Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-11-18
Now Practically Certain that
Armour & Co. Will Replace
Burned Structures.
PACKERS MERGER INVOLVED
The Situation at Sioux City Depends
Largely on the Success of the Prop
osition to Combine All the Large
Packing Houses in the Country I'm
der One Management.
To Times-Rep,,blican.

| Special
Sioux City, Nov. 1S.-It is now prac-
| tically certain that Armour & Co. will
build new packing plant to replace
the one burned Sunday and that it
will be bigger and better than the one
destroyed in every respect.
"A party of prominent people in Ar
mour & Co.'S management is expected
here tonight" was the statement given
| out at the stock yards office at noon.
Beyond this nobody was able to make
a positive authoritative announcement
| of steps in view.
| The relations of Armour & Co. to
| the Stock Yards company We're eX-
planned by a man familiar with the
facts, as follows:
Armour d Co. must rebuild or for
felt all their interests here. When the
Silberhorn plant was turned over to the
old International, the Stock Yards COM
pany gave 100000 cash, 100000 of its
stock; the people Of Sioux City raised a
great subscription. 1t was contracted
that the International must operate the
plant ten years in order to secure title.
The International failed to carry
out the agreement. The Stock Yards
company took back the plant and the
stock that had been given the Inter
national and the latter gave UP its con-
tract. Then deal was made with Ar
mour & Co. Under that deal they got
a larger block of stock than the Inter
national people had received, and the
plant.
"A new ten-year operating contract,
similar to that with the International
was executed. So the Armours must
rebuild the plant or they will lose
whatever interest they have at the
yards under their contract. They must
rebuild or the insurance money goes
to the Stock Yards company"
Manager Lennon said he did not be-
lieve the new plant would occupy quite
the same site as the old. Those best
informed say it will be impossible
open a new packing house inside of
nine months; probably 1t will take
nearer year. Last March the corner
stones We're laid for two great houses
in Fort Worth, one by the Armours and
one by the Swifts. All contracts for
materials, etc, had been made long be-
fore. One of those houses is just now
being put in commission; the other is
not completed. Tha. has taken eight
months. With steel and heavy timber
SO hard to buy as now, it is calculated
that a year is the shortest time2 IN
which plant can be made ready to
open.
AN official who knows as much as
anybody now in Sioux City said:
Nobody has been here yet who can
tell what will be done. First the in
surance men must adjust the loss ana
settle. Then it will be time to clear
away the ruins and prepare the site for
a new plant,
The large question of policy muss
then be settled, and Armour & Co. di.
rectors must decide that. They must
build If they remain in Sioux City ana
hold their interests here. If they do
cause they control the stock yards and
their interest is indicated by their hue
ryin3 a buyer to the market to begin |
taking stuff this morning early.
Il think without doubt Armour & Co |
Will rebuild, and build larger than ever |
The old plant was a poor one for them |
anu IOT Tie TOWN.. II COulQ not utlllZS |
many by-products, and therefore made |
q poor profit showing, to the injury OF |
the town.
What bearing the present unsettled |
of the packing business may
have on the immediate situation in |
Sioux City is much discussed at the |
stock yards.
IF the merger goes thru, we will |
have two great plants" was the pre-
diction Of one high in authority. "They |
will be operated by Cudahy and either I
Armour or Swift. If Armour should |
not build again, then Swift must Il.
is even possible that Armour will re-
build and Swift add the third house. I;
the merger should be carried into effect |
and should decide to make a fight |
against the Chicago Stock Yards com I
pany, l would expect three houses
mere.
IF the merger does not go thru
and personally do not think it will
then we will have Swift building q
plant here soon. 1 expect, unless tho
merger deal is closed soon after Janu-
airy l, to see Cudahy, Armour AMI
Swift all killing stock in their own
plants here by January l, 1904.