The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-03-26
Tacoma Bureau OF the Post-Tnfelligencer.
1I2S Pacific Avenue

Tacoma Bureau OF the Post-Intelligencer
u2S Pacific Avenue
TACOMA. March e5.-For the first time
in over three years trainload OF fat cat
tie arrived in Tacoma today from Califor-
MA There were eighteen cars contain
Ing In all 90 Eat cows and steers. The cat
tie were consigned 10 the Pacific Meat
Company.
The fact thst the meat company was
obliged 70 go outside OF the state tor sup
ply of fat cattle caused a great deal OF
comment in local shipping and CONNER
ciai circles. Some people were inclined TO
look on the shipment as an indication OF
a shortage in the supply OF fat cattle in
Washington taken in connection. with the
recent rise In meats OF all kinds. During
the past six weeks the packing houses have
raised their prices TO the local dealers I'M
I'll meat is now from 50 10 IS per cent.
higher than six months ago. The con-
tinued rise In prices has had Its effect on
the retailers. and again. and most disas-
trously. on the consumers. Things have
gotten to such q pass that the man who
throws down a two-ba piece in front of
butcher and expects TO receive a juicy.
thick tenderloln steak Is sadly disappoint-
ea. and generally opens his package at
home 10 find a thin piece OF meat. not
more than half the quantity he formerly
received.
An INJURY into the state of the meat
marketheretoday developed the fact that
the packers are engaged in a merry war
with the big cattle shippers and feeders
Ia Eastern Washington. There are plenty
OF fat cattle In the state, but not 10 be had
at what would have been considered good
prices few months ago. On some hands.
IL is asserted that the cattle men Of East
ern Washington have entered into COM
blnation and have raised prices till the
wholesalers were obliged 10 seek their sup
plies outside OF the state.
W. w. Spaulding. vice president OF the
Pacific Meat Company. when asked to-
day why his firm went outside OF the
state for Its live stock. said:
The cattle men of Eastern Washington
have raised the prices on Us so high that
we were forced TO send to California for
our supply. We simply could not stand
the pressure. Stock has been going up
steadily for the past six months, until IL
has reached figure at which u is impos-
sihle for us TO do business. People VIII
cease buying meat IL the retail prices are
sent much higher, as they would have TO
be II we paid the Eastern Washington
feeders and shippers what they ask.
1T looks very much as IL they had en-
tered into "a combination or pool to force
prices up TO an exorbitant figure. For in
stance, We have been paying 81 and as
high as Sle cents per pound for fat cattle
on foot. Freight brings the price up 10
cents, and we have sold them dressed TO
the retailers att cents. About 10 days
ago we were asked 20 pay cents In East
ern Washington. This we could not do.
Wherever our buyers went, IL was the
same story. They wanted cents. or Il
was no use talking. We noticed that all
the men who were feeding cattle raised
the price at the same time. Under these
conditions the only thing for us 10 do was
to look elsewhere. The shipment OF eight
cen cars OF cattle received today Is the
first or Its kind in long time. How long
viii matters remain they are now?
That is something | cannot teli.'
The retailers are as much interested in
the controversy as are the consumers.
Said one today:
During these Lenten days people are
eating very little meat any how, and add
10 this the extreme high prices that we
are compelled to charge, and you can see
how trade has been injured. Nearly ev-
cry week there has been raise OF from
one-quarter 10 one-haf cent pound on
meat"
Hogs and sheep are high: the first on
account OF the high prices OF feed. and
the latter because of the scarcity of fat
sheep in the country.