Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1889-09-05
HUNTING A CAUSE.
The Senate Committee InveSti-
eating the Cattle Market.
Cattle Have Steadily Declined Sinct
1883, But There has Been no
Decline to Consumers.
Railroads Make q Lower Rate on Dressed Beef
Than they do on Live Cattle-ChicagO
Controls the Market.

CHICAGO, Ill. Sept. 2.-The senate
rial committee, with Senator George d.
Vest of Missouri in the char, began an
interesting investigation in the value of
Chicago IS meat products, and the trans
portation this morning. Shortly after 10
O'Clock Senator Coke of Texas, with his
snow-white beard and ample form, en-
tered the Grand Pacific hotel to meet
Senators Vest OF Missouri, Henderson of
Nebraska, Cullom and Farwen of Hi
nOis, and Plumb of Kansas. OF the other
members of the select committee only
Senators Vest and FarwelI had put in an
appearance by this time, and the
trio went upstairs and took possession of
parloT twenty three, where they VIII con-
duct the examination of witnesses. An
official summons had bsen sent out and
numbers of cattlemen were observed
about the hotel lobby, evidently waiting
their turn before the examiners.
The investigation will be a public affair
from the start, and, Judging from to-
day s work, a complete and thorough
examination into the relative prices of
beef, both alive and dressed, together
be made Managers of the different
trunk lines will be called upon
for testimony to throw light
on the transportation phase
of the case. The object of the work will
be to enlighten congress on a subject of
interest to consumers of meat and to
bring about possibly legislation which
may in the end have a tendency to regu-
late the price per pound. According to
the testimony given to-day by Sylvana
Wilcox OF Elgin, man of large expert
ence in buying and selling cattle as well
as the handling of dressed meat, there
has been a steady decline in the value of
beef cattle during the past few years
without any decline in the price TO the
consumer. This was the point the sena-
tors seemed deeply interested IN.
Senator Vest did not hesitate to show
his surprise when he learned that
although during the last ten years the
average price of beef cattle had fallen off
nearly 100 per cent. the consumer was
still paying just as much for his siTloin
and rump steak as ever-more If anything
in some cases. Silas H. Larkin, also of
Elgin, was called. He had been engaged
in the cattle business in Texas and else
where, altogether having had about
thirty years experience. He came
loaded with figures which he gave TO the
senators. Prices of cattle in the years
named were as follows:
In 1880, So Al. per cwt.
In 1881, So .05. per cwt.
In 1882, So. sc. 3 per cwt.
II 1888, S. Sc e per cwt.
In 1884, IS .O2 % per cwt.
In 1888, So Sc. 6 per cwt.
In 1884, So .02 3 per cwt.
In 1885, 81. 81 % per cwt.
In 1887, 81 80 @ per cwt.
In 1888, 81. 9S $ per cwt.
In 1889, 81. S0.4 per cwt.
After reading his figures, which Mr..
Larkin explained were more eloquent
than words, he took slap
at railroads He complained that
dealers throughout the country
were refusing to buy livestock, prefer
ring to order dressed beef from Chicago
The idea brought out was that the freight
tariff on livestock was higher than that
on dressed beef, thus smaller dealers
considered it advantageous to buy III
Chicago. This left Chicago the control
of the livestock market, at least it had
a tendency il that direction, according
TO the philosophy of Mr.. Larllin.
Following him came Mr.. E Z. Jeffrey
of the Illinois Central railroad.
''You are the general manager, be-
lieve, - said Senator Coke.
'That' S my position.
Then began system of questions and
answers that were interesting He ad-
mitted that prices charged for delivery OF
live beef were greater than for dressed
beef Senator Vest drew out the gen
eral manager on the subject of contracts
railroad companies might enter into.