Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1910-08-24

have cheap eggs for a few months. Then
there would follow a scarcity, the annual
crop having been consumed or gone to
waste and the inevitable law of supply
and demand would bring about such a
rise in prices as to make eggs prohibited
food. Now eggs can be carried in storage
for eight or nine months with perfect safety
and by placing them on the market in the
fall and winter, when the natural supply is
small, prices throughout the year are
eaualized.
According to the government statistics
the annual crop of eggs amounts to almost
6OOOOOO0 cases, of which less than 8 per
cent IS stored and the balance, over 80 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 governments 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 1t 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 a 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 preservatives
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 So
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 a promi-
nent position in the middle west as a
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 a
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
and selling business and there is practically
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 several
other articles will run the leaders a close