The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-04-15
BIC UNION STOCK YARDS.
A Movement to That End has Been
Started by Citizens of
- Helena.
Plans Forming to Make Important
Additions to Industries of
This City.
Two Hundred Acres will be Purchased fol-
Stock Yards. Feeding Grounds and
Manufactures.

Helena will before long have great union
stock yards. A movement to that end is
being inaugurated by citizens of this city,
backed by substantial eastern capitalists.
IT is proposed to purchase 200 acres of land
in the vicinity of Helena, build stockyards,
feeding grounds and establish tanneries and
all manner of manufactures incident to the
business. Following is memorandum on
the proposed Montana dressed beef CON-
pany:
The immediate object which the company
will set itself to carry out, is the supply of
dressed beef and mutton from the north
west to the east and European markets.
The extension of the company's operations
to the other varieties of dead meat will be
taken i'll hand as opportunity may suggest.
Some additional features which the com
panys scheme will subsequently embrace
are:
First. The formation of stock yards.
Second. The acquisition of ranching prop
erty and the raising of live Stock III addl-
ton to the purchase made elsewhere, in
connection with the company's operation.
Third. Canning meats.
The scheme of the company will necessi-
tate at the outset the erection of slaughter
ing establishment similar to those SO sue
cessfully operated in Chicago. Omaha, Kan
sas City and other points, with a complete
equipment of machinery for treating the
offal of the slaughtered animals of its resi-
dual products, etc.
The company also propose to have their
rolling stock of refrigerator cars constructed
on the most improved principles which
practical experience obtained in the past
can suggest for the shipment of dressed
meat to the eastern states of the Union and
to Atlantic ports for export to Europe.
The growth of the business of handling
fresh beef, which has been properly refriger-
ated has since 1867 been steadily increasing
and widening its field Of operation.
1t must be understood that the incentives
to the originators of the enterprise of ship
ping refrigerator beef from the west to the
east are these:
First-It is we'll known that a live bullock
will shrink or lose in flesh one hundred
pounds every Thousand miles he travels;
therefore, a bullock weighing twelve nun
dred pounds in Montana, if sent by rail to
New York, would weigh when he was deliv-
cred one thousand pounds, losing two hun
dred pounds in transit, which represents SO
many pounds of beef at SO much per pound.
The simplest mind can estimate the econ
omy, therefore, of killing that bullock when
he weighs twelve hundred pounds and thus
save in Montana what would be lost in
transit.
This is the corner stone of the business of
killing cattle in the west, 1efrigerating the
beef and transporting the beef i'll refriger-
ator cars to the east.
Second-The improved condition of the
meat as an article of human food. If we
take bullock that has been standing on
his feet two to five days, jerked and twisted
about in the cars, hurried to the shambles
and slaughtered, how can it be expected
that his meat will be free from fever?
Third-The economical use and handling
of the otfal at the place of slaughter: the re-
suits alone have proved that this item
places the business on a sure footing.
The special advantages to be obtained by
company of the kind i'll question located at
Helena, Montana, in the conduct of its bus
mess are briefly theses 1t would be the only
concern of it's kind existing in the north
west. Valuable support may be expected
from the municipal authorities in the mat
unhampered locally by any of their rivals in
the states, and will be able to make con-
tracts irrespective of their actions.
The company will have ranchmen inter-
ested in the success of its business so that
it will receive their support and co-opera-
ton.
The company will be it's own buyers on
the ranches. It will have what are admitted
to be the finest ranching districts of the
North American continent to draw upon for
the supply of cattle, and thus providing q
national market for exciting ranching inter-
ests will place it on a sound and permanent
basis and will lend encouragement to the
rapid extension of ranching enterprises.
1t has been shown again and again in the
United States that in buying direct from the
missions and stock yard charges, the money
which goes to the middle man comes to the
slaughterer and ranchman.
The company's Strengthening house being
located at Helena. will be i'll the center Of
one of the finest ranchlng districts of the
northwest. Adjacent and tributary to Hell
ena are some Of the richest mining fields of
Montana, now brought into prominence by
the Manitoba and Northern Pacific rail
roads, thus making Helena the natural
center for this enterprise; atfording excel
lent opportunities for commanding the home
market, and advantages for disposal of the
edible portions of the offal, viz: tongue,
liver, kidneys, trlpe, ETC., would find a ready
and large market among the poorer classes.
Besides these mineral fields the Montana
Central railway enables Marysville, Rimini,
Anaconda, Butte and adjacent districts to
contribute their share of building up a per-
manent home market
The benefits accruing to Helena from
such an enterprise as this can be readily
seen: around it will gather other enterprises
of a similar nature; hides and tallow would
command sale among the following i'm
portant industries. viz: Boot and shoe fac
tories. leather dressing establishments,
soap boiling, glue and candle factories,
which would take advantage of the oppor-
tunities offered at Helena. which would in
prominent industrial centers of the vest
failing this, they can be held for consig..-
ment to European markets and will always
be valuable cash asset of the company.
The money called up will be invested in
actual plant, which will show for itself the
cash expended and will be immediately re-
productive. 1t is proposed to erect a house
capable of dealing with $50 head of cattle
per diem, with Il complete equipment of
machinery for treating the offal of the
slaughtered animals for its valuable resid-
ual products, etc, and chill rooms con-
structed on the most approved principles
which practical experience obtained in the
past can suggest for the storage of the best
beef and preparing for shipment to mar
kets.
The building proposed will cost about
5000 and $4,000 for operating and con-
tracing for cattle.
This is merely outlining plan to let
grow, as circumstances will admit and the
promoters desire, and build up slowly and
surely. The whole matter is of such vital
Importance to. and is SO wrapped up in the
immediate future of the city of Helena,
that it is idle to imagine they will let it
lansuish or fail: as the circumstances must
enlist the cooperation of this enterprisinc
city III seeing that every advantage is given
to the enterprise for successfully and rapid :
ly developing its operation; ii is important
that We solicit the support eff every ranch
man. capitalist and citizen of Helena to
avail themselves of the necessities of such
an enterprise or others will do SO and the
opnprfunjtv will ha lost fnrayar h, ra;sa