Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1910-08-17

6OO00,0O0 cases, Of which less than per
cent is stored, and the balance, over 90 per
cent, goes direct to the consumer. This
fact should effectively discount the argu-
ments which have been advanced tending
to prove the existence of a cold storage
trust Even a smaller per cent of the
meat which is produced is stored, figures
from government sources showing that
over 81 per cent of this product goes direct
to the consumer.
One other effect which the cold storage
business has in addition to its work as a
leveler Of prices is that since it was insti-
tuted the American people have been eat
ing better food than they did previously.
The reason for this undoubtedly lies in the
fact that as conditions are today they can
be supplied with q particular article Of
food at almost any time they desire 1t, and
In the additional fact that the competition
with stored products has raised the stand
ard of nonstored products
Government in Control.
Over the whole storage business the gov
eminent exercises a most strict espionage.
Especially true has this been since the re-
cent agitation began. Inspectors are at
hand to see that the food stored is only Of
the best that no forbidden preservauves
are used and to see to the enforcement Of
the thousand and one other details which
the law demands. As a result 1t would be
practically impossible for the storage men
to impose upon the public did they wish
to do 30.
Locally cold storage has made the pro-
duce market. In the years before cold
storage was established in Omaha the city
was of little consequence as a poultry, egg
and butter market but since its institution
making possible the storing of these prod
ucts Omaha has rapidly assumed promi-
nent position in the middle west as q
produce market.
In Omaha It is centrally true that the
firms which operate the cold storage plants
which are open to public use also carry
a large private business which occupies q
considerable part OF their available space.
Several of the companies also do large
creamery and ice business In connection
All of these concerns, however, which de-
vote much of their energy to their private
business also do a public storage business,
but this does not amount to nearly the
figures in Omaha as in some cities be-
cause, strictly speaking, Omaha has no
commission merchants. Those who deal In
perishable products do a straight buying
no commission dealing.
These cold storage houses will store any
thing perishable, including fruit. OF course
the greatest business lies in the storage
of eggs and butter, but beer and severa
other articles will run the leaders a clos'
race during the heated season. Like every
other business, cold storage has its sea
sons. The greatest amount of business is
of course, handled during the summer ant
spring when the articles are cheap in thu
market and in the fall these begin to b.
taken out Of storage, but the apples an'
other fruit which begin to come in 70
storage about that time keep the business
UP until we'll into the winter when come
the slack period.
Ice Machines Do II.
The cold storage business as 1t is toda,
has been made possible largely by the in
PRODUCTION Of the machine cooling appara
tus In the good old days when ice cool
ing was used, 1t was almost impossible t
put the temperature low enough to do
great deal Of good, but since the machin
refr1geratng plants have come into com
mon use, this problem has been solved an
the we'll appointed storage house nova
days has rooms for the various product
which can be lowered to a temperatur
several degrees below freezing, or only
few degrees below the temperature of tn
outside world.
Excluding the great amount Of privat
storage which is done in Omaha, which
is next to impossible to estimate tn
total storage receipts for the city. includ
ing South Omaha, in a year will amour