and brilliant battles were
over, and while the confederate army, in a
starving condition. were closely shut up within
their Notifications and few days after small
boat loaded with salt had been captured in at
tempting to run into the city, a number of
soldiers were gathered around campfire, when
some one asked the Indianian what he thought
of Gen. Grant now. WALL" he drawled out
.'the derned fool tux SIGH a disgust over pork at
Bellevue that he won't let the JohnnieS have
salt enough to save their bacon"