Evening journal., 1904-07-20
BEEF STRIKE IS
NOW ANTICIPATED
Engineers and Firemen in
Western Stock Yards Are
Expected to Stop Work

Johnson and Brother, Wholesale butch
ers tins morning received through private
sources from Chicago, the information
that there was a grave possibility Of the
packers refusing TO grant the request Of
the striking butchers for a conference
which was proposed to be he'd today. to
adjust the existing difficulties. In this
event every engineer and hremen en-
ployed in the Western packing houses
will be called out and a PARTICIPATION Of
shipping interests viii follow.
In the wholesale houses throughout the
city the situation remains the same a.
though the retail markets are practically
dead-one butcher says that meat sold to
regular customers by many butchers to-
day is sold at a loss BY them st from two
10 two and one-half cents per pound
This is done in order that persons who
nave been regular trades people may not
be compelled to pay what they, the BUTCH
ers claim to be an unjust advance on the
part of wholesalers.
Some wholesale butchers deny that they
have made any unreasonable advance in
prices to butchers and representative
OF one large firm In the city says that Il ia
fair in its dealings with retailers in this
matter Of Western beef as for top ol
prime beef they are asking 10 cents pei
pound, the same figures that were aske,
before the strike was on. Some of the
beef handled by this firm is sold by it as
low as ~ cents to the butcher. Very little
Western beef is being received in the
city atp resent and wholesalers are de-
pending largely upon stock furnished by
the local markets.
wilkins and Stats have now on hand a
| sufficient supply Of beef to supp the en-.
tire city and State for at least ten days
In the past forty-eight hours the firm has
received ten carloads Of Western cattle
| aggregating go head. 1t is believed by the
heads OF the firm that meat will droT
Eventually to normal prices and may pos
sibiy go lower on account Of overstocket
markets. They deny emphatcal'y thai
they are endeavoring to take advantag,
Of their customers and say they are acting
fairly by them. The same firm repor
sheep to be plentiful and looser in price
johnson and Brother have on hand 25
head Of live and dressed beef and ~
head Of sheep and lambs. They are
killing at the rate OF fifty head pei
day.
In the cold storage house of Armour
& Company hang forty head of prim,
dressed beef, as cold as a lump Of ic,
and tempting to the eye. This stock {,
being disposed Of at the prevailing
{ prices.
1t is said Swift & Company hav,
been having cattle killed at the abba
toir and the dressed beef shipped {,
Baltimore markets as Philadelphi,
butchers refuse to kill beevss for som,
of the larger wholesale houses on ac
count of the strike.
When asked for a confirmation Of tn
statement an official of the Swift con
Germ refused to talk on the subject
saying he did not care to enter int
any discussion on IT, Wilckens an,
Stats deny this assertion and SLY tina
, although they are willing TO sell Swif
& Company or anyone else. live bee
| in any quantities. they absolutely re
= fuse to kill cattle for them. It is sai
4 however that Johnson e. Brown hav
g killed some beef for the firm.