The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1910-01-29
THREE BILLIONS IN
. FOOD IS HELD IN
COLD STORAGE
Amazing Figures From Chicago
Show That Packers Have Noun
tains of Meat and Other Neees.
sites in Warehouses.
This Supply Would Fill Market Bias.
kets of 100000 Families
For Months.

CHICAGO. Ill, Jan. 29.-While the
American people are engaged in a
mighty meat strike to force down the
increased cost of living, there Is
locked up in the beef trusts cold stor-
age plants enough food to feed every
man, woman and child in the United
States for months.
This tremendous food hoard Is val
ued at $4,000. 000, 900. Tons of meat
and other necessarIes have been &C
cumulating in the strongholds here
Tor two and maybe three years
The Chicago packing trust and its
affiliated trusts in every corner OF the
country have amassed this frozen
mountain OF food.
The facts In the cold storage situa-
ton today are amazing. The figures
that follow are not guesses. but the
estimates of the packing interests
themselves, which have been obtained
from inside sources. The surprising
thing is that they have leaked out at
this time. when the federal grand
jury in this city is investigating the
meat situation.
These figures from the books of the
food trust, showing the amount OF
foodstuffs now in cold storage, consti-
tute proof to snow the cause OF the
higher cost of living Under lock and
key the food hoard is being held until
the day comes when prices are raised
still higher. But here are the astonud-
ing figures: There are 100000 cat
tie carcasses In cold storage. Other
stored meat in these great cold ware
houses the country over, include
5000, 900 calves, 100000 sheep and
lambs, and $4,000 900 hogs.
In 70 fish freezing plants there are
fish valued at $25,000.000. They will
be liberated on the market at Lem.
In other cold storage plants con-
trolled by the beef trust there are
held 1900, 100000 eggs. 10000. 900
pounds OF poultry and fruits, and mis-
cellaneous articles OF perishable food
worth $50,O0O.0 900.
There are millions of pounds of po-
tatoes, turtles, cells. cases OF canned
goods and milk, butter and cheese.
This last item alone is being boarded
to the extent OF 100000, 900.
There are 90.0C0.000 people In the
United States, counting in the farm
ers who will never demand any Of this
frozen food. This makes 20,000,000
families or less whose market baskets
must be filled every day or two with
food to replenish the larder. The cost
of this food that the market baskets
carry has risen and risen.
Scarcity of food" the packers here
a .v,ln NV.Nv, an
with the market baskets. But accord
ing to the trusts own cold storage
figures as given above. these quaint.
tics of food per family are held up:
Beef, 420 pounds.
Eggs, Z 1-2 dozen.
Veal, As pounds.
Poultry, 6 IL pounds.
Pork, 400 pounds.
Mutton, As ga pounds.
Fruits, $3.50 worth.
Lamb, II IL pounds.
Fish, $1.25 worth.
Miscellaneous, SIS worth
The two principal items in the aver
age market basket and food bill are
beef and pork. SO the beef trust
stores enormous quantities OF beef
and pork to control and maintain the
high price now charged for these
market basket necessaries.
Things like mutton, lamb. fish and
poultry are not stored to this tremen-
dous extent. The people don't want
them like they want the main neces-
saries. But enough are stored TO pro-
vide each family in the united States
with a plump chicken, enough miscel-
laneous food to stock pantry, enough
fruits for fortnight.
There Is enough fresh meat stored
To provide every family in the United
states with two and a half pounds OF
it every day for a year. This Ii moro
than the average family consumes.
Tho value of the entire hoard OF food
per family is $3.50, and for each per-
son is nearly as great as the average
wealth OF the country per capita,
which is $3S.
And the figures used in division are
FOR all the families in the country
Many families raise all their own
meat and vegetables. So. II is the
dweller in the cities, the wage Garner,
who is going to pay the price that the
big dealers want before they will un-
lock the doors OF these storage ware
houses.