The ranch. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1902-1914, 1907-09-15

| Camilla j. Knight |
Ranch by the meat packers they nevertheless
read the article and Charles H. Frye, of the Frye
Bruhn Co., Seattle meat packers, made reply
through the columns of the Seattle Daily Times.
In order to be fair to everyone concerned we are
glad to reproduce Mr.. Fryes interview in The
Times here but at the time also desire
to produce statement by Mr.. George Kindred,
of West Seattle, who had some dealings with the
Frye-Bruhn Co., the day that Mr. Fryes state
ment came out in The Times. The article from
The Times as follows:
Charles H. Frye today made strenuous de-
NAL of the charge preferred by The Ranch,
farm paper published here, which insists that
stockmen in the northwest are helpless before
combine of Pacific Coast packers which is hold
ing prices lower than those paid in Omaha, Kan
sis City and other middle western packing GEN.
ters The farm paper declares that eastern Wash
ington stockmen are killing their own stock and
saving only the hides because prevailing prices
are lower than the expense of raising cattle, and
it is impossible to carry the stock through the
winter at profit.
we paying more than the middle western
packers insisted Frye today, speaking for the
Pacific Coast packing houses. Our company has
purchased 5000 head of cattle in California, pay
ing IL cents pound on the hoOf In California,
or from ga to cents delivered at Seattle. We
have bought 5000 head of cattle in Montana, COM
peting for them against Omaha packers. Not a
head of cattle has been shipped to Missouri river
packers from Montana. Our prices were the bet
ter and succeeded in getting the stock.
In Omaha bought ten carloads of stock
and near Denver bought similar supply of
beef CATTLE in each instance paying more than
Omaha and Kansas City packers and competing
against them in their own territory We paid
$3.50 hundred for California grass fed
steers than the Californians could get from Miss
ouri river packing houses
FCott Flo in nc cta and thrOn hon
the northwest are getting the advantage of their
proximity to market in the prices pay for
their stock. We have paid all along, for
stock in this state than the Missouri river packers
pay in their territory. There is no foundation for
the charge that Pacific Coast packers under
paying the farmers and stock growers for their
CATTLE"
In direct conflict with this statement made by
of the leading meat packers of the Pacific
northwest is the statement of George Kindred, of
West Seattle, who while he is not regular stock
raiser keeps few COWS and now and then sends
one to market On the very day the article in
The Times came out, Mr. Kindred decided to send
a Durham COW, which he had been fattening to
the packers. He called up the Frye-Bruhn Co.,
and was referred to the chief buyer. When the
latter gentleman came to the phone the following
conversation ensued:
Mr. Kndred-'I have a very fine Durham
here weighing about thousand pounds which
want to market. What can I get for her?
Buyer-"Is she fat and in good condition."
Mr. Kindred-"Yes"
Buyer-"Well, if she is all you claim, fat and
in good condition, and you will deliver her right
here at the door of the packing house, will
pay you IL cents a pound for her"
This very generous offer declined by Mr.
Kindred, who decided that if he could get
more than that for his animal he would rather
keep her himself and slaughter her, for there is
no money in selling stock for less than at least
four cents pound. 1t costs almost that much to