The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1895-03-21
SOMETHING FOR THE HORNY
HANDED FARMERS TO
THINK OVER.
THE SOUTHS IMMENSE TRADE
IN MEATS.
Millions of Dollars Sent Out for Bacon
that Should Be Raised at Home.
What Travis County Sends
Abroad Yearly.

Major Tom Breckenridge, as noted in
The Statesman a few days ago, had some
very fine hogs in town to show what can
be done here in Travis county with but
little trouble and expense. Major Brack-
enridge is to be commended on his efforts
along this line and Travis county farmers
will be wise if they follow his example.
1t is safe estimate to place the amount
of money sent out of Travis county each
year for pork products at 100000, when
with proper care the farmers of the coun-
ty can raise the hogs and keep the money
at home.
Sending this money out of the county
and the state to buy meat is a terrible
drain and should be, and can be, stopped
if the farmers will only try it.
In this connection it is estimated that
the South last year sent $45,0OO,OOO to
Kansas City, Chicago and st. Louis for
meat Commenting on this the Manu-
facturers Record, of Baltimore, says:
OF this enormous amount the greater
portion went for hog products. Every
dollars worth of these supplies could have
been raised by Southern farmers.
The sum is so large as to seem at first
incredible, but as one Analyses the bust
ness done in the various states the figures
seem too small and it becomes certain
that they are not excessive. Here are a
few instances picked up at hap-hazard
showing how extensive is the trade:
Henderson, N. c.. has only about 1900
population, yet one firm sells two carloads
per week of Western bacon alone, saying
nothing of lard and hams.
Waxahachie, Texas, paid out over S75,-
900 last year for Western meats, prin-
cipally bacon. This town has only about
1000 population.
In January, 1895, the city of Little
Rock, Ark, paid $150,O0O for meats and
grain from the West. OF this amount
about 100000 went to Kansas City and
st. Louis meat shippers principally. The
population is $4,000, so that the city's
Western meat bill for one month averaged
nearly 81 for each inhabitant.
1t is not remarkable, considering these
figures, that President Armour, of the
Armour Packing company, of Chicago,
has said that the South as market is
worth two Europes to him." In other
words, his profits from Southern business
are twice as much as his sales in Great
Britain and the continent of Europe To
fully appreciate this statement we should
refer to exports of bacon and other food
products as shown by government re-
ports.
The objection that some have raised
to the trouble of curing meat, because
the climate, they say, is too warm, is
nonsense. One of the largest packers
in Baltimore, who is familiar with the
South informs The Manufacturers
Record that hogs can be killed and their
products prepared as well in any Southern
state as in Chicago or Kansas City Of
course, cold-storage plants are required,
but they are also required by the West
Iern people, who practically have no ad-
vantage over the South in this respect.
With the apparatus now provided, the
killing house, storage chambers, smoke
house and other sections of the plant
can be kept at any temperature desired
during the warmest portions of the year.
OF course the work must be economically
and Systematically performer, and facili-
ties must be such that cheap meats, such
as shoulders, sides, etc, can be prepared,
for the great bulk of the Western trade
in the South is in cheap meats. AS to
the raising of hogs, it hardly seems nee
essary to say that it can be carried on
with success in all parts of the South,
where nature has provided an abundance
of food especially adopted for fattening
hogs and making their flesh of very fine
quality.
The South can raise its own meat, and
thus keep at home the S45,O0O,O0O to
|S50,000,000 now annually sent West for
hog products.
Before the advent of railroads in Aus
tin very little bacon was shipped here
Nearly all offered for sale in the stores
was home made and it was of superior
quality. All farmers had their hogs and
all should follow Major Breckenridge
example and again go to raising theiI
own meat for market. 1t will surely pay
A wholesome mince Die is n marvel OF