The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-06-17
Topeka is Getting Cheaper Meat
Than Other Cities.
Fight Between Big and Little
Packing Concerns.
FREEZE-0UT.
LeaTenWOrth Concern Opened
Business in Topeka.
Its Presence Resented BY Agents
Of Big Packing Houses.

There is mild rate war on in To
peka among packing house men and
the result is that Topeka meat CON
sumers are paying less than Kansas
City people.
The announcement of an increase II
the retail prices Of meats in Kansas
City from 1 to cents. brings out the
information that those same staples
are being sold in Topeka, sixty-six
miles away from the base Of supplies.
at a much cheaper rate
Several days ago the prices Of meat
in Topeka dropped from one-half cent
to 21z cents per pound, and almost
simultaneously the prices in Kansas
City were raised from l to cents.
-Four stewards representing as
many leading hotels in Kansas City
says the Kansas City Journal. were
considera bly, surprised a few mornings
ago when they We're informed that they
would have to pay from to 3 cents
more for beef than on the preceding
day. In q large hotel where beef j.
purchased by the hundredweight an
advance Of even one cent is a eonsid-
cradle Item
Continuing the Journal quotes W. d.
Miles, who is at the head of the beef
department OF the Armour Packing
CON pany, as saying that there has
been decided advance in beef all
over the country Not only has beef
advanced. but pork and mutton as
well. though from different causes We
are now paying from "a to cents for
corn-fed cattle from Kansas and Mis-
souri,.
1T is really not unusual continues
Mr.. Miles, at this time of the year. We
are between two seasons Sixty days
ago the shipments Of range cattle into
ar.I~ f,4If off 90
that time We have only been killing
corn-fed cattle from Kansas and Mis-
souri,, and the contiguous farming ter
ritory. 1t is on the same principle that
Strawberries are higher in the early
spring than later. The beef Of the
corn-fed cattle is more succulent and
such steaks are rare bits. What has
been the reSult2 The farmers in Kan
rich harvest. During the months of
May and June or before Texas cattle
begin coming into the market. demand
exceeds the supply. Naturally beef ad-
Vancess coTrespondingly. Beef is rela-
lively a little lower here than it is in
the east. Prices will not advance any
further than at present. because in
July Texas cattle Will begin to arrive.
Mr.. Miles explanation is quite sue
cinct And il the prices paid are those
stated By him. the meat is being sold
at a loss in Topeka. The wholesale price
paid by the retailers here for beef is
from ~ cents w. If the Kansas City
packers pay ~ to 8 cents for the live
stock then it is readily apparent that
the meat must be sold for a consider
able more to derive a profit But the
prices are governed almost entirely by
circumstances in Topeka The packers
must Sell Al "A loss AT times 10 retain
the business. with the end in view of
charging enough more when the oppOr-
tunity came, to make I'D the loss 1T
has long been generally known that a
combine existed between the various
packing house representatives in To-
peka- 1t has even been limited that the
representatives get together once each
week to agree upon the schedule of
prices for the week.
Last fall the Leavenworth packing
plant opened a retail house in Topeka
They We're not included in the combine,
and naturally that had an effect upon
the prices Of meat Only recently the
Ruddy Bros. of Kansas City entered
this field. and it seems that since that
time there has been a rate war on
When it is understood that one To-
peka retailer cut the price of meats 242
cents per pound all along the line last
week. and the other retailers have been
forced to follow the example, and tax
ing the already low price into cousid-
GRAFTON, it may be seen that Topeka
consumers are Just at present enjoying
an unusually good stroke of fortune.
Topeka hotel men are not of the opin-
ion that the increase of prices at KAN
sas City viii materially affect the prices
which they Will have to pay for beef
here.
AS a matter Of fact" said Chas.
Wood, proprietor Of the National hotel,
I'VE are paying a lower rate for our
beef than the Kansas City men have
to pay. We have had a reduction in the
price only last week. Inasmuch as the
cattle season viii now open I'D again
soon I do not anticipate a very material
rise in the price if any at all"
Notwithstanding what the price of
meat may be. said Frank p. thinner
man. there are a lot of people who /
hair FcN
have no conception of what il costs to /
take a live beef and put it through the /
packing house and put it in the mar |
ket
II have for a long time advocated a !
public demonstration by the various /
packers in the large cities. SO that the /
public could be enlightened upon this |
subject. Besides being an excellent |
mode of advertising for the packers it /
would disDel a great many wrong inn I
pressi0ns which the public generally /
hold in respect to this business
a committee could be selected to /
keep tab on the cost Of putting a single +
beef through the packing plant A /
memorandum should be made Of every /
detail and every pound Of meat, and /
refuse be kept track Of so that when
the beef was placed on the market an
exact statement of the cost of that par
ticular beef could be ascertained. OF 1
course various seasons Of the year and 1
unlocked for events control the prices
to a great extent but a public DEMON
stration Of the kind advocate would be +
Of immense value to tie public gen
orally"
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