The times., 1901-06-15
PROPOSE A NEW ABATTOIR
Local Butchers to Erect a Slaugh,
terhOuse in Virginia.
Reach Their Decision to Build rs the
Result of Discomfort With Methods
Employed by Western Packing
Houses Cheaper Meat Probable.


Result of Discomfort With Methods
Employed by Western Packing
Houses - Cheaper Meat Probable
A disa greement between the local butch
ers and the representatives of the West
ern packing houses over the retail meat
trade in the city of Washington win re
suit in the erection of an abattOir at
cost Of about $1,000 This is the climax of
a fight which has lasted for several years.
At a meeting OF the Washington Butchers
Association held last Tuesday evening it
was decided that all attempts to reach an
amica bic settlement of the disagreement
should be given up and the Washington
butchers should go ahead to protect them
selves in the best method possible It IS
the intention of the local meat men to
make themselves completely independent
OF all Western beef and to supply not only
Washington. but also Maryland and Nir-
ginia with meat and other packing house
products. They intend to fight the West
ern concerns in Southern markets as
much as possible.
This outcome of the trouble which has
long existed between the Washington
butchers and the Western firms Will prove
a benefit to the cattle raising men in NiT-
ginia and Maryland. When the scheme
which the butchers have launched is in
complete running order market for the
beef that farmers around Washington can
raise on their farms viii be created, and
the profit upon the business which usually
goes westward Will remain in Maryland
and Virginia
The abattoir which it is proposed to
build will be located on the Virginia side
OF the river. An option on five acres of
,r.F frnsal will
be as complete an establishment as it is
possible to erect and viii include
sIaughterhousa and large drove yard
into which farmers or buyers of cattle
can drive their herds. Facilities for tax
ing care Of many hundred head viii be
afforded. The slaughterhouse itself viii
be equipped with all the modern ma
chinery and all the modern sanitary ap-
pliances that money can buy. For the
storage of meat that has been killed ca
pacious cold rooms VIII be provided. It
is proposed that nothing shall go TO waste
and that in point Of the economy with
which cattle are disposed Of the abattolr
shall bear comparison with any erected
in the West Use VIII be made Of all
the offal. and for the treatment Of that
part which has no place in art and com
nerce j fertilizer plant will be made
There will also be plants for rendering
tanow, making gelatine, for saiting hides,
curing them. and for storing them.
The discomfort Of the Washington
butchers which has resulted in this abat-
toir scheme arises from the efforts which
it Is claimed the local representatives of
the large Western packing houses have
made to capture the retail trade of the
city. The Washington butchers claim
they have endured great deal from the
meat dealers of the West They assert
that the methods of shipping meat en-
pIoyed by the Western establishments
are such as to work great hardship to
the provision merchants OF this city.
The purpose Of the abattoir is set out by
the promoters OF the scheme as follows:
The intent OF this company is to estab-
Iish d stock yard that the farmers and
drovers may drive their cattle, sheep, and
lambs to, and consequently find ready
sale for The same; and also TO build an
abattOir that the butchers Of Washington
and Alexandria viii thereby be enabled
10 buy live stock and have the same
dressed fer market.
1T is also the purpose Of this company
to engage in the manufacture of all pro
ducts that they may successfully compete
with any Western slaughter house meats. %
The cOmnanv will be organized on CO.
operative basis, no member being allowed
more than 5000 worth OF stock More
start the scheme has been already raised
and the stock is said to be at a premium
The erection Of the abattsir, il is eN-
pected, viii prove a financial beneiit TO
all butchers and perhaps also result IN a
lowering Of beef prices in this city. There
is at present only one slaughtcrhouse
near Washington. That IS at Benning
and was erected by the Pennsylva MA
Railroad Company. II is now operated
under lease by Nicholas Auth and 7. L
Keane. Butchers say that it costs some
where between g and 81 per head TO
slaughter cattle there. The projectors OF
the new abattOir insist that cattle can be
killed and put upon the stalls IN Centre
Market from their establishment at less
than 81 per head
II is said that the local representatives
OF such companies as the Armour Beef.
the Armour Packing and Provision, the
Swift. and the Nelson MOTIFS companies
have formed an organization, which has
had as its object the control of the re-
tail meat trade Of this city Local
butchers declare that at the storerOoms OF
the Swift Company or the Nelson Morris
Company 1t is possible TO buy beer OF
lamb in quantities ds small as iouI
pounds 1t is claimed that meetings are
held every morning by the packers agents
to fix the retail price At which meat vii
be sold from the stoTehOuSeS, and that the
competition thus brought about Is ex-
tremely harmful 70 the interest Of the To-
cal butchers.
As a result Of this alleged action on the
part Of the packing house managers a
boycott, il is said. has been declared by
the association OF local butchers against
the Western packing-house products. Ac-
cording TO the statement Of one prominent
butcher yesterday no meat IS being bought
from any Of the Western FIRMS but all
beef. lamb, and mutton is being purchased
from the men who kill in the vicinity Oi
Washington. He declared that he has al
ready received notices from slaughter
houses IN Baltimore that they would b,
willing 10 furnish every ounce Of meat the
butchers OF Washington would take at
reasonable figure. He claimed, therefore
that the Washington butchers were. auC
could easily be, independent Of the West
ern packers
REPRESENTATIVES Of the big packers deny
that a boycott has been declared agains
them. g r. Lyman. manager for th'
Swift Company in Washington, who i
supposed TO head TIE association of loca
representatives OF Western firms. sal,
Yesterday that he was not aware o
any hostility toward him. and did no
think that any boycott had been declared
st least the volume Of business beinl
cone by him did not show any decrease
The statements Of others connected viii
the Western concerns were similar.
The main grievance which the loca
butchers have against the western PACK
ers relates 10 the method Of shipplnj
Il Just love it, is a phrase more often apple
% Moxie than anything else