The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-05-15
,THE MEAT PACKING INDUSTRY.

From Leslie's Weekly.
The packing and preservation of meat
food products as business was carried
on in a small way in the United States up
to 1860, since which time it has assumed
large proportions, making Its great
growth in company with the development
of the central west and its railroads, 'e-
ceiving a great forward impetus by the
perfection of the refrigerator car and the
artificial ice machine. The building OF
the railroad systems, furnishing quick
transportation for live stock and rapid
distribution of product, made conditions
favorable for the establishment of broad
live stock markets at the larger railroad
centers. where eastern buyers could pro-
cure stock for shipment on the hoof to
their abattoirs. AT these primary mar
kets were quickly established slaughter
ing houses for the packing of staple pork
products, the so-called offal being thrown
away as of no value. This was the con-
Idition of affairs in 1866 in Chicago,
Milwaukee, Buffalo and Cincinnati,
then and for some years afterward the
main hog packing centers. But little was
being done in a large way in the ship
ping of fresh beef products any great
distance, dried and corned beef being
about the only articles from beeves sut-
fCiently preserved to safely ship.
%
Late in 1860 men of economic tendencies
began the manufacture of CLUES, oils,
ETC., from some OF the waste, and early
in the seventies the blood and other
portions of live stock not used for food,
glue, soap, or leather, were manufac-
| tured into fertilizer ingredients. These
| savings enabled the progressive slaught-
| ererS to not only pay more for their live
| stock, but to undersell their competitors
| who did not utilize the waste. During
| the early seventies the preservation of
meats in tins was successfully intro
| duced. With the perfection of the refrig
| orator, so that fresh meats could be kept
| for a reasonable time, came the develop
| ment of the refrigerator car, enabling
! fresh meat to be transported from tho
| ice box of the west to the ice box of the
east in the ice box car. A man with a
sharp pencil soon figured it out that it
was a saving of money to kill beeVes in
! Chicago and ship the edible parts east
rather than to ship the cattle alive to the
east with q large shrinkage, risk and
| freight on the portions not good for
| food. A more complete utilization of
| the formerly wasted portions was then
perfected. The world was the market of
distribution. The product could be sold
| by energetic merchandising. The pack
ers bought all the live stock shipped TO
| these central markets, and asked for
| more Live stock growing was being
| rapidly put on a sound basis. Instead of
| having to take his chances on finding a
| prompt market for his stock, and often
! having to wait week or so at heavy eX-
| pense and shrinkage before disposing OF
his herd, the live stock grower found that
he could market any grade of stock any
| business day of the year for cash and
| without delay.
The Mississippi Valley corn fields were
overfiowing with corn, the prairies of the
west were carpeted with nutritious
grasses. 1t was safe business venture
TO feed cattle in large numbers, for they
could be sold-stability had been giVer
TO markets. In 1872, 2O2,9l9 cattle anC
5919,Sl4 hogs were slaughtered at foul
packing centers, In 1898, $500 900 cattle
and 23 200. 900 hogs were packed. The
value Of the product In 1898 was estimated
at $3.50 600 900, employing directly nearly
100000 laborers. and indirectly half a.
many more, in addition to the large mum
Der employed on the farms and ranges
One house in Chicago alone annually
pays out s., 100000 in wages Lines of re
frigerator cars are run, Ice houses anC
icing stations are maintained. In an eX
port way $50 $4,000 pounds of bacon anC
hams, lOOS5 900 pounds Of pork, and 709,
$4,000 pounds of lard were exported from
the United States during the year ending
| 1uIy 1903