Omaha daily bee., 1899-10-22

show that three times as much mutton was
consumed last year in proportion to the
population as was consumed in the years OF
plenty during the late sos With the re-
turn of prosperity, however, the demand
for beef and for the choicest steaks and
roasts at once began to increase and this
demand has had a natural tendency to force
the prico upward
IT, however, this were the only cause Of the
recent advance, there might be ground for
accusing the great packers of the west Of
manipulating prices. But it is only one fea-
ture in the present remarkable development
of the cattle industry; for not only has the
demand of the consumer increased, but the
supply has actually been decreasing for
years On January l. 1890, there were in
the United States, according to the Depart
ment CT Agriculture, SO, $40 ,O24 head of cat
tie, or $50 to every 1000 Of population By
1895 this number had decreased by upward
of 100000 head, the total being 34364,216,
This would mean about 400 head of cattle
for every 1000 of population. From that
time down to the present year the number
fell off by nearly 100000 head Annually,
dropping to a little more than 80 100000 in
1896 3050S, ,4OS in 1897, 29, ,26i 900 in 1885, and
27994225 in 1899. At present, therefore,
at $4,000 OOO there would be only 373 head
of cattle to every 1000 of population. Since
1892 the number of cattle has decreased by
fully 100000, or nearly 81 per cent. At
tho same time the number of swine has de-
creased from over 81 100000 in 1890 to 3S,
65l 531 in the present year. The number OF
sheep also fell off between 1890 and 1897, and
then began to increase, being over 1900, ,0OO
greater in 1899 than in 1897, showing that
people were consuming more mutton.
Eject of the Shortage.
This enormous decrease in at-producing
! animals was not especially apparent during
the prevalence Of hard times, but the return
OF prosperity and the renewed demand fol-
better food suddenly caused shortage and
consequent rise in prices And the ad-
vance which the consumer paid did not &c
into the pocket Of the packer nor to the mid
| dleman--it went directly to the stockrais 81
| who had cattle to sell, and it has gone far
| toward swelling the present remarkable wave
| OF prosperity in the west,
Statistics will show this condition exactly
| On August 10, 1897, the best price paid by
| the packers in the open markets OF Chicago
| Kansas City and Omaha for choice Yves, err
cattle on the hoof was $3.50 per 100 pounds
which would mean a cost of 10 cents &
| pound Ior prime beef. a year later, or
! August 10, 1898, the packers wee forced tC
/ pay the stockgroweTs as high as Sj,25 PEI
! 100 pounds, or S.5 cents a pound for prime
/ beef On August 10 of this year the pric,
/ for the best grade of cattle had gone up L
| $500 per 100 pounds, making prime bee
/ cost 9.25 cents pound, In other words, th'
! beef barons' were compelled TO pay to tht
/ stoch-raisor Sl,4O more per 100 pouuds fo
cattle in the open market in August, 1899
! than they paid in August, 1897.
| In the case of a l,500-pound steer tbs
packer would pay s2l more in 1899 than ht
did in 1897. But the edible portion OF al
animal is only 5s per cent of the whole; tina
is. there are $40 pounds of good beef in
steer weighing 800 pounds The advance
must therefore be spread over the $40 pounds
which would increase the advance from 81,
per hundred for the live animal to SEAL 70
| the edible parts.
Very naturally the packers and slaughter
ers, being compelled TO pay more for beef
charged more for it, Indeed. a representa-
tive of large packing house informed m
that his company actually lost money ol
some OF it's sales, because 1t did not raise IL
prices fast enough to keep pace with the ris
in the price of stock, The retail dealers wer
equally slow about putting up their sho
prices, for fear of losing trade; they KEEP
| comforting themselves with the hope tha