The ranch. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1902-1914, 1904-09-15


tire northwest territory, possessing
everything necessary to produce the
finest cattle and sheep in the United
States. should have the most prosper
Gus community of stock-growers OF all
the states and territories. The prin-
cipaI reason why this is not the con-
dition at the present time is that there
is no market sufficiently large to con-
sumo the stock when ready for slaugh-
ter. Between the low prices paid at the
markets already in operation and the
exorbitant freight rates charged by
transportation companies 1t is almost
impossible for stOck-growers to pro-
duce the finished product at profit.
If a packing plant were to be estab-
lished at Seattle sufficiently large TO
supply the entire demand OF the ter
ritory now covered by eastern packing
houses and the export trade, or the
present plants increased to that ca
pacity, it would mean millions OF dol
lars annually to our people.
At the present time the freight rate
on cattle from central and eastern
Washington to Omaha is $18O per car,
or more than Sc per head. The shrink
age will amount to at least 100 pounds
per animal more than the shrinkages
on shipments to Seattle, or under nor
NAL conditions S., making in all about
S11 per head which it costs the stock
man to ship his steers to Omaha. Ii
plant, as already suggested, were in
operation at Seattle the shrinkage
from central Washington and eastern
Oregon. as well as the freight rates,
would be nominal and would allow
saving of at least $40 head on these
two expense accounts. This would be
a profit to the stock-grOwer and will
apply to sheep as well as cattle.
So far as a market it concerned for
the product after slaughtering, there
is no product in the United States
which is a more promising one. With
a large plant in operation, saving all
of it's by-prOducts, dressed meats cou!o
be distributed on all of the railroads
running out of Seattle, to butchers at
figures which would do away with the
local slaughter houses in all OF these
towns and cities. Another source OF
revenue to the packing establishment
would he the export trade. During
the year 1903 the packing combine
shipped 1900 cars of meat and meat
products from the Missouri river to
Seattle. Tacoma and Portland Freight
was paid on this product at the rate
of 81 go per hundred pounds, or total
of 5000 900, equal to 6 per cent on
ten million-dollar capitalization. II the
packing company would secure this
trade. and there is no reason why IL
shouldn't, it could sell meat at cost
from the eastern packing house stand
point and then pay from Is to 20 per
cent per annum on capltallzatloh
sufficient to carry on the business.
It seems strange that the stockmen
and financial interests of the northwest
do not get together on proposition OF
this kind and consume and distribute
our own meats within our own terri
tory, rather than have the live animals
shipped to the Missouri river and
slaughtered and then shipped back to
us in cured meats
The National Live Stock Association
has been endeavoring to educate the
stockmen in this particular direction,
and these efforts may in time be pro-
ductive of much good. There is nothing
the stockmen need so much at THIS
time as organization. All other ~,
dustries in this country are conducted
through local and national associations
of some character, and unless those en-
gagged in the live stock industry can be
brought to see the necessity of support
1ooo1 ond national association