Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-12-01
HOGS AND CATTLE.
One Hundred and Sixteen Thousand
Hogs and Forty-one Thousand
Cattle Bought and Slaughter
ed in Wichita
The First Year Of the Coming Great Live
Stock Market of the Southwest Com
pared With the First Years Of
Other Great Markets.

1t is no longer denied anywhere that the
live stock and packing interests of this
city have shown the most wonderful and
sudden growth ever exampled by any city
and that Wichita is destined, not at some
uncertain future time, but Immediately,
to become the great cattle, hog and sheep
no less than the grain market of all the
territory lying west and south of the Mis-
souri, river. 1t is not denied because the
logic of the situation and the facts already
known would render such denial foolish
ness. 1t is conceded and recognized by the
great packers and dealers of Kansas City,
Omaha, Chicago and st. Louis, and a
dozen great firms have opened Offices here
the cattle and sheep of the western half of
the Indian territory and the Panhandle of
Texas and No Mans Land are concerned,
they must all run the gauntlet of Wichita's
market before they can reach any other.
This is also true of ali the live stock Of a
vast and rich section lying south ard west
OF the great Arkansas river, while for
several tiers Of counties east. in the direc-
ton of Missouri, and north to even be-
You'd the Kaw river in this state stock
raisers are clamoriug with the railroads
for rates to Wichita, the fame of whose
square dealing market is getting abroad
and in connection with the prices paid at
which are favorable to the seller who
lives on the dividing line half way between
Wichita and the Missouri river packing
points. The stream of live stock rolled
ways touching them, and centering here,
is consequently increasing-and increasing
daily. The yards being commodious, theil
facilities ample and convenient, and the
prices closely margining those of the more
remote markets, the result is being seen
and understood by everybody.
In this connection and creating marked
stimulus, are the immense packing plants
of Dold & Sons and of Francis Whitaker
g. Sons, who, in addition to almost
unlimited capital and generation
of experience. have here two of
the most wonderfully complete
packing houses in the world, not the
largest, but most complete as to all the
best modern appliances and improved
methods of handling and curing meats.
The capacity of these two concerns is well
nigh unlimited, that is the two plants COM
bined could slaughter and care for from
seven to eight thousand hogs, five hun
dred to one thousand cattle and five hum
dred sheep daily, and will approach these
figures as fast as their buying and selling
markets shall permit and warrant.
But what the EAGLE desired especially
to call the attention of it's readers of the
west generally to is what is actually being
done here now in the packing line
From day to day the number of hogs
and cattle brought on this market are Civ
en- yet few think of the aggregate slaugh-
tered. One of these great packing houses
has been in operation over year, the other
scarce six months. For the purpose of such
information We yesterday secured the num-
Der of hogs and cattle sold and slaughtered
from the Wichita yards from the first day
of December, 1888, up to the present, or just
one year. There were one hundred and
sixteen thousand eight hundred and
eighty-four hogs slaughtered and packed
in Wichita for the year ending
yesterday and forty-one thousand four
hundred and ninety-six head of cattle
disposed of. These figures were fur
ion stock yards.
Now, let us see how the first year of
Wichita's operations in hogs compares
with the first years of the great packing
centers of the country. From a table in
Fortieth Annual Report of American
Packers. we find that Chicago commenced
to pack in 1857. the years operations
amounting to 22,056 hogs, and that it was
eight years before she reached the hun
dred thousand mark, which Wichita
passed in the first year. st. Louis was
twelve years in reaching 100000. Mil
waukee was thirteen years in reach
Ing w was
twenty-five years reaching the 100000
notch, or from 1850 to 1872 Kansas City
in 1865 with $500 hogs the first
year, 10000 for the next, and she was five
years before she packed as many hogs as
ha- Wichita during her first year. Omaha
commenced hog packing in 1873, and she
was twelve years reaching the standard of
Wichita's first year. Louisville and Gin
cinnari were in the business long previous
to 1850, for which the tables make no
showing.
But are the above not enough2 Could
desire more to convince them Of
the truth of our assertion, or of the accu
racy of the EAGLE in the past in claiming
that Wichita must as inevitably become the
great packing center OF the southwest as
that the Texas cattle drive and the Indian
territory drive for years before the days OF
railroads cenjered at Wichita.
THE NEW CITY HALL.