Omaha daily bee., 1897-06-25
Nineteen Acres of Land Bought Upon
Which to Put Buildings.
UaVEY OF THE PLAT is NOW BEING MADE
Armour's Confidential Agent Makes Public
the Plans for the Enterprise.
CONCLUDE NEGOTIATIONS YESTERDAY
Building to be Commenced Mt Once
Plant to he Ready for Opera
tion ut beginning of
Next Year. T.,

Armour & Co. OF Chicago will erect an i'm
mense packing house in South Omaha. The
details have all been arranged within the
past month and the papers were signed yes
terday afternoon. 4 tract of land owned by
Chris Graf, Thomas Whittlesey and william
Bennett on the north side Of Q street at the
west end of the viaduct has been purchased.
the deal being closed yesterday. Adjoining
this tract is the land purchased year ago
from b. letter for $40, 900. Another large
tract lying west and north OF that secured
yesterday has been bought from the Union
Stock Yards company. making in all about
nineteen acres. This land lies east OF the
Omaha Packing company, north OF Q street,
and extends east to the Swift runway.
A packing house larger than any in the
city will be built; in fact it is to be as large
as Armour's Chicago house. Nearly all OF
the nineteen acres will be utilized by build
ings which will all be of brick and erected
in the most substantial manner These
buildings are to be fitted with all modern
APPLIANCES, the best and most improved ma
chinery to be had being used.
ANNOUNCE THE PLANS.
The negotiations for the land secured yes-
terday have been conducted secretly for sew
eral reasons, and it was not until the papers
had been signed and the transfers made that
P. A. Valentine. representing Armour Co.,
sent for representatives of the newspapers
and made the matter public.
Engineers in the employ of Armour & Co.
arrived from Chicago yesterday morning and
during the afternoon visited the site and
made a survey. As soon as the survey is
completed plans for the numerous large build
ings will be drawn. Work Is to be COM
Innnppd ut and q aNpeptad a
plant will be ready for occupancy by January
l, 1898. The dimensions of the buildings
have not as yet been decided upon, but will
be as soon as the preliminary survey Is COM
pleted. Il is expected, however, that the
cost OF the new plant will be in the neigh
borhood of $1,000, 600. Mr.. Valentine said
that no expense would be spared, as only the
best material would be used. The buildings
will be credit to the city and the state.
The result of this extensive addition to the
packing house industry will be that all of
the great packing concerns will be represented
here and market for all the live stock in
the state and in the northwest will bo
created. Armour & Co." Mr.. Valentine
said, recognize the fact that South Omaha
is great live stock market as well as dis
trbuting point. and for that reason plant
as large, If not larger, than the one in Chi
| cago will be erected
BOOM FOR SOUTH OMAHA.
The building of this large plant will have
| the effect of placing Omaha and South Omaha
| on a different footing with the railroads.
| Armour will now use his influence with the
railroads and thus secure greater advantages
| than the two cities have heretofore enjoyed.
| 1t will broaden the market at South Omaha
and be of immeasurable benefit to every
| stockman In Nebraska and the entire north
west
| President William A. Paxton OF the Union
| Stock Yards company was particularly
| pleased when the negotiations had been con-
| cluded and the announcement was ready to
| be made public He said that to his mind
| 1t would be one of the best things that had
| happened to Omaha In a number Of years.
| With the new plant in working order all of
! the live stock raised in the west can be sold
| and slaughtered here and there will be no
necessity for shippers to go on to Chicago
| With Armour a regular purchaser on this
market there will be more competition, con-
sequently a market for all kinds of stock,
| including fat beef cattle for export Mr..
| Paxton said that the building of the big plant
would mean boom for South Omaha and the
| best thing that could happen.
J. Ogden Armour, son OF p. d. Armour,
| was in South Omaha yesterday afternoon
| experimenting the work OF the engineers
| who were making the survey OF the site.
| Employment will be given to several hun
| dred laborers during the erection OF the
| buildings, and 1t is thought fully 1000 men
! will be employed when the plant is working
full time. At the suggestion of Mr.. Paxton,
| p. A. Valentine agreed to give preference to
| Omaha and South Omaha laboTers in the
| building OF the plant.