The Irish standard., 1897-03-20
WILL f|GHT EACH .OTHER.
The Cudahy Brothers Will Oppose
the Standard Oil
Company.
AND WILL BE ASSISTED BY OTHERS.
Sketch Of the Career of the Cuda.
hys from a Humble
beginning.

A battle royal is on. The contestants
are two commercial giants, and the
arena is the whole union. On the one
side Is the Standard Oil Trust. with an
almost complete possession of the field
and untold millions at its command. On
the other are the Cudahy brothers of
Chicago, shrewdw, daring spectators.
with backing OF almost unlimited re.
sources, says the Irish World.
The Standard Oil Trust is to lie put
on the defensive. The Cudahys are tbs
attacking parties. They are going to
make a supreme effort to wrest from
the trust it's gigantic monopoly. Many
times has the same attempt been made
before, but never has the trust en-
countred such formidable antagonist
as this combination of Western capt.
talists which now confronts 1t. Behind
the Cudahys are the great pork packing
and beef dressing magnates, Phil Ar
mour, with, his great fortune; the
Swifts,, Nelson Morris and the Fair
banks company It is understood that
they are interested, and Will help to
smash the trust if the Cudahys need as
sistance.
For two years the Cudahys have been
preparing their forces for the encounter
In 1895 they purchased the Indian oil
fields, which the trust had either over
looked or ignored, and only the other
day they struck their first decisive blow
by securing as customer for their fuel
oil the Yerlzes Street Railway company
Of Chicago, which is one OF the largest
consumers of fuel Oil in the country.
The generals who command the at
lacking forces in this battle of nil ions
are John and Michael Cudahy, two of
four brothers, sons Of IN Irish immi-
grant who lived In Milwaukee.
Cudahy senior was a butcher by trade,
and he found employment in q packing
house, and afterward went into business
for himself, though in small way. AS
soon as the boys were old enough they
went into the slaughter house, too, and
learned the trade John was given an
opportunity to attend school for few
years longer than the others, but by
the time he was Is b. knew the packing
business and was making money at It,
In the meantime Michael entered the
employ Of John Plankinton, whom the
Arnours succeeded. They sent him to
Chicago to manage a branch house, and
soon after John, who had been himself
highly successful in the business, fol-
lowed. That is how the Cudahys ap-
peared in the Western metropolis. The
impression they have made on the bust
ness world there has been deep and
lasting one. Each has had his own line.
John has been the bold operator on the
stock exchange; Michael, the plodding,
faithful manager Of the Armour shops.
John Cudahy is a born Speculation.
UP one big fortune Of several millions
by bold plunges in pork and lard. and
gained the sobriquet of Daring Jacl1''
Cudahy. But this melodramatic title
"tES Luz 6CICSA NACJ, uuiluS Lu0 pdHlC
Of 1898, he went to the wall, and his
millions were wiped out. There were
many who thought that was the end Of
John Cudahy's career as a speculator,
but he was not SO easily ''downed." His
brother Michael put him on his feet
again, and in a little over three years
John had not only paid off S1,300,000
which he owed when the crash came,
but he had built up another big fortune.
Michael Is several times a millionaire,
but he has made his little pile in stocks.
He has stuck steadily to the packing
house, and made himself an invaluable
assistant to Phil Armour. He has
studied the hog as scientist pursues
pet theory. When he first went to Chi
cago as manager of the branch house a
large part Of the hog went to waste.
Michael has changed ali, that now, and
every part of piggie is turned into
money, even to the bones and brist!es.
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