Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-09-04

and others who had been summoned as wit,
nesses failed to appear. A syndicate Of
cattle raisers to ship the animals to Europe
and kill them there is suggested.
CHICAGO, September 3.-The dignity OF
Chicago's widely-advertised packers and
dressed beef merchants struck the members
of the Senatorial Committee rather torcibly
this morning. When Senator Vest raped
on the table, calling Senators Farwell and
Coke to order, he expected to see Philip
Armour, Nelson Morris, G. F. Swift, Frank
Vogel and John B. Sherman, Vice President,
GeneralManager and dGeneralSuperintendent
of the Union Stock Yards and Transit Com
pany, march through the door and take
seats previous to being put through the
mill BY the inquisitIve Senators.
But the heavy tread of none of these gen.
tlemen disturbed the echoes in the corridor,
and down at the clerks desk no one could
say that the gentlemen expected had been
near the Grand Pacific to-day. Senator
Coke drew his white hand through his still
whittier beard and looked meaningly at Sen
8tOr raIWe1 dcTOSS the IdUles
CONSCIOUSLY ABSENT.
Senator Vest, being Chairman, had few
remarks to make, but he concluded to re-
serve them for awhile, to see if any of the
millionaire meat merchants would appear
later. Harvey L. Goodali, the publisher of
the Drouers' Journal and Daily Sun, at the
stock yards, was the only witness who had
been summoned that was present. The Sen
ators thought perhaps a quantity of facts
about the meat business could be obtained
from the editor, and be was placed on the
stand. Mr. Goodall did not have the figures at
his tongues end, and submitted Ashley c.
Haollowell, an employe, to the mercy of the
Senators.
In reply to question by Senator Farwell
the witness said that his estimate showed
that the receipts of cattle at Chicago during
the last eight months had been the largest
in the world, either at this or any other
market Previous to this year the receipts
of 1888 made last year the banner year of all
before that time, but the receipts thus far
for 1889 ran very much ahead of those of the
first eight months of 1888.
"Have you the fgures?" asked Mr.. Far
we'll.
"Yes, sir. They are 297, 900 head of cat
tle."
''Can you tell from what part of the coun-
try these cattle came?'
FIGURES FOR IT. .
about $4,000 were from Texas, II, 900
from Montana, Wyoming and the North
west, and the remainder from the central
States, Illinois being in the lead"
dCan Won fTiva apv raocon 1rhu fha Ct
Louis trade should not be increasing?"
81 am unable to state, unless it be on ac-
count of the fact that st. Louis has a repu-
tstlon for being little slower than Kansas
City and Omaha in getting business"
How has the business kept up at St.
Louis, Kansas City and Omaha?"
"At Kansas City and Omaha the business
has steadily increased, but at st. Louis the
trade has barely held its own"
This brought Senator Vest to his feet in
an instant. Said he: "Did you never near
of 5ee 'Eveners' combination?''
'Sthe witness admitted that he had some
u years ago.
Senator Vest-'fWell, did you hear that
clique of Chicago shippers made a combina-
tion with some of the railroads by which
cheaper rates were obtained from Chicago,
and that by this st. Louis business was
ruined"
The witness had heard some talk of such
things.
CLOSE QUESTIONING.
= The Senator pressed him harder and
brought in the name of Nelson Morris and
Allerton and some others as having been
parties to the "eveners" combination. The
examination over, recess until 2 o'clock
was taken. Before adjourning, however,
Senator Vest made statement. He wanted
to let the people know the exact object and
purpose of the Senatorial Committee. He
alluded to the fact that Secretary Williams,
of the Stock Yards Company, was to have
been present this morning with list of the
stockholders of the company, but that ne
had disobeyed the order of the Senators.
81 do not know how the other members
of the Committee feel about it," said he,
''but for one am not willing to close this
examination here until L have learned all
there is in this meat question
Then he read list of names, including
those mentioned at the beginning of this
article. Said he: "This committee does
not desire any trouble with any of these
gentlemen whom il has summoned to ap-
pear for examination, but they are not
here, although duly subpenaed. These
men are directly interested in the result of
the hearing, and it is from them we can
obtain our evidence. 1 will saw now that
they must be here and testify. There is no
way out oft"
THEY MUST COME.
The committee adjourned and word was
sent to Messrs. Armour, Swift ct al, that
they must obey the Senatorial summons.
Charles f. Ingersoll was the first witness
IN the afternoon. He said that when he
first went into the dressed beef business
there was twice the quantity of dressed beef
sold to Eastern buyers than there is now.
Under the old system there was great deal
more competition. Out of a !, 200 pound
steer witness believed about 675 pounds of
good beef could be obtained That class of
beef would bring from 81 to cents q
pound.
''When in the last ten years were cattle
the highest?'
''In 1882. They commenced going up
in 1881. and reached high water mark in
June, 1882. A rapid decrease began in
1886, went lower in 1888, and reached the
lowest figure in 1887. In 1886 there was a
slight improvement during the summer
months, but that was only for the best grade
of cattle"
"Now," said Senator Vest, 'it has been
said here that the enormous fall in the price
of cattle in 1882 was by over production,
but see that since 1882 there has been a
very marked decrease in the supply, and
still the price went down. How do you ac-
count for that?'
A DARK MYSTERY.
81 hardly know how to account for it"
replied the witness. After a few more ques-
tions the witness was allowed to go.
Joseph Fastburne, stock yards commits
sion man, said he saw very marked change |
in the markets of late years. While the |
supply of stock increased, the number of |