The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-06-20
MEAT TAKES A TUMBLE.
The Helena Butchers Association
Goes Out of Existence After
Sixty Days.
Following" It's Disruption Comes q
Decided Drop In the Price
Of Steaks.
History Of h Association and How the
Public Forced Its Members to Come
to Terms in = Little While.

11lstOfy OF tho ASSOCIATION anu HOW tA0
Public Forced Its Members to Come
to Terms in = Little While.
The Butohers' association Of Helena.
composed Of the Wholesale and retail deal
eis. is a thing Of the past, after an exist
ence of about sixty days, during which time
war prices were paid for meat. The asso-
citation was somewhat in the form of a
trust. in that all the retailers agreed TO
buy their meat from certain wholesalers,
and 4 scale Of prices was fixed which the
retailers agreed to stand by. 1t was the
scale Of prices which disru pted the ~associa-
ton, and the result of the butchers venture
proves ~conclusively that a trust in a neoes-
sity in Helena Inc be made a paying
institution. When tho agreement was
entered into there were two Wholesale con-
Germs in the city-the Helena Meat COM
pany and the Montana Packing and Pro-
vision company. The latter. however,
dropped out in a little while and the Helena
Meat company had the entire field. Ac-
were to have all the city trade,
supplying not only families, but also
hotels and restaurants. Previous to the
formation of the association the two whole
sale concerns had almost a monopoly of the
hotel and restaurant business, and it was
the giving up of this to the retailers that
caused, the latter to look with particular
favor on the formation of the association
and finally to agree to buy only from the
two concerns mentioned. Another portion
OF the agreement was that the wholesalers
we're only to ask the retailers a certain per
cent over and above the cost Of the meat,
and at all times the retailers were to have
access to the books in which the wholesalers
kept an account OF their purchases.
During the winter prices had been cut
mons certain retailers, and the result had
been that in many cases meat was sold at
an actual loss.
But with the formation of the association
all this was changed. Choice steaks were
jumped from Is and 20 cents to 25 cents q
pound; prime ribs from Is to 20; mutton
from Is to 90, and 80 on down the list. Beef
was scarce just at the time the raise was
mado, higher prices were ranging in the
east, and it seemed that there was some ex-
cuse for u certain increase in the price of
meat. But the dear public, while appreoi-
ating the fact, could not see any just rea-
son for a jump of from seven to 10 cents a
pound, and Immediately on the high prices
going into effect, a wall went up. Finding
this availed nothing, this same public de-
nounced all the butchers rs robbers, and
each particular consumer endeavored to
shame the retailer with whom he traded
into reducing prices. The retailer laid it
TO the wholesaler, and the latter declared
that he was barely making expenses at the
rulinU DriCaa. The nrInCiral anf-
erers, however, were the hotels and
restaurant keepers. The ten dollars added
each month to the bills OF private families
meant a hundred or over to the large con-
sumers. One hotel stood IL for a week OF
two and then bought on the outsids, and
this was the first break.
At the end of two weeks, without any
preconcerted arrangements, private fami-
lies, finding protesting availed nothing,
began to buy less and less fresh meat. and
by the end of the month some retailers
found their trade had fallen off SO per cent
tain shop for years went to others, and by
the end of the fifth week after the new
schedule of prices went into effect there
was an utter generalization all along the
line. For a little while the butchers hoped
the consumers would get over the objection
one. The demand for smoked meats, eggs,
and everything that would take the
place of fresh meat grew daily,
while many families confined them
selves almost entirely to a cereal and
vegetable diet, ~patronizing the butcher but
once or twice a week. All this time the
butchers were catching it from all sides,
and many were losing money, because while
trade was falling off expenses we're none
the less, as the same number of wagons and
men were kept to go after orders and de-
liver them.
1t is not far from Helena to Bozeman.
nor to Butte, and a great many people from
those places come to Helena. During these
i~nterchanGes of visits notes are compared,
and it was not long before a great many
Helena people found out that while the
price of flrst-class steaks in Helena was "a
cents a pound, in n%eighboring cities it was
Eozeman at Is cents. Among the outsiders
who heard Of the Helena combine WAS an
eastern butcher visiting in Bohemian. He
came up to Helena a little over a week ago.
looked over the field, and as he has a capital
of some $4,000 he made up his mind to
W hook at a much less price
than was then prevailing. Whether
the Helena butchers were aware of his OF
not, cannot be assorted; at any rate last
Saturday I. l.. Matthews, who runs two
shops, one on the east and another on the
west size OF town, went into the Helena
Meat c~ompany's office, and told one of the
%proprietors that he would give something
handsome If he had never gone into the as.
ISOLATION, at the same time alleging that
all the other retailers felt as he did. The
proposition was then made by the meat
company that the agreements be destroyed
right then. but Mr.. Matthews asked tina,
this be delayed till a meeting Of the butch
ers be had. This WAS tried, but no meeting
has materialized. Nevertheless, the agree
ments have been destroyed and now the
Butchers Combine" as it has been called,
80 far as Helena is concerned, is thing OF
the past. In consequence, the price OF
meat has dropped back to the old prices. as
follows: Choice steaks, 20 cents n pound
prime rib roast, Ii cents; best mutton, Ii
cents; pork, 1211s to Is cents. A number OF
the butchers are still buying from the meat
company, but at a reduced rate, while the
company now has considerable of the hote,
and restaurant trade, selling these consum-
ers at the same price it charges the retail
ers. Matthews will buy a lot of steers the
coming week, reopen his slaughter house
and be prepared to enter the wholesale
field himself.
A beautiful decorated dinner set contsining II
pieces. perfect goods. in brown, blue and gree Ell
patterns this week at The Bee Hive, only Si6.5U.
The best line of shears and scissors in the cit,
at The Bee Hive only 25c.