The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-07-31
SPREADS LIKE FIRE
Report That Swift Would Build
New Packing Plant Here.
AGENTL0OKS GR0UNDOVER
Rumor That He Wanted to
Buy the 0oId Plant

Mr. D. z Hostetter OF Kansas City,
trusted agent Of lie Swift Packing com
pany, was N the city yesterday ana the
news spread like wild IRE that Swift was
looking over the ground here with the
intention OF building a packing house in
Wichita. a few fellows who claimed 10
be on the inr.1e looked wise and intima-
ted in a confidential way that it was al
right.
Mr.. Swift is one Of the biggest packers
in America and he is well up 10 the front
in the dressed beef trade and Of course
a person had only 10 know a little about
The packing interests OF this great west
to k0nw that Wichita has advantages as
a packing center that the king Of pack
ers could turn TO his individual advan-
tage and this caused the rumor 10 be be-
neved.
There was one feature Of the report
which caused a regret and that was tha
Swift contemplated buying the Dold
house Everybody in Wichita wants
Swift TO come here. but they also want
to keep Dold. This latter report ap-
peared % be confirmed when it was
learned THAI 1dr. Hostetter was up at the
Dold plant looking it over. 1t was said
that he came in on an early morning
train and after eating his breakfast at
the Carey went direct 70 the Dold plant
and remained there until noon.
1t was afternoon when he returned 10
the Carey and a reporter for the Eagle
was waiting for him when he came back.
Ben Eaton pointed him out and the
( reporter for the Eagle at once com
menced to talk to him about packing
I houses. That was a subject he knew
something about and he was, of course,
at home on that subject, but he became
evasive when the matter of Swift COM
( ing to Wichita was mentioned.
Does Swift contemplate building a
packing house in Wichita? he was asked.
THAT matter would no. be discussed
/ with me, for the reason that it does not
/ belong TO my line. I naturally would
not be in position to answer that cues
( ton
You have heard the matter spoken of,
+ have you not?"
yes. I have heard such talk. but
/ do not know whether AR. Swift contem-
plates building here or not
1T is re~orted that he contempIates
/ buying the old plant. You were up there
/ TODAY. were you not. Mr.. Hostetter?'
/ Yes. I was up there an morning. I
( went TO see Fred Dold and AIr. Harrison.
I l am acquainted with them and We are
/ good friends and I wanted to see them.
/ I hardly think that Mr. Swift would
/ count on buying the Dold property, be
cause I see they arc busy clearing out
the debris and getting ready to build.
Why would they be cleaning out the
wreck caused by the fire if they did not
/ intend to rebuild the house,?
That was as nearly as the Kansas csty
man could be induced TO express an opin-
ion on the matter Of Swift coming 70
+ Wichita lie talked about the great bus
mess of the Swift Packing company and
said it was not confined TO any one local
itv. but extended over wide territory.
He gave it as his individual opinion that
Wichita was favorably located as TO the
! dressed beef trade because of the great
cattle ranges south and west Of here. but
he wanted it understood that he was not
speaking for the Swift Packing company
{ when he said that