Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-07-07

ing an advantageous location for slaughter
Ing and packing on mammoth scale, that
city would doubtless be several hundred
thousand smaller in population at the pres
ent reading
In Nebraska the industry has had a more
rapid development even than in Illinois or
Kansas. In 1880 the value of Nebraska 8
products was less than $4,000. Ten
years later 1t was S24 .o00, o0o and in 1909
1t was ST1 900 coo. an increase of over 19J
per cent in the decade. The boom began
with the establishment of the stockyards,
among the largest in the world. From that
day to this the industry has grown at an
enormous rate.
South Omaha is very advantageously 10
Gated for the packing business. It IS just
across the Missouri from Iowa, which, like
Nebraska, is one of the great feeding states
of the Union. In 1900 Iowa was first in
corn and Nebra ska third. As long as these
states remain great feeding states-as far
as man can prophesy that will be for all
time-South Omaha Will undoubtedly be one
OF the most important packing centers OF
the world.
Center of Corn Production.
Kansas City, Kan. is a great center OF
the industry for the very good reason that
Kansas IS one of our greatest cattle states.
In 1899 her stock raiSers marketed just
1880 944 cattle, valued at nearly $67 500, 90.
AS everybody knows, Chicago became our
porkopo,is when the center of corn produc-
ton and the railroads moved her way.
Did you know that before that day
dawned Cincinnati was the porkopolis of
the country-the first American city to be
so facetiously designated?
1t became the country's chief packing
center in the early years of the last cen
fury. The first packing houses were fiat
boats. These, In 1903, took beef and pork
by waterway to New Orleans.
Pioneer Establishment.
Fifteen years later Elisha Mills founded
what is now considered the pioneer estab-
lishment OF the western packing industry
as now understood. Cincinnati was very
proud when It learned that, in 1893, 1t had
packed 5000 hogs for market, and its
boasts grew very pronounced when, In 1881,
something Ike $4,000 hogs were packed
In the decade ending with that year the
city packed q per cent of all the hogs
packed In this country. 1t was during that
decade that the sobriduet of PorEopols
given to the metropolis of southern
Ohio
Before the prairies were cut up, checker
board fashion by railroads, Cincinnati, by
reason Of her location on the banks or the
Ohio. had unrvaled shipping facilities. AT
that time the great hog states were ONO,
Indiana and Kentucky, the center Of corn
production being in that part of the coun-
try Therefore, Cincinnati was pre-e nj
nent in the packing industry. But just as
soon as the center of corn production ana
the railroads began to push west rapidly,
the city's doom as the leading packing
center was written.
Advent Of Refrigerator.
That was in the early sixties. BY the
last of the seventies Cincinnati was no
longer the Porkopolis. In the meantime II
had made valiant fight to maintain the
distinction One of the shrewdest moves IN
this direction was the Introduction of artl-
fetal refrigeration. Previously packing had
been carried on during the winter months
only. Now 1t was pursued the year through
The impetus that the new method impaired
delayed the Inevitable decline of the indus
try for several years. It was in 1877 that
refrigeration, as now known and applied
all over the country In numerous ways, was
thus called to the aid of the packer.
Did you know that though Chcago's rise
to meat-packing supremacy Is or recent
date, comparatively speaking, the industry
has been followed in the Windy City since
1886? That was before the city was In
corporated Cattle and hogs were then
brought in the hoof. There are men o,
middle age who remember seeing hogs ana
cattle being driven through chicago
streets to the packing houses, statement
that seems almost beyond belief wren one
recalls that score or more OF tne mos se
track connection with the giant stockyaFos
of that city.
Beginning Of Packingtown.
The pioneer packing establishment was
located near the mouth of the Chicago
river. in what is now the heart of the city.
Packingtown came into being with the
building of the Union stockyard, chartered
in 1865. When Philip d. Armour removed 10
Chicago from Milwaukee, ten years later
the city's packing business was looming up
finely, but its gigantic Strides may De saia
to date from Mr.. Armours advent as neao
of the grain commission and pork packing
| firm of H. o. Armour g. Co. Long before
/ he died. in 1901, Mr.. Armour had learned
| the secrets of how to make use, CONNER
cially, of everything connected with nos,
| a steer, sheep. except its breath, as ne
| was fond of putting 1t. His SURPRISING m
/ genuity In this direction was one OF the
| chief causes of the enormous growth OF the
| Chicago branch of the industry. Not only
were the geographical. agricultural ana
! transportation conditions favorable to chi,
cago; the latest ideas also were there, and
/ SO Chicago became the Porkopolis It Is now.
and IL likely to remain It for years to come.
Run on Municipal Lines.
1t was In 1868 that Chicago began to pack
| along the Hines that have been 80 wonder
fully developed to date. In the next thirty.
six years four hundred million animals OF