Omaha daily bee., 1889-09-10
CHiCAGo's DKEssEDb BEEF.
Tho Volume OF business Transacted q
by tile Different Houses.

by the Different Houses.
Last week we presented 30 our read
ers an interesting articles ffom the pen
of Mr.. John Clay, jr., in thd journal OF
the Royal horticultural society of Eng
land, treating the subject Of cattle rails
ing in the United States, says the Kan
sas Farmer. Below we give some of the
figures showing the extent OF the
dressed beef business in Chicago, pre-
pared by the same writer:
The dressed beef business in America
was founded some twenty years ago. A
few years later the work was taken up
by the late Mr.. George II. Hammond,
of Detroit. who may be termed the
father of this business. He was q man
of fine executive ability, and he built
up through his energies a magnificent
trade. He died, unfortunately, just
when he had reached the zenith of his
powers. Other parties took up the busl-
ness, and it has gradually grown (fgur-
atively speaking) from grain of mus
tard seed to very large tree. Mr.. T..
Eastman, one of the largest live stock
shippers in America, branched off into
this trade; Mr.. Nelson Morris, well
known to every cattleman both at home
aud abroad, also took a hand; in 1880,
Mr. G +. Swift began upon most ex-
Messrs. Armour g. Co. also commenced
the business. We have now in Chicago
four immense concerns, viz: Swift &
Co., Armour & Co., Hammond 81 Co.. 4,
and Nelson Morris 81 Co. These firms,
along with Libby, McNeill & Libby,
buy very large proportion OF the cat
tie coming into our market. AS facts
speak for themselves, we took the lb-
erty of propounding u series of ques-
tions to the various parties, and here
with we give the result.
1. Number of cattle killed during
1SSSp Answers-Swift, ,O3l; Armour,
100000; Hammond, 2S3, ,S94.
2. Number of cattle slaughtered for
dressed beef during 1888? Answers
Swift, 67S, 1896; Armour, 290,0 900; Ham
mond, 1874.
3, Number of cattle slaughtered for
Gamers during 1888? Answers-Swift,
1876, ,l35; Armour, 10000; Hammond,
none.
"a. Number of buyers employed? An
swers: Swift, 10 to IL; Armour Z; Ham,
mond, to 8.
5. Number of men employedp An
swers: Swift, about 1000; Armour
5000: this also includes men employed
on pork packing; probably 5000 would
cover beef employees. Hammond about
900.
6. Some details as to wages and sala-
ries paid? Answers: Swift varies from
$l.50 to $3.50 per day according to skill
of laborers-only the very highest class
of skilled laborers getting the higher
amounts. Armour buyers, $1,000 to
$7,O00 expert butchers, 81 to $3.50 per
day; helpers, So; laborers, $l.75-total
cost labor our houses, 81, 800 900; 100000
per year for labor on beef. Hammond, :,
wages from 81 to 81 per day.
Z. Number of cattle sold to the princi-
pal cities in the east? Answers: Swift,
during 1888, New York city, l17,9OS;
Philadelphia, 0,1SS; Baltimore, 1905;
Washington, Obs; Boston, 81 ,546. Ar
mour, Philadelphia, 10000; Boston, 20,-
600, New York and Brooklyn, 26 900.
Hammond, 243,4 ,463. tasi
s. Average percentage of dressed
beef obtained in proportion to the live
weight? Answers: Swift, about 81 per
cent; Armour, about 81 per cent; Ham
mond, 55t per cent. iv
8. Largest number of cattle killed in
day? Answers: Swift, 4,52s; Armour,
dressed beef, Ito; Gamers, 2,3O0; total,
4,11O; Hammond, .449.
10. Average number of cattle killed
per day? Answers: Swift, in 1883,
2,6l2; Armour, about 1,6OO; Hammond,
about 900.
IL. Average cost of cattle? Answers:
Swift, in 1888, $4.29, dressed beef only;
Armour, ST. 25, dressed beef only; Ham
mond, $4.13 per 100 pounds.
II. Average weight of cattle? An
swers Swift, in 1888, 1,l46 pounds,
dressed beef only; Armour, 1,144
pounds, dressed beef; Hammond, 1905