New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-08-14
THE RISE IN MEAT PRICES.
DENIALS THAT A TRUST Is CON1I"'
PLATED BY THE PACKERS.

whit. ., nav no true as all the parties IN
,rtarea. nrotest that no combination OF iiea'
n.ckine concerns for the purpose OF DONG a""'
NTH con,petition is intended but only 'ha' a
asreement that settlements must DC '
weekly (the so-called seven day ruie' mas
entered into. the usual first move " Wv
creation Of trust is ABOUT u ' 80
The price Of meats of all KINDS Is a' o"o =,
advanced to the consumer, ana inc
this article will probably WITHIN inc
veek be called upon to pay at least '"o 80
o mound more for all that he or sbe iiiSS ~
- There is a scarcity OF cattle IN the "eS'
ora Of the same time there Is an lhc'eaSe' w
rnand, II is said ,,.
Before giving the interviews WIN "h0'e'
and retailers on these questions ana ''e
SONS for the necessity OF such action II "a'
no If interest to take a passing glance at the
processes by which steers. pigs ana iarhos arc
converted into fit product for immediate con
~,,.,,,,or The principal distributing centre IN
this country is Chicago, where the stockyarus
,oo,nv over q square mile Of the city's ground
,rL.o,,oh those wards the records show, In
calendar year 3751, 1876 cattle, 3GO64o4 sheep'
ord GOO SO5 hogs have passed. So rigid IS the
Government inspection that no amman no'
sound in health is received
Tho procedure in one great packing house IS
,be procedure in all. and in one of the largest
,h hu,,ocks are slaughtered at the rate or a
hundred an hour, an interval OF only loiS
,,inutes elapsing between the oeatE do" anu
tho ranging of the sides in the relrlseia""e
roonns One workman cleaves the pa'N
1engthwise; another cuts on the 'aii' ""''
others still clean the carcass with brushes oiN
hot water The bullocks' sides are theh NUNS O'
hooks each depending from Its own ""ee'
which slides easily along the oVerheau i"
The sides so hanging. weigh ~ per cent VI '"'
steer on the hoof After they have hung loiN
eight hours loading time arrives. ana Win II
the necessity of cutting the beef ACCORDING u
its destination. At the car doors the CUTIE
with long knives wait. and with unerring sUoAe
divide the sides into quarters. leaving SO man!
ribs on the hind quarter as the desuna'oh
calls for-Boston. three ribs; New-York. one rib
etc.
Sheep are treated in a general way as are
cattle. although there are various styles OF
dressing lamb From four to eight thousand are
slaughtered a day by this house.
The hogs meet their death at the rate OF 'oo
an hour Suspended from a sliding chain that
holds $50 at time the hogs move slowly along,
while at their sides stands line OF workers
each with a separate tool and each having a
particular duty one cuts off the haunch bone.
another pulls out the stray punches or halr'
while three men, with accurate strokes. cleaYe
down the back bones After cooling two days
the work Of cutting apart begins. Two men,
alternating every fifteen minutes, do this work
and so hard is the force OF the necessary DoW
that the knives have to be changed every
twelfth stroke. With the space at hand 1t is
not possible 10 describe the various processes
whereby his hogship is transposed into hams.
short ribs sausages. pigs feet. lard. butterine'
hair brushes and the thousand and one other
things II is possible TO convert him into In ad-
diton to the foregoing a great packing house
deals in wool. handles fowls and poultry gen
orally. runs a glue factory, cures hides and
manufactures fertilizers.
SAYS IT WILL HAVE A GOOD EFFECT.
A representative of one Of the most prominent
houses here, who would not permit the use OF
his name. says "The seven day rule will have
a good effect as it will make the retailers more
careful in their collections. The rule went into
effect on August I. and the agreement is that
all bills for purchases made during the week
must be paid on or before the following Mon
day morning, matter what day they are
purchased. be it Monday. or be it Saturday, or
be IT any day between these two. If not the
account stops all around The agreement only
ultimate result of this plan will he TO make the
trade healthier.
Beef at Wholesale costs US from one-haf to
hree-ouarters Of a cent pound more than II
did year ago. We pay here on basis Of the
selling price in Chicago. The supply in New
York is fully as large as ever and the advance
is wholly due TO the advance in price OF cattle
at the West. II Is a natural shortage in the
herds that causes this. coupled with the fact
that the great supplies Of corn In the West and
the prospective great corn crop have induced
the farmers TO pick UP the lighter cattle for
fattening purposes and this enhances the price
OF other cattle. You will see by my books
Showing them that whereas beef this week
sold on an average at IS 80 the hundred pounds.
for the corresponding week Of the year previous
II averaged only 81 81. You will also see by
reference 10 the books that whereas are pay
ing s. 20 hundred pounds for beef in Chi
cago we are selling it here at but IS 30 the hun
bred, although the cost Of selling, plus the price
Of transportation. must he added to the Chicago
price. In fact. the beef averaged US loss Of
a. cents on every hundred pounds we sold
Such loss is generally attendant on a rising
market OF course. we are not in trade for
philanthropc purposes. but TO make money.
SO this is simply temporary condition that
confronts US. Beef has risen in price, and
think It will rise still further The same is
true Of pork loins. You can't at present buy
them anywhere in the West under nine cents a
pound. 1t is a particular cut. averaging not
over twenty pounds to the hog. and Just at pres
ent an enhanced demand for that particular cut
has elevated the price. there is no especial
scarcity.
"All this talk Of Nelson Morris & Co.. Swift &
Co. and Armour & Co. forming a beef trust is
the veriest buncombe. and / am speaking where
of know. If any one believes that a combination
exists among these houses TO do away with com
petition let him appear prospective buyer
of meats in any place where they are all repre-