Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1888-11-24
Has q Monopoly on Beef
THE TRADE PRACTICALLY IN THE
HANDS DE
THE WESTERN COMBINE.
How Control Has Been obtained OF
Eastern Markets-Interesting Testl-
mony Given Before the Senate
Investigating Committee.

ST. LoUIs, Nov. 23.-The senate cattle
trade Investigating committee met. The
first witness, I. l.. Leonard, one of
the largest importers of cattle in Mic
souri,, said the cattle markets were par
alyzed by the control of the dressed beef
men. There was nc competition be-
tween buyers. He advised a system OF
local inspection, which he said would
make innumerable markets instead of
two, as ut present.
Levi Samuel, a wholesale butcher of
New York, testified that the cattle mar
ket is now depressed. With the excep.
ton of one or W towns in the cas- all
beef sold there is dressed beef, and the
local butchers have quit slaughtering.
The western dressed beef men have gone
into the eastern markets and offered
beef lower than the local butchers could
buy cattle and slaughter them. When
the western men had secured control
they put up the price high enough to
Justify their loss previous. to obtaining
control.
Senator Vcst-Has the western dressed
beef interest obtained control of the
New York market?
Witness--Only about 80 per cent.
A. w. Millyard of Midland, Tex,
stated that about a year ago he was me-
gotiating with the proprietors of the
beef refrigerator In Ell Paso to supply
him with cattle, but negotiations fell
through because the I'll Paso people were
closed out. The Southern Pacific rail-
road refused to supply cars for transpor-
tation of dressed beef to Los Angeles,
having a contract with the Chicago peo-
pie which compelled them to exclude
the Ell Paso people.
If.kn,1f (srox- c.arouoI+ Fxo;-fkA 1900
was examined at his own request. He
wished to place on record a denial of the
statement made by Mr.. Hillyard and an
other witness, with reference to the
Southern Pacific company's refusal to
furnish refrigerator cars at Ell Paso.
George Beck OF Detroit, a butcher and
a cattle dealer for the last thirty years,
testified that the dressed beef %organiza-
ton hid been the means of crushing out
NIL butchers throughout the east and con
centrating the cattle business at Chit
cago.
Wasren B~uck.naster, retail butcher of
Akron, o., testified that In 1887 the La.
hprers' union of Akron passed u rcsolu-
tian bot TO buy meet of Armour g. Co.
Mr. Artnoil sent down a cur load of
meat aud undersold everybody. Ar
monf's concern opened two stores In the
heart Of the city, md actually gave
away the best meat In the land. The
result was the signing of an agreement
by the Butchers association to give
preference to the house of Armour Sc
Co. the latter agreeing to close their ro-
tail establishment in Akron. Armour
then placed a local agent in Akron, but
insteed of closing their two stores they
sold them to local butchers, to be run to
theg great detriment of the trade, Wit
ness now bought from Armour g. Co.
At present consumers get the.z meat
much cheaper than before Armour & &C.
came In.
John Duff Of Detroit, a butte her OF 90
years experience, testified that he was met
at Cheboygan six years ago by Armour
meat and closed out of the market there.
~ : twenty-six places In Michigan, out
side OF Detroit, the Armour meat was 1c
per pound higher than at Detroit. In
those towns the butchers who six years
ago were well-to do are now bankrupt.