Omaha daily bee., 1889-01-28
IOWA'S PACKING INTERESTS.
An Organized Effort Being Made
For Their Protection.
SOME INTERESTING STATISTICS,
Capacity aud output of Some of the
Leading Houses OF the State
For the Last
Year
The Packers orrapizinp.

BEE. The pork packers of Iowa are pretty
thoroughly aroused by the attempt of Chi
cago packers to break up their business
Their meeting in this city last week was the
beginning of their organized effort TO pro-
tect themselves. In this work they have the
co operation OF the railroad commissioners,
and tomorrow Commissioner Dey and the
attorney for the pack ers will meet the repre-
sentatives of the railr Dads IN Chicago TO plan
for defense before the Interstate commerce
commission. This industry has grown to
considerable size in Iowa; so large, in fact,
that the Chicago packers feel keenly the
competition of the Iowa packers. The secre-
tary of the railroad commission has been col
lecting statistics from the Iowa packers con
corning this business, and they show vol
ume of no inconsiderable amount. Among
others were the following showing the capac-
ity of some Iowa packing houses, and in
some cases the amount of business done IN
1888.
John 7. Stewart, Council Bluffs, reports a
capacity of 1,OO0 hogs per day, which can
be increased to 1,50O per day. He packed
$4,000 hogs during 1885, Britain IL
Co., of Marshaltown, have a capac-
ity of 10000 hogs per year.
Last year they packed 5S,594. James E.
Booge g. Sons, of Sioux City, have capac-
ity of :, 2,O00 hogs q day. They killed $1,000
during 1888, and shipped I56 cars of packed
product. j. II. Windsor, of Des Moines, has
capacity of 1000 hogs per day. He packed
but 600 last year, owing to fire which de-
stroyed his packing houses early in the sea
son. r. ID. Fowler & Co, of Sioux City, have a
capacity of :, 800 hogs aud 200 cattle per day.
During 1883 they killed 1894 hogs. Coey
Co., of keokuS, have capacity OF about
5000 hogs a week. They pack usually about
10000 a year. L. b. Doud & Co., of At
lantc, have capacity of 500 per day in
winter, and 300 in summer. During 1883
they killed 43450. The Silberhorn company,
of Sioux City, have capacity of 5000 hogs
and 500 cattle per day. Last year they
5000 sheep. John Morrell & Co., of OF
tumwa, have a capacity of l,2OO per day.
During 1883 they cut up 176219 hogs. William
Ryan ~ Son, of Dubuque, cut up 65, SOj hogs
killed 64,164 hogs during 1888. T. M. Sin
clair, of Cedar Rapids, killed 224,200 hogs
during 1888, over 100000 of which were
shipped in by rail.
These houses-and they are not all there
are in Iowa-packed in round numbers ,1S5,-
600 hogs last year. That amount of business
was actually done, and under favorable cr-
cumstances the number can easily be in
creased to a million and half or two
million hogs. A few years ago nearly all this
to what is packed IN Iowa, then, must be
reckoned the amount packed at Omaha,
st. Joe and Kansas City, to fully appreciate
how surely Chicago is losing her grip as the
packing center of the country. 1t is not sur
prising, therefore, that the Chicago packers
are getting alarmed at the outlook, and want
the interstate commerce commission to iu-
terfere in their behalf, to compel Iowa farm
ers and stockmen to ship their products TO
Chicago and thus break up what is growing
to be great Iowa industry. The Iowa pack
ers insist that there is good reason why the
railroads should furnish a BETTER
rate for the packed products to
Chicago than for the live hogs.
The report. received by the commissioners
shows that the average weight carried per
car of live hogs is from $1,000 to $4,000
pounds and of the packed product from 10000
to 40, 900 pounds. The cost of transportation
is about the same in either case with the ad-
vantage, if anything, in favor of the packed
product There is always more care required
and more risk assumed in carrying live hogs
than in carrying packed meats. Railroad
managers say they pay out large sums an
nually for live hogs killed in transit. Then
they have always to furnish free transporta-
ton for one person TO take care of the live
hogs or other stock to the market. They
have also to provide fast trains for stock at
an additional expense. So that all things
considered, Iowa packers think they can
prove to the satisfaction of the interstate
commission that the railroads are deeply jus
titled in making q lower rate for the dressed
product to Chicago than for the live stock.