Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-02-18
MEAT PRICES S[ASH[O.
Big Packing Houses in Chicago
Quarrel Over Prices to the
Retailers.
Now Selling to the Trade at Fig
ures Actually Below
Cost.
The Consumer Not Yet Getting
Any Benefit From the
Reduction.

Chicago, Feb. Is. - blS pdehiHS
houses in the stock yards are at war,
and as a result the price of dressed
cut over % per cent. Instead OF re-
ceiying from to 10 cents the packers
| are getting from 61s to Z cents for the
best dressed beef, and the market man
! is reaping all the benefit, for the retail
price has not been reduced one cent.
The general public is paying the high
prices of last fall for steaks and roasts,
and the householder will be the last to
feel the result of the cut. 1t is believed.
however, that the war may be of long
duration and will result in low prices to
every one.
The trouble is over the entrance of
two new firms into the Chicago beef
market For long time Armour q Co.,
Swift & Co.. and Nelson Norris & Co.
have had a monopoly of the local terri
tory and they divided it up between
themselves and held prices up accord
ing to their treaty of peace.
A big slaughter house has just been
cIcClco ny Lie SSlAW SSAhN ~ N1aAS
berger Company at the stock yards,
and they have been joined by the An
glo- American Provision Company,
which formerly handled hog products.
but little dressed beef in Chicago.
The established firms We're quick to
resent the intrusion into their territory,
and began to meet the competition by
cutting prices. The newcomers fol-
loved suit, determined to get business
at any price, and the price of fresh beef
las gone below the cost to the packers
IS it hangs in their cooling rooms.
The rate-cutting has gone on in
quiet manner, for all concerned were
interested in keeping the facts from the
public. The packing house people did
not wish to have the trade demoralized
any more than was necessary, for 1t
would mean a general reduction to
every one in the city, and some districts
had not been affected The retailers
who received the reduced prices care
fully concealed the fact, so that they
would not be compelled to share the
reduction with their customers.
Last fall the price of dressed meats
went up substantially in the general
market, owing, 1t was said, to the dry
weather in the summer, which caused
feed to be scarce and high. The retail
ers at once advanced their prices cor
respondingly. with the result that meat
became luxury in many families. 1t
is said that the price of live cattle of
good grade has not gone down to any
extent in the stock yards. and the pack
ing houses are bearing the full effect of
the late cut in prices.
Representatives of the packers were
not inclined to discuss the matter last
evening and pleaded ignorance of the
state of the market. 1t was believed by
marketmen that the war would not be
of short duration and that the older
houses would do everything possible to
keep from losing their established busi-
ness in Chicago. The end of the fight,
it is believed. will be treaty of peace
after profitless war lasting several
months. Before it has lasted long the
retail price of beef will be lowered sub
stantially.
The Schwarzschild & Sulzberger
Company is one of the largest concerns
in the country, and has operated ex
tensively in Omaha and New York for
several years. 1t never tried to invade
the Chicago market with a local pack
ing house before The company has re-
Gently put up large new houses at the
stock yards, and has made every prep
aration to enter the business on an ex-
tensive scale. The Anglo American
Company was in the Chicago beef mar
ket some time ago for a short period.
but has made extensive arrangements
for the business this time, and it is be-
lieved that it's entry will be permanent. |