Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1906-02-09
Mr.. MARRIOTT ON
HIGH MEAT PRICES.
Says Big Rents and Excessive
Freight Rates Causes the
Condition Here.
SAYS BUTCHERS ARE NOT RICH
That They Don't Have Horselcss Car
rlnges, TheRter Boxes or Proml-
nent Places In society.

Editor Deseret News ! must con-
Tess, that was somewhat astonlsho1
at the article that appeared IN the Des-
eret News OF last Saturday, and some
explanations are necessary from one
who knows all about the fearful trust
this city is controlled by
The writer evidently labored under
great mental stress, and OF the hun
dreds OF lines in the business category
that might with justice and some foun-
dalton on facts have come under his
fte, choose one. II II az all deserves
mention. should be- Of pity for the un-
fortunates that are compelled To exc
out an existence following II.
Before entering into further details
We would ask II our friend can point
out TO US where the elegant mansions
occupied by those nabobs OF the butch
er's business are located? How many
OF them enjoy the luxury Of q horse
less carriage" q thsater box. or when
the names OF their wives or daughters
appeared conspcuously IN the society
notices Of our newspapers, describing
their beautiful dresses. towels, etc, be-
cause Il must he understood that wealth
brings social distinction.
Coming TO actual facts. our friend
must begin to understand that no other
class Of business (unless Il he the gro
cer) has to meet so many expenses Tor
the volume OF business done, and o.
whom Is so much expected at amy and
all times to whom 50 little con8lders-
ton ard palliation Is allowed, az that
of the butcher
The goods from the market are ex-
pected 70 be delivered sometimes With
IN 10 minutes from the time they were
ordered. necessltitlng a delivery system
of three times the capacity any other
line OF business would require.
While TO a casual observer. II might
seem that the prices of meats In some
Instances are high; and he quotes
Butte CITY and Anaconda, Montana,
as a criterion. we might with az much
right quote 20 him Denver which has
the advantage over Salt Lake city IN
freigh, rates. Kansas City, Omaha and
Chicago, the three greatest meat CEN
iers In the world. where Tor the same
class Of goods and cuts he will pay AZ
much and IN great many Instances
more than he would pay for them here
Then again, did our friend ever stop
20 consider that Salt Lake city mer-
chants pay more rent than those Of
Butte or Anaconda? That In the last
three or four years we are paying just
100 per cent more for grain, ana from
81 10 81 more per ton for hay. that
rents are from 40 TO rs per cent higher
now than then; tina, horses, wagons.
tools castings, spices, etc. are all sew
orally controlled by trusts and prices
advanced in some cases as high as 800
per cent? That with progress, added
~ IuIt
Take the telephone business for in
stance; A dry goods store, doing a
business OF t250.O0Q per year, win get
along with one phone, whereas
meat market doing onc-half
that amount OF business viii have
TO have from five to six phones.
which require the employing Of two
extra clerks simply 10 answer calls.
The bubble will coon disappear II our
friend, by learning how TO take a beef
and cut It up ready 90 be served to
customers would acquire some actual
experience out Of o 1--WE hundred
pound beef, OF the zoe quality, he would
get but about So pounds
Regarding the trust business. can
inform our friend that no written or
unwritten understanding exists be-
tween any aud all the members Of the
whereby prices are controlled, hxed or
determined by any person or persons,
ana II a uniformity exists throughout
the city among members of the associa-
ton, the same obtains among nom
members being the natural cons~
quencc Of the necessity OF having 10
sell at prices that VIII entitla the
merchant to living and fair margin.
Butchers and grocers and our state
inents can be verified by any collec-
ton agency I'm the city, lose more
money In bad accounts than any other
line OF business. The necessity for
organization for protection against this
eyil has been apparent all along, but
Il is only IN the last year or 30 that
actual steps have been taken to adopt
means 10 curb IL, il Il cannot be en-
tirely stopped.
In nne, the goods handled In a meat
market from the moment TIN. are
hung on the hooks begin TO loose
money for the owner Of the shop. With
every hour they shrink IN weight;
fresh cuts turn stale and have to be
trimmed, and II proper accummoda-
tons are prepared TO reduce that loss
10 minimum. the expenses revert 10
the loe that viii have TO be used.
Hoping this partial explanation Will
be sufficient 20 relieve our friend from
the nightmare he has been a victim OF.
and Inviting him Tor further details 60
make a personal cali on Soma dealer
who viii, J am sure, be- only too glad
TO accommodate him, beg 20 remain,
Very respectfully,
j. ". MARRIOTT.